THR Finally on the other side

[Clairebella]

How funny, I also have a sore knee - it was bruised after surgery which I didn’t immediately notice but this week it’s become more achy.

 

[Eman85]

I have my first outpatients appointment with the physio at the hospital on Friday - I'm not looking forward to that as I've felt too sore to exercise much since last Wednesday and I think they might not approve of my lack of effort !

It's not school or a job so there's no grade or pay cut for lack of effort. You have to look at what your goals are.

 

[Esmeralda]

I can feel them- ache/burn but successfully complete them. Completing 2 rounds not trying 3 yet. Second round I feel them more while completing them. I shudder at the thought of lunges.

Have you a catch up session arranged with the physio to see how you are progressing ?

 

[Esmeralda]

@Eman85 You are so right ! I don't know why I worry so much about what other people think of me. My goal is to walk freely without pain and have a good range of movement, and if that takes me a bit longer than others, so be it.

Btw, I'm really curious, what does a 'big cheese' mean ?

 

[Esmeralda]

How funny, I also have a sore knee - it was bruised after surgery which I didn’t immediately notice but this week it’s become more achy.

The bruise at the back of my knee didn't bother me pain wise and I only knew about it as my husband saw it. But the ache with my knee is all over the front of the knee cap and the front thigh muscles are now feeling stiff and aching as well. I'm sure it's all a knock on effect of the op and also not helped by the stilted way I'm moving. Low level aches and pain I'm fairly laid back about, it's when the pain is sharp and intense that I worry.

 

[Hippie Chick]

My OS has his patients for THR do PT at home. I do not have any PT follow up appointments. I read on here how walking is the best PT so that seems aligned. That being said, I am trying to make sure I engage my core, use correct posture, and walk heel to toe. I personally picked my OS based on his reputation so I trust him. My son sprained his ankle his first year of college and went to a doctor in the same network. He had PT twice a week. The PT department (same building) as OS where I picked up my packet and had them modeled/explained was at full capacity. I would have loved some stair practice with someone. Reading where some PT have patients doing lunges and squats makes me grateful that I am not facing that. I can see where time plays a role as well. I can now sit on a cushion placed in a chair with legs down briefly. I can maneuver my surgical leg on a footstool easier. Stairs without railings scare me because I want to hold on to something that is immovable as I ascend or descend. I cannot imagine driving at 2 weeks although many have reported doing that. The conversations here, like this, have truly helped. My insurance would cover PT so that is not a factor.

 

[Clairebella]

@Esmeralda i really seem to be experiencing everything you are so I’m hoping it’s all normal! That’s us 3 weeks now post op! But still early days everyone says.

 

[SurreyGirl]

If you get up and down from chairs and the toilet and bed as often as I do in a day you will be doing those squat exercises naturally. I am giving up on lunges for now. I can do them but it hurts so I won’t!

I’m really missing swimming so hope to get cleared for water activity soon.

Lousy weather today. Gales and rain and all our plants have fallen over. So resting and walking up and down the kitchen is my limit today!

 

[Hippie Chick]

SurreyGirl- that is it, doing everyday stuff is PT in a nutshell!

 

[Clairebella]

So true @SurreyGirl daily activities of living is all the PT needed for the first few weeks.

We also have terrible rain and wind up in Scotland so it’s kept me firmly inside.

 

[Eman85]

@Eman85 You are so right ! I don't know why I worry so much about what other people think of me. My goal is to walk freely without pain and have a good range of movement, and if that takes me a bit longer than others, so be it.

Btw, I'm really curious, what does a 'big cheese' mean ?

I guess I've just stuck around here a while. It really should be big dummy for all of the overdids I've done and still do.
You mention knee pain at the knee cap. I had that and it took me sitting and googling to figure out it was the muscles that terminate at the knee sending the pain signal. I would get it especially from walking on unlevel ground and stirs. mine would be a bit of a burning sensation along with the pain. Ice and rest and it will all be better.
I did some home PT with my first THR and did basically nothing but walk with my 2nd. My goal after my THR's was to live my life and be mobile, and also experience pain free sleep. I've accomplished those goals.

 

[Esmeralda]

A quick little update :

Yesterday was a good day for me, I woke up feeling quite positive, the op was 3 weeks behind me, I hadn't done anything silly for a couple of days and I do believe having my son home for a few days lifted my spirits as well.

I ditched my walker for my crutches and still managed to prepare my breakfast and then surprised myself by only using one crutch for a few steps while I carried things from the fridge to my breakfast bowl and back again. Feeling brave, I then managed to carry my bowl of breakfast cereal from the kitchen to the dining area only balancing with one crutch. I did have the other crutch dangling from my right arm just in case I needed to ditch the bowl and balance myself on both crutches but luckily the carpet survived my little expedition.

Also I finally had a shower by myself, well I wasn't really alone as I had my shower chair, walker and crutches to keep me company plus my husband on shout alert ! But it was such a good feeling, I know these are only tiny, tiny steps at the moment but they are my tiny steps in the right direction.

 

[SurreyGirl]

All very positive!

 

[Hippie Chick]

Yay!

 

[Clairebella]

Great news @Esmeralda. Small steps and all in the right direction.

 

[Esmeralda]

@Clairebella, @Hippie Chick, @SurreyGirl - Thank you all for your positive thoughts.

Yesterday, was 'Physio Day' it didn't start particularily well as due to brain slush - I got the times mixed up, I turned up for a '12.00' appointment waited 30 minutes and asked what the delay was, only to be told that actually my appointment was at 3.00pm ! My fault for getting the time mixed up with my next appointment but why when I checked in the receptionist didn't tell me I was 3 hours early I don't know !

I used my new wedge cushion for the journey, which gets the thumbs up but I still found the journey a little bit uncomfortable, so could have done with not having to do it 4 times instead of 2 - no one else to blame for that but myself though !

Fast forward to 3.00pm and the physio was really nice and thorough, she checked out the weakness in my right hand, and thought it wasn't too bad and likely to be caused by a compressed nerve in the wrist area, bad news is that is can take up to 8 months to return to normal.

I'm not sure if this played a part in the physio session but she wanted to get me walking with only one crutch, which actually turned out to be much easier than I expected and with her help I felt quite confident quite quickly, and I'm now trying to only use one crutch around the house - it certainly makes my life a lot easier and I feel that I'm walking easier with better posture.

I mentioned the tightness around the right knee which seems to also now seems to be affecting my calf and she thought that I was keeping my leg too straight, which makes sense.

Pleased to report she didn't try to get me to do any squats or lunges but she did give me a couple of new exercises to try, which did cause me some pain afterwards but it doesn't seem to have carried over to this morning. So I will give them ago but will maybe do a reduced amount to find a happy medium as I don't want to overdo it and as we all know, walking is the best exercise for hips

 

[Clairebella]

Oops about appointment time but you got there in the end! I see mine on Tue.
Going onto one crutch will be a good plan with your wrist - you are a right hip also? So using left crutch will help if that’s the case.

 

[Eman85]

but why when I checked in the receptionist didn't tell me I was 3 hours early I don't know !

Well I guess things are the same all over, good to know we don't have all of the incompetent workers.
Glad your physio appt. went well. What exercises did they give you?

 

[Esmeralda]

@Clairebella Yes it was my right hip that was replaced. She did ask me if I had ever had any symptoms of arthritis in my hands but luckily I never have so it can only be down to something that I've done recently. It never ceases to surprise me how easy it is to do something to yourself that can end up causing you problems for months afterwards.

I hope your session goes smoothly on Tuesday.

 

[Clairebella]

Yes I’m also interested to know what exercises they gave you!