THR Schaargi Hip #2 Nov. 2

[Layla]

tried to take it easy but the impending arrival of my mother-in-law took over my common sense

This made me laugh. I hope you’re feeling better now after a few days of ice and rest.

 

[Schaargi]

Ugh. I'm totally sidelined due to overdoing it. I am walking with my cane to support my formerly "good" leg. Am staying almost completely sedentary, as any weight on it shoots my pain level up to an 8 or 9. Glad I have the cane and glad I have some experience with this. I know I need to stay off of it and ice until it calms down. Sigh.

 

[Jaycey]

Sorry you are sidelined. Please rest, ice and elevate to get this under control. Boring I know - but needs must!

 

[Schaargi]

I spent the week lounging and icing and I don't think it helped much. I am still in a LOT of pain when I put weight on my non-surgical hip and move in certain ways. The surgeon found nothing wrong on the x-rays. My next step was to call the physical therapist, so I made an appointment for Wednesday.

Trying to stay positive but I'm sure having moments of losing hope. I hope this doesn't discourage others from having hip surgery.

Looking on the bright side, my surgical hip is coming along swimmingly. All I need to do is get the pain controlled on both sides at approximately the same time and I can make some headway.

 

[Schaargi]

Met with my physical therapist today. What a relief! I have some hope regarding my non-surgical hip. She did a thorough exam. One surprise is that I'm still favoring my surgical leg when I walk. I'm totally surpised-- I thought my other hurt leg was overshadowing everything.

So, unlike my surgeon, she doesn't want to rule out a torn labrum. My pain doesn't quite line up with muscle and tendon issues but we will see.

She wants to focus on strengthening surrounding muscles-my glutes are super weak. She gave me some new home exercises (Oh, boy ) with the advice that if something hurts, don't do it. She's the best.

 

[FCBayern]

She gave me some new home exercises (Oh, boy ) with the advice that if something hurts, don't do it. She's the best.

Sounds like you have a good PT @Schaargi! Sorry to hear you are still trying to figure out that other hip and that you have a new home exercises. But we are still here to support you and you did a great job with your last set of home exercises! Hopefully continuing to work on your gait and the new exercises will help. Have a good evening!

 

[Mojo333]

Oh my stars...I am sorry you are still struggling but I hope the PT can help with the gait training and exercises.
You are such a determined lady so I know if the exercises can help, you will be diligent.
Doing enough without overdoing might be the trick now... So be mindful of how it is affecting your pain so you can give feedback.
Hope the rest of your week is sweet @Schaargi

 

[helenium]

Doing enough without overdoing might be the trick now

How I wish I knew how to get this right!

Your situation mirrors mine in so many ways @Schaargi. Groin pain in the supposedly good hip, super-weak glutes... Wondering what exercises you have to help strengthen those poor glutes. Are you able to share?

I confess I'm nowhere near as good as you in completing the ones I have though. Every week when you post how much you've done, it puts me to shame - and I vow to do better!

 

[Schaargi]

Hi @helenium,

I don't know how far you are in your healing; I'm at 9 months so am venturing into small bridges, squats without weight and modified clamshells to strengthen my glutes. She also taught me one she calls a hip hike that doesn't look like much but I sure feel it in my glutes.

Please don't do any of these unless you are far along in your recovery.

Stop if you feel a "bad" pain, especially in the tender groin. She coached me while doing them to make sure I was just doing enough to tighten my glutes. My clamshells are tiny--just a couple of inches-- at this point I'm squeezing my glutes, lifting a tiny bit, and just concentrating on those muscles to make sure they are activating. Nothing more.

She even said to poke on my glutes to remind them to work.

The main thing she said is focus on activating your glutes- make sure they are working when you do the exercises. And the little glute squeezes they gave you when going home from your surgery? Those help remind your glutes to stay awake.

And if it hurts, your body isn't ready for it. Don't do it. Wait, did I say that already?

Thanks so much for writing. It's nice to know that my posts are helping someone.

 

[helenium]

Hi @Schaargi,

Thank you so much for such a brilliant, detailed response, that's so kind of you. I felt a bit cheeky in asking. I'm over 17 months out from my last surgery, but I knew that this recovery was going to take a very long time. I planned to update my thread at the 12-month mark, but I’d not had a very good month so didn’t. My resolution (one of many!) is to post an update at 18 months.

Covid pressures and restrictions here have resulted in most PT (if available) being limited to telephone appointments, but I was fortunate to have a lengthy face-to-face session with a wonderful PT a few months ago. I have telephone appointments every few weeks for an update on my progress and modifications to my exercise plan. I'm also into small bridges and squats. I started on hip hikes, felt it was a bit soon so reverted to the “balancing on one leg” exercise. I'm about to restart the hip hikes . I certainly felt them (a lot), not at the time but later. I was supposed to work up to 3 sets of 20 a day – I felt a bit of a failure when 1 set of 5 was obviously too much. I shall start again with just 1, or 2!

My PT also emphasises to focus on activating my glutes and to prod to feel my glute medius working. I’ve started to use stairs several times a day, but I find it almost impossible to squeeze my glutes at the same time! My PT hasn’t introduced clamshells yet, a treat in store for me, I’ve been well trained in them in the past!

It's nice to know that my posts are helping someone.

They certainly do. And it's so reassuring to compare notes and to know that we have a similar program to train our super weak glutes.
I sure hope your PT can figure out what's causing your non-surgical hip pain. Thanks again .

 

[Schaargi]

Hey @zauberflöte, are you still around? You take a barre class, correct? Can I ask you if you have trouble with turning your leg out?

My PT doesn't think I will be able to do any kind of turnout and I'm looking for some hope. Because my favorite exercises are dance, yoga and swimming, and two of those require a moderate turnout, I'm a bit worried. OK. I want someone to reassure me that my PT is wrong.

Give me a holler when you get a chance.

 

[Schaargi]

Hi all,

I'm at 9 months today. When my nerve was damaged, the doc said it would take about a year for the nerve to heal. It looks like that prediction will be correct. The numbness continues to shrink and I feel like my muscles are responding to my brain signals. I have made strides in strength. Yay!

On the other hand, I am still very weak and my "good" hip is causing so much pain that I am unable to perform many activities of daily living. I can do about 2/3 of my surgery home exercises, but am unable to walk more than about half a block and activities of daily living build up so much that I'm largely debilitated by the end of the day. I haven't been fully active since mid 2019. I remember telling my friends at the pool that my hip hurts, even when I swim. That was almost 2 years ago.

I don't want to discourage anyone thinking about having a hip replacement. I mean, what are the chances of this happening, with how many thousands of hips being replaced every day?

I went to physical therapy today and they want to back off. I only did exercises lying down, because my hip hurts when I put weight on it. I have been instructed only to stretch and put gentle heat on it for the next couple of days. So I will be lounging on the couch and asking my husband to feed me grapes and fan me with palm fronds.

I'm not giving up! Thanks, everyone, for being here for this challenge!

 

[FCBayern]

So I will be lounging on the couch and asking my husband to feed me grapes and fan me with palm fronds.

Wow @Schaargi and my wife thought she had a catch because I cook! Seriously, you were one of the few that had complicating issues, yet overall you have been very positive and worked to do everything you can to overcome. Really happy the nerve damage is beginning to resolve, I understand what a long road nerve healing is but it sounds like things are improving. You have been inspiring in your recovery, I hope it continues to improve!

 

[Schaargi]

Sorry I haven't posted in a few weeks. Here's an update...

My nerve continues to heal. It looks like the numbness being gone or mostly gone at about a year, just like the doc said!

As for my other hip, the pain has become pretty severe and is hampering my physical therapy and exercises. My PT wants me to make another appt with the surgeon to see if he can help troubleshoot.

 

[Layla]

Hello @Schaargi
Thanks for the update.

Great news in regard to the ongoing improvement with your nerve issue. Fingers crossed it is resolved by your one year anniversary. I‘m sorry to read about your other hip causing you severe pain. I hope your surgeon has an idea to help bring you relief.
A great rest of the week to you!

 

[Schaargi]

Hi all,

I'm back on the home exercise wagon, although my exercises have changed. So I'm posting after a week of completing the modified routine. New exercises, so I'm not too bored yet. I'm motivated to figure out what the problem is, and if I can strengthen the surrounding muscles I'm hoping the pain will go away.

That's all! Hope everyone has a good week.

 

[Mojo333]

I sure do hope this new regimen is helpful.
Wishing you a happy day @Schaargi

 

[helenium]

Hi @Schaargi

Well done at completing another week of exercises. I'm still pretty useless at sticking to mine, I wish I knew your secret. Do you set aside a specific time(s) to do them?

My PT wants me to make another appt with the surgeon to see if he can help troubleshoot.

Did you make an appointment? Hope the new exercises help.

 

[Schaargi]

Hi @helenium!

Yes, I do my exercises every evening after dinner. Every. Single. Evening. 6 days a week-- my PT said I need a day for muscle recovery. I got in the groove when I was doing exercises to repair my dead quad due to nerve damage. I talk with my 88 year old mom every night and she always asks me if I did my exercises, and it motivates me to post on this for every week. (Honestly, I was starting to lose motivation on my weekly posts until you told me you kept track).

My appointment with the surgeon's assistant is April 8. I hope I either start feeling better or I can get some kind of diagnosis.

 

[Layla]

Best Wishes for your appointment next week. I hope you find answers that bring you permanent relief from pain. May today be a good day!
@Schaargi