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So I'm no longer working out. Can't walk through the grocery store without my hip flexors hurting. It's all soft tissue stuff, I'm getting dry needled weekly and doing pilates PT. But I still hurt and I'm almost at 2 year anniversary and I can't say that my hip replacement helped much at all . I'm pretty much ready to hang up the towel and just go on pain meds. I'm close to tears often, super frustrated.. Yup I'm done spending gobs of money on rehab and really not getting better. I'm so sick of being in pain! I give up!
 
Miss April, what in the world of hipsters is going on with you? Man o man, I am so sorry and feel a little guilty, too. Look, I quit the therapy about as fast as it started, what well over a year ago. And all I did was walk, walk, walk. Maybe not for miles, but far enough that it worked doing just that and if it hurt, I quit. For me, I have forgotten that I had hip surgery, really. I don't play basketball, I shoot some hoops. I don't surf, but I enjoy being in chest deep water, pushing others into waves, teaching them how to surf. You gotta change what you do, and how you do it just a little. You have an artificial joint, that will never duplicate a real joint. But, you are an athlete and with very strong legs I am sure. You should be enjoying 'pain free', but you want to believe you can have it all the same as you did with a real hip. Adjust your expectations, and enjoy 'pain free'. If it hurts, then stop. My two cents: just walk, be happy, and I wish you the best.
 
Congrats on forgetting about your hip ya lucky you know what!

I do nothing now so I can't really do less. Cant go grocery shopping without pain, can't walk for more than 3-4 minutes without the pain starting in my hip flexors. Can't swim bc of the same problem so I'm back on the couch... Been on the couch (not working out) for close to 3 months . So no activity isn't helping at all. I'm miserable!! Tylenol, ibuprofen doesn't help. Have my yearly appt with my surgeon next Friday. Didn't see him last year bc I was getting ready to have surgery for my torn psoas. Hopefully he'll give me something for the pain bc this sucks!
 
Well yes, that does suck so what are you gonna do this time around? You are not gonna lay down and complain, right? Please remember you have a piece of metal glued, that's right glued into your femur bone. And when you start feeling better, which you will, change your pace a little. I guess in my mind I constantly visualize that glue coming loose, or the femur bone cracking under pressure and I then slow down, or go get a ladder instead of using a chair to change a light bulb!! We all have a little connection created here, so it feels good to talk about it and thanks for listening and I wish you the best!!
 
waterman1 said:
I guess in my mind I constantly visualize that glue coming loose, or the femur bone cracking under pressure and I then slow down
Click to expand...
Both of these highly unlikely but I think your point about slowing the pace is a good one. I seem to remember you were working out pretty aggressively early in your recovery @aprilc . But sounds like resting isn't help either. Please let us know what your surgeon suggests.
 
Hi aprilc

I can feel your pain honest I can as I have also been to hell and back feel free to have a peek, I did get sorted but very cautious about doing anything in case I go through the same problem. It's time for your surgeon to step up to the plate and get this horrendous problem sorted [ don't whatever you do is give up keep fighting keep complaining and get someone to fix the problem ] I really do feel for you and someone somewhere has to fight your cause [ you have to learn to be a pest and an ugly one if that will speed things up]
Big hugs all the way from Scotland :friends:

Billy
 
Thanks all. That is part of the problem @forbesy, the hip replacement surgeon is done with me (except for yearly check ups) bc as far as he's concerned, his work (the new joint) is fine. The guy who did the psoas repair and release along with bursectomy considers his work done bc I can now lift my leg. It's all soft tissue which leaves me in the world of pt and trying to find the right modality, specialist to figure it out...basically I'm on my own. Sometimes I need strong pain meds but I really don't want to deal witj pain clinic, but when I'm in pain I literally panic at this point (I wrote my post on mid panic). I'm afraid of pain, I'm sick of pain, I just want to be able to walk around the grocery store without pain. My bar is low. Went to a hockey game with friends last night - fun but painful.

I did have a good talk with my pt from Duke Sports Sciences today. He deals with alot of people like me, multiple hip surgeries, lots of trouble getting things under control. He said I'm a very difficult case, he's been thinking about me alot and he wants to get to figure this out. He dry needled some new spots - my psoas from my back, QL and oblique. We're trying to figure out what I do on a daily basis that keeps flaring up my muscles. The only thing I can think of is walking, psoas too tight, not pushing off toes engaging glutes... Blah blah blah, I'm bored typing it. I've completely lowered my expectations after listening to all ya'll. My goal is no longer to squat or to get back to working out, it's just to walk without pain . Maybe if I can have one bit of success I'll feel like I'm progressing.

Feel like I need to figure out what to do about this pain though bc it hurts but also bc it is really starting to affect my mental health. I've been so positive and upbeat about my rehab for 7(?) years now. Physical therapists love me bc I'm fun and I'm consistent with the rehab exercises. Now I just feel beaten down and over it.

I'll keep you posted for those who like to hear me whine - I'm talking to you @waterman1! But as someone else pointed out this is a great place to keep track of progress or lack thereof.
 
Hi @aprilc
I'm 13 months out from my right hip replacement and 9 months out from my left hip replacement. My right one has healed up nicely and feels totally normal. Now my left hip is a different story. I think I tried to do too much too soon with it and kept setting myself back.... I think you know what I'm talking about! Anyway it seemed like I was moving backwards as far as strength and muscle pain in the left hip so when I saw my surgeon last month he sent me back to physio. What they found was that I had so many knots or "hotspots" in most of my muscles surrounding my hip and this was causing me pain which led me to not using my muscles properly. Physio has been doing deep massage(this is very painful) on all my hot spots weekly and now I am back to doing some very basic stretches. It has been two weeks and I am finding some relief and improvement. The one thing they had me get was a foam roller(not a smooth one but the one that is rough) so I can massage my hot spots on my own, especially my hip flexors. I find the roller has helped tremendously. During the day if I find any of my hip muscles getting tight or painful then I do some rolling.
With all that you have been through I imagine you have tried all that I mentioned above but just in case is why I posted and to let you know you are not alone in your frustration!
 
@aprilc you are not alone in your frustrations. I had to retire from teaching after my second knee replacement due to soft tissue pain. I could not stand more than a minute for a long time without the leg feeling like it was going to explode. I also have back disc problems but since my hip replacement everything is much better. I still am limited in distance and standing but it is improving. I do water aerobics three times a week following restrictions ( no midline crossing and no twisting of back) and it has been great way to improve strength in my muscles. I can tell a big difference when I miss a class. I also have been off pain meds for the first time in ten years. I walk without a cane and do not limp. Do not give up, I know when I overdo I set myself back. For me it is a careful balance. When I know I have to walk a long distance I take my walker with a seat. If I feel like I have over done I will use a scooter at stores like Costco. One thing that has come out of this is I do not care what others think if I use a walker or scooter. There was a time when I did not go shopping, or have any kind of social life. Have you tried water classes? I do the same exercises that I did at pt. anyways I am sending you good thoughts, hugs, and most of all stick with getting better. Feel free to vent frustrations here, this is a great place to do so. We learn from each other. Hugs again!
 
@aprilc .... please do let us know how you're getting along. Recovery can be frustrating and slow sometimes, but please don't give up! This is why we tell folks to expect to continue recovery in some form or other for up to a year or more. For some it just takes longer. You'll get there!!!
 
So I have an update. I think we've found the culprit of the pain whenever I walk. The sartorius. It was sufficiently punished yesterday while my pt needled the hell out of it... Wow it hurt! But that's a good sign. Walking on the track did not bring on my pain... So fingers crossed that was it. Now my job is to do rehab exercises, mostly the glute stuff with the hope that the neuro muscular signals can change while my satorius is "relaxing".
 
Hi @aprilc Its good news that you may have found the source of your pain at last and you were able to walk pain free.When you say that the PT needled your satorius was this acupuncture?
 
I just read through your whole thread. I don't know if you still want opinions. I was a professional dancer for many years, and had to have both of my hips replaced because I wore away all of the cartilage. To me, it does sound like you are very addicted to exercise. You do things that are very harmful, like running. It seems like you are sabotaging your healing. I hope this doesn't sound too judgemental.

I just feel really sad reading your thread. I miss ballet, too, but I would never try to start jumping and going back to that. To me, it's not worth the pain or the risk. It also sounds like the PT injured you. When I read that you were doing so many reps, I groaned. It's just a recipe for long term trauma.

I apologize if I'm being rude and intrusive. I've taught yoga for 30 years, and have helped a lot of people heal their injuries and illnesses. Have you thought of just doing breathing exercises and hydrotherapy? No PT or exercise? That's what I would suggest. You're not in tune with your body's needs. You get excited that you've found the solution, and go charging ahead with something that's very detrimental. It's dangerous.

I really hope you heal and find a solution. The soft tissue is very sensitive. You sound very competitive, which is counterproductive after this surgery. I am a person who also over exercised the first 50 years of my life. I understand the zeal and need for endorphins, but I hope you consider some calmer activity. Meditation and visualization can also help.

Again, I'm really sorry if this is inappropriate. It just sounds like you could be headed for a lifetime of chronic pain if you don't make a huge change. I wish you the best.
 
@Kim22 Dry Needling uses acupuncture needles but they don't just put them in one place and leave them there, the practitioner pokes the needle in and out of the muscle where the trigger points are and it does wonders for releasing tensions and calming them down which in turn allows the right muscles to start working. Got my sartorious needled again, definitely has been the culprit.

@Hip Hip Hooray! Yes I do over do it, it's been a constant struggle. I've done nothing for long periods of time (3 months) and although it did help some, my pain, especially with walking, never went away. I think I've finally settled into a place where I can be active but still not overdo it. The hardest thing for me for the longest time was that I never knew I was over doing it. This combo of pilates Physical Therapy and dry needling as well as glute and hamstring strengthening is doing wonders for my recovery!
 
I think that's common. I didn't realize I was overdoing it as a dancer, either. I wore away all of the cartilage on both hips. I've really cut back on exercise now. I'm glad to hear that you are feeling better.
 
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