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THR Freedom's anterior Lthr

@Freedom how about using a blow dryer on low setting with cool air a few times a day? I live near the ocean and a nurse suggested I gently blow dry my incisions to offset the humidity which can slow down healing.
 
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I'm sorry for that, @Belladonna. I do recall that, when I told the surgeon I wanted anterior approach (he does both anterior and posterior), he had me lie back on the exam table and he felt around at the top of my thigh, to see if he could do it that way; thank goodness he said yes!

I have the visiting nurse coming in later today, and will check with him if he sees any issue with the way it is healing.
 
Update: (today is Wednesday)
Monday: Visiting Nurse came. Said incision is nicely healed, all closed. I can apply powder (with niactin??), use a cloth as Josephine suggested. And we figured out the elastic waistband on my underwear is what is catching on the sensitive skin. That will go away in a short time. He chuckled at the idea of using the hair dryer! He discharged me from nursing. Hooray! That evening I mowed the lawn again. YES!!

Tuesday: In home PT came. I asked, she said I can drive. At my request we went to my car, and she watched me get in and face forward, then turn and get out. I also discussed backing up to put the car back in the garage; she said it is fine! I turn to look over my right shoulder, surgery was left hip, so no dislocation risk. (I'd been very concerned about this). She will return once more next week, in case I have more questions (which I do!). We discussed continuing w/ outpatient PT and I said no.

Well. I really thought I was going to take the car out after all that. Nope! Getting in and out, twice, I was so sore afterwards! Plus we came back in the house and did some walking - no cane! - and a few exercises standing at the kitchen counter: up on toes and down x 20; marching in place x 10; straight leg out to side not more than 45 degrees, x 10. And 5 squats as if sitting down in a chair, then upright. Woke this morning in more pain than I've felt for a few days. Had to eat brekkie so I could take the ibuprofen and the Tylenol ES.

Next week's questions (so far): 1. how long do I have to sleep with a pillow between my legs; 2. how do I get down on the floor and back up (I've not done this since 2015, before my knee replacements!) and 3. how do I get down in the bathtub and up again - another thing I've not done since 2015. Never went over those last 2 with my knee PT, and really afraid to try without some guidance. I'll probably have a few more questions for her by next week.
 
Final in home PT this morning, now done! 5 weeks post op. Walking w/o any device. Driving. Stamina is coming up again. Therapist said from here, just need time and strength; and the strength will come as I do more and more. YIPPEE!! I'm a HIPPEE! LOL

I see the surgeon next Wed. for first xrays post op - that will be 6 weeks post. Doing well. Not 100%, but so much better!
 
Saw surgeon yesterday. No xrays; those were done and I already posted them.

All restrictions are lifted, hooray! No pain, at this point. Now I just need to work on muscle strength, on this darn quad.

I see the surgeon again in another 6 weeks.

Continually amazed at how much easier this recovery is over the knees. And also, I am shocked at what high levels of pain I was living with before all these surgeries; say, back in 2015. It is a whole new life now, pain free!

[Bonesmart.org] Freedom's anterior Lthr
 
Great report @Freedom - glad your recovery is going so well. My quads were slow to recover too, part was muscle contracture from pre op limping and the other was likely leg manipulation during surgery. The pain just went away one day -yeah!
 
So happy for you...I feel the same. All that pain and sleeplessness.
Everytime I wake up after sleeping in the bed for more than a few hours...I am amazed.
Wishing you all these best
 
Thanks @Mojo333 and @Horseshoe !!

For 8 years leading up to the first of my 3 surgeries, I lived in flip flops. Oh I had sneakers, wore them to the gym for workouts, and for grocery shopping. Most of the time, I was in flip flops.

Now that I've had 3 joint replacements, I find flip flops very uncomfortable! They are fine for that 3 AM trip to the bathroom, and even the first time I get up in the morning - rush to get the dogs outside before they 'go' in the house. But I find I need - NEED! - to get my proper footwear on. For now, that is sneakers with Sof Sole arch support inserts. I find this odd!

Things I hope will improve over the next 6 weeks (when I see the surgeon again):
1. Put on my socks without using the sock aid.
2. Clip my own toe nails so I don't have to keep paying for a pedi.
3. Get in and out of the tub for my shower without using my leg lifter. The tub transfer chair is gone, I don't need that any longer; but still not able to lift the hip surgical leg up high enough to get it over the tub!
4. Get in and out of the car without using my hands to help this left leg in and out.
5. Everything I sit on is soft - sofa, recliner, car seat, bed -- everything EXCEPT the toilet seat. That is hard, and it feels awkward under my left hip. I hope that feeling goes away soon!
6. I live in a ranch house - one floor living. Laundry - washer and dryer - are in the cellar. Would be nice to go up and down the stairs like an adult, not a toddler; but I put this last as it is minor, IMO, compared to all the other stuff!
 
I am 9 - 10 weeks post op. Things are fine; but I am not seeing any improvement over these past weeks?

Walking: I have a 'hitch' in my gait. Left upper thigh, slightly off center to the inside, feels like it is holding me back. So I limp. I can take smaller steps and do fine; but it is not my natural step. This is not just when I first get up, but I can be walking for quite some time, shopping etc. It does not improve. Makes me sad. Anything I can do for this?

At the same time, left upper thigh, slightly off center to the outside, is hard as a rock! Is it supposed to be?

Also, lying in bed on my back, as I turn onto my right side, surgical leg on top, I get agonizing pain in the back of my knee. I think this is because the muscle / soft tissue causing the gait issue above is not doing its job yet? I hope so; that was my first knee implant, the one which gave me all sorts of issues.


Positive: I can reach and cut the toe nails on my right foot, and 3 largest toes on my left. I am right handed; can't get over to those last 2 little toes! I refuse to go for a pedi for TWO NAILS! Ha haaa.

Should I be doing some exercises other than walking, to help with these things? Hip recovery is so much easier than knee recovery that I have to remind myself I am 'only' 10 weeks along. But not seeing / feeling any improvement for 3 weeks has me wondering.

Still can't put on socks unless I use the sock aid, still can't lift leg up without using my hands . . . for example putting my foot up on a step to tie my shoe. Have to help lift the leg up with my hands to get the foot up there.
 
Managed to get myself very upset today. Why? Because I think I have figured out that I have a big problem.

When I stand straight, then tilt my head and look down . . . my right foot is in front of me, my right leg is straight. However, my left leg definitely bends in at the knee and then out again, so my foot is over to my left.

I've been taking my dogs for longer walks, and having more issues as a result. At first I thought I just needed to build muscle strength. Well, yes, I do need to do that. But I see now I have a larger issue going on.
 
Have you tried hamstring stretches? Start very gently from a seated position. Hamstrings often "shrink" a bit pre-op due to lack of mobility.

You are still in healing mode from your THR. Just give it time!
 
12 week post op appt w/ OS this morning (re hip). While I am well behind in recovery, that is normal for this body. I am making improvements and that is what matters. Patience, not my strong suit.

Next check is in 3 months.
 
Freedom, I am one week ahead of you (LTHR 6/5/17) and feel much the same as you. There is no doubt I have come a long way, and I am able to do most things relatively pain free, but it seems my limp is not going away. I have to keep my left leg slightly bent at the knee when I walk or I go up and down in my gait. I am also experiencing the mid thigh pain that you are, not really bad, but its there all the time, and gets worse when walking. Also when I first get out of bed or get up after sitting for a while, I kind of lurch to the left (onto the operated leg). I can walk almost normally if I really focus and go very slow and keep all my muscles taut through my groin and pelvis. But I can't "just walk" normally. It has me a little worried also, but -- what can I do? I am NOT going to have revision surgery unless I am in agony. I read that sometimes thigh pain takes 18 months or more to go away. Its a bummer, but no going back now, I guess. I just hope I don't have a loose stem or something. Anyway keep the faith and stay in touch I'm interested to see how your visit goes. My next apt is 9/21 and I will try to post my xray for Jo to take a look.
 
Wow, @gwenc THANK YOU for writing! Now I don't feel so alone!

My OS said there is no joint issue it is all soft tissue so there is no question of additional surgery being needed, it is all healing of soft tissue. I was greatly relieved to hear this!!!

My quad muscle seriously spasmed up on me post op, that is a big part of this issue.

And I do develop keloids, so I have more scar tissue to cope with, wait for it to break up and let things move.

I am definitely better than I was pre op, so I have no concerns re 'going back.'
 
There was no improvement, and I was very frustrated re the things I can't do. This week:
Monday I had a PT Evaluation. The upper left leg muscles are working at about 10% of capacity. There is no issue if I am on my back and with the therapist moving the leg, no pain. The issues are all weight bearing. So the joint is good, but the muscles have given up, lol. And the large clump of scar tissue at the lower end of my incision is also restricting proper movement. She estimated it as the size of a can of soup!

Today, Friday, I had my first PT session. 5 minutes on the recumbent bike, which had us both laughing like crazy. My right leg (the good one) could pedal just fine. The left however, didn't know if it was going to cooperate or not. I had to go backwards a bit to get things started. When the left leg is up, the foot slams to a pointed position. Then as the leg goes down, the foot slams to a flex. Crazy stuff! Clearly not good for my ankle, so we need to work on that. This is a result of the short tight muscles. She started w/ some massage of the scar tissue, then we did some strengthening exercises, followed by stretching exercises. And I have a sheet with what we did, as this is what I am to do here at home. She said once daily. I asked if I could do them twice daily, she said yes, she just starts people slowly.

One exercise, on my back, move the right leg out to the side, and back. Slow and controlled. Fine, no problem. Now do the left. Wow, I had to really concentrate HARD to get that leg to move at all! And I couldn't move it nearly as far out. Another exercise, on your back, bring the right leg up, knee to chest. Super. Now do the same with the left leg. Ha! Couldn't get the leg to move, finally used my hands to pull on my pants and get the leg up where I could get a good grip on it and move it. "Cheating!" she say, with a laugh. "Let the muscles do the work, not your hands. Even if you can only move the leg a little bit, hold, then controlled down again." Um, this is HARD WORK! By the time we finished, I was sweating!

In time, she plans to use ultrasound to help heal the muscles (something to do w/ the heat it emits?). And she will be doing different from what I do here at home. But as this was the first session, she wanted to make sure I know how to properly do the exercises.

I really hope this works, as I was walking so much better this time last year. Then late Oct / November, the hip started giving me grief. I did ask her, she said she has seen great improvement with this method, as long as I do my homework. I will! I want to be able to move and do things! Fingers crossed.
 
:fingersx: praying things get better for you soon
 
Hi @Mojo333 - I never saw a notification of your post! Thanks for the good wishes.

So here we are, end of Oct. I've made improvements with PT twice a week. But oh my, it is so SLOW! Over the weekend I was finally able to clip my toenails myself. It wasn't easy, and I was grumbling, but I did it! Last time I tried - 6 weeks ago? - I wasn't able to, so had to make yet another pedi appt. I always TRY before I call for the appt. So that is a plus.

I am feeling better, and slowly the leg muscles are coming up to par. I really wonder if they would have ever done so without the PT, though. I wasn't able to get myself to the Y to exercise, so that was not going to take the place of PT. I hope to get back there in another month or so. Once PT ends.

We do a lot of stretching, to get the muscles to relax. They are so very hard and tight! I really think a lot of it is due to the horrible muscle spasms I had. Whatever the cause, the muscles are taking their own sweet time to come back to work!

One stretch involves me lying on the edge of my bed, and let the left leg hang off the side. First time I did it at home it felt SO GOOD! And the pain I had on the inside of the leg went away and has not returned! Needless to say, I do this one periodically all day long, almost any time I am in the bedroom for any reason. The P Therapist ends each session with this stretch because I am so in awe and in love with it, lol. However, by the end of the hour workout, yes this stretch still feels wonderful; but I am not able to raise the leg up again on my own, she has to do that for me!
 
@Jaycey @gwenc

Surprised no one posted in response to my update. I would like to hear if there is any point in me continuing w/ PT? While I have made improvements, they are small and slow, which makes me feel like maybe it would happen anyway, without the PT.

I was due to have PT through to Nov 14 (that was the last day). Yesterday the therapist went through the evaluation and said she will apply for another 2 weeks (which means 4 additional visits). And I am OK with that.

I am frustrated and worried this is permanent. Any thoughts on that, @Jaycey ? My surgeon seemed to think it odd / unusual that I was still having issues.

@gwenc like you, I can't just WALK, just get up and go. I lurch to the left (surgical side) and sort of bounce up and down. And it is so very tiring moving this way! So I end up sitting, much too much.
 
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