THR Grannyhippy's Recovery Thread

[Grannyhippy]

@Hoppy Nanny, I think I might take my grabber to the pool. I thought about taking it that time I did go and changed my mind and regretted it. Thank you for sharing your experience with me and all the other BoneSmart members.

One thing I have noticed when out in public is how considerate people are when they see me or anyone else using crutches, a cane or a walker. They tend to step aside to let me go first or hold doors open, even more so than when I was not using them even though I was limping. Did you notice that? My sister noticed that fact many years ago when she had her knees done.

 

[Hoppy Nanny]

I did have that experience @Grannyhippy
Everyone was extremely courteous & helpful when I was on crutches and also keen to hear what I'd had done. For 9 months before my op I used a wheelchair to push as I was in so much pain & my hip would give way ....I used it as a walking aid and as a place to sit when I couldn't walk any more.....I thought initially that people would stare & look down on me...but...not a bit of it...everyone was very sympathetic. Most people are very, very nice, given half a chance!!
Hope your hip isn't giving you trouble today X


Sent from my iPad using BoneSmart Forum

 

[Josephine]

A physiotherapist once told me Chiropractors cripple more people than do physiotherapists

That is simply UNTRUE! I have known as many people get problems after physio as after chiropractic treatment. In fact, I know one patient whose physio actually managed to tear his quads tendon off his knee cap with her aggressive exercises!

But those numbers for both physio and chiro are minute numbers compared to doctors whose patients have cause to complain or even sue. Don't label a whole profession because of a few bad experiences.

 

[Grannyhippy]

@Josephine. The physiotherapist who told me about the chiropractors did admit that sometimes physiotherapists can cripple people too because they too do some of the manipulations Chiropractors do. I have personally known people in the past who regularly went to chiropractors and were happy with them. I think there are good and bad physiotherapist and chiropractors. My husband used to get bad migraines and went to a chiropractor twenty odd years ago and came out of there with a severe headache. He did not have one when he went in and was having spinal manipulations for his headaches. He never went back. It was one of the worse headaches he had, had.

 

[Josephine]

That can happen sometimes when the chiro has hit on the correct reason for the migraines. But he should have gone back. Occasionally it takes more than one or sometimes several sessions to deal with a problem.

 

[Grannyhippy]

@Josephine, Yes, maybe my husband should have gone back for more sessions for his migraines but thankfully he seems to have outgrown them and no longer gets them. Weird isn't it? I seem to have been getting some ocular migraines lately. They started for the first time over ten years ago. The neurologist diagnosed them as a migraine without the headache and just the visual aura. They went away when I started on a small dose of a beta blocker and did not come back until this year. I am on different blood pressure tablets and am wondering if this has anything to do with their return.

 

[Grannyhippy]

Wow @Josephine! I have just finished reading about your second knee replacement ordeal. You sure had a rough time of it. Thank goodness you are passed all of that now. I think you may have read in one of my previous posts that my mother also had a cellulitis infection in her wound after having to have a pin put in her femur to repair a break after a fall she had. It took a heck of a long time for it to clear up until a professor for infectious diseases prescribed strong antibiotics for her to take and wrote a letter to the nursing home telling them how to pack and dress the would correctly. They were just bandaging over it and it would heal up on the outside but not the inside and then would would open up again and ooze.

My sister also had two knee replacements and achieved better range of motion with the second knee than she did with the first. She went to one of those rehabilitation places with the first knee and not with the second knee. She just went to the local pool and walked up and down and had just a few physiotherapy sessions and that was that. Who knows maybe it was because she did not overdo the physio the second time or maybe it was because she had moved to the central coast and had a different surgeon do the operation.

 

[copsham]

Those visual migraines that you referred to are not much fun. Mine started with zig zags at each side of the eye and the zig zags grow til I can't see anything. My mouth went droopy and I could barely speak. I have only had about 5-6 in my life and on 2 of those occasions ended up in ER with suspected stroke or thought to be meningitis!! I have just realised since reading your post that it is exactly 10 yrs since I have had one - no rhyme or reason but thankfully they are long gone (and forgotten about til now!).

 

[Josephine]

I seem to have been getting some ocular migraines lately. They started for the first time over ten years ago. The neurologist diagnosed them as a migraine without the headache and just the visual aura.

I also get visual migraines from time to time. They were very odd and started with a blind spot where I would be looking at a face (real life or on TV) and all the features would be blocked out by a grey spot. Gradually this spot would open up and change into black and white striped arcs which spread until I regained my central vision but the arc was now blocking the peripheral vision. It is a very strange experience as the stripy effect flashes like disco lights and as the arc gets to the very edge, I can feel the rippling under my eye lid! Generally they last about 5-15 minutes and there is no after effect and no pain though I can sometimes feel a bit wiped out afterwards. I did make a sketch of the progress, like story boards film directors use and at least three doctors have kept it to show other patients they are trying to diagnose! So no causes found, no effects or anything. But tell you what, I'd sooner have these than a real migraine any day of the week!

As for my recovery, it's odd but now I look back on it as a really good, trouble free experience! Funny how the memory plays tricks on a person like that!

 

[Grannyhippy]

@Josephine, You described those ocular migraines to a T. My grey spot does not turn black and I don't get stripes with the expanding circular zig zag lines. That is the only difference. It can be distracting to be talking to someone and not see the centre of their face as I like to look people in the eye when I talk to them. Mine can last up to half an hour. I do get regular headaches as well from time to time. It worried me before the diagnosis. These type of migraines seem to come on when I am fatigued but they can also come on at any time and without any warning. The first time it happened it was the end of the day and we were closing everything up at work.

 

[Grannyhippy]

I have not long been back from an early morning physiotherapy session and the physiotherapist is really pleased with my progress over the last fortnight. She corrected the way I was doing one of the exercises and watched me walk both with and without the crutch. I have been bending my knees when I walk and now have to make an effort to keep them straight. I am to practice this both with and without the crutch around the house and I am to do it slowly. I asked her if this was the typical Trendelburg gait and she nodded yes. She said that because I had been limping before the surgery I may never lose the limp completely. It is still possible that I could lose it but most likely not. It will just improve. It is a learned behaviour. Both my quads and glutes are weak. She said my progress is slow but we are getting there. This is only my third visit with her. I told her I had been managing to walk downstairs in a normal manner but when I come up I can only manage a few steps very slowly when using alternate legs. I then have to go up the rest of them using the good leg first method. She said that is OK to do so long as I hang onto something so that I don't fall. She has now given me a piece of Theraband (red) to tie onto a chair leg and then loop the other end around my calf. I then lift my leg up and down 10 times slowly. I am to do this twice a day. When she tested my leg resistance against her hand this had also improved.

 

[Josephine]

I've never been a fan of exercises with resistance (bands) or weights. It stresses the muscles and ligaments far too much when they are already below par and only 3½ months out from major surgery. If you must do them, I strongly suggest you limit them to 5 reps once a day or 3 twice a day and none at all at the weekends. When you are 6 months, then you can safely use such routines.

 

[Grannyhippy]

@Josephine Just letting you know that I think you are right about not overdoing the exercises.

One of the exercises I had been given was to do the stand up and sit down exercise with my hands crossed over my chest and my feet flat and even on the floor. I found it difficult at first but it became easier. Then on the last visit my physiotherapist said I was turning my right knee in when doing it and she wanted me to sit with a chair sideways to a wall and do that exercise keeping my right leg against the wall. I found this way too difficult, especially after jarring the back of my thigh last Monday when my crutch slipped of the step while I was coming in my back door. So I have not been doing it. When I tried to do the exercise in that manner it made the pain in my thigh worse and now I don't feel like doing any of my exercises.

I was still trying to do some of them but I think my hip and leg need a rest for a few days and maybe some ice. There has been a lot of crackling noises and grating movements in my lumbar region in the last couple of days and soreness around my entire thigh and outer calf and foot. I don't know if it is my sciatica, piriformis syndrome or just pulled muscles. I feel like there is one giant knot in my right buttock and across my hip and there is tightness on the right side of my lumbar spinal region still.

I have been doing most average household duties in stages instead of all in one go i.e. I might vacuum half of the house or a couple of rooms, have a rest and do the other half later) and I even had a go at doing half of the back lawn without the catcher on the mower a few days ago but it was hard work (second time I have tried this). I did get my husband to start the mower though and he thought I was mad to do it and maybe he was right, but after he did the other half first he was huffing and puffing with his CPLD so I had a go as it was getting very long.

Yesterday my son popped in for a visit with his wife and child and he had a go at me for mowing the lawn. He has offered to come over and do it for us when he can. I did not want to ask him as he and his family had been sick and also very busy over the last couple of months. He also hurt his ribs coughing and is only just getting over that. I still do get plenty of rest in between and I am pacing myself. I just feel that at the moment I have take one step backward. It is less than a week before I see my OS.

The exercises I have been given both in hospital and by my PT are:
On my back on the bed.
1. Foot paddles
2. Slide leg up and down
3. Slide leg out to the side and back
4. Push knee into the back of the bed
5. Buttock clenches (which hurt if I do them too tightly)
6. Lift bottom off the bed and hold for two seconds and then lower hips
7. Clamshell lying on my back (Now just changed to lying on my side)
8. Up and down on my toes
9. Practice straightening my knee when walking as I am bending it because I think it will give way (but it doesn't)
10. Tie a red Theraband around my ankle and the back of a chair leg and then straighten my knee. I have only tried this once last night and not very successfully.

I don't do these all at once and some days not at all with some of these exercises. It depends on if I feel I can do it as some days are better than others. I know you are not a fan of a lot of these and I don't push myself with them if I feel I cannot do them on a particular day.

 

[Grannyhippy]

@Josephine, How long will it be before I can cut my own toenails? Hubby hacked them when I asked him to do them one time pre surgery so I won't ask him to do them again. I have been to a podiatrist once post surgery to have them done. The podiatrist also removed the calluses on the ends of my toes from claw footing it.

When I cut them I usually either put my leg on a small 15" high retaining wall out back and bend forward or else I sit on a plastic patio chair with my leg bent and my foot up on another chair in front of me and lean forward. It is hard on my back and at the moment with my hip restrictions I have not done it.

I notice that when you were answering someone else's question about hip dislocation there was a picture of someone cutting their toenails and they had their leg bent and their foot up on their other knee. I don't do it that way I do it as mentioned above. Is this way safe at 14 weeks as I am bending forward and not rotating my leg inward? I do think though that there have been times when I have been bending over a little too much in general and maybe that is why my back and hip are sore now.

 

[Grannyhippy]

Nice lazy day resting my sore back, hip and leg and it has helped. Plus a Celebrex last night and tonight. My back still crackles sometimes when I move. My hip does not feel so stable today.

 

[Plum Perfect]

Good morning @Grannyhippy I just read your recent thread about PT, very helpful for me. I am on day 4 post OP and was told walking was plenty until I see my OS at 2 weeks. I do get a lot of movement in taking care of myself and my girls (4 dogs). I live alone so I make a lot of trips every day. You must be doing fantastic if you are mowing even 1/2 your lawn, I do my own mowing too and I know what hard work that is. I can't imagine that you would want to add additional exercises to that until you recover from that. Are there any things your PT has said are especially important to a good recovery? We are the same age and it sounds like we have both been very active prior to this surgery. Thanks for your ideas. I am back in bed with ice after my morning chores, resting up to take a shower. Have a sunny day today.

 

[Josephine]

There has been a lot of crackling noises and grating movements in my lumbar region in the last couple of days and soreness around my entire thigh and outer calf and foot. I don't know if it is my sciatica, piriformis syndrome or just pulled muscles.

Crackling and grating are more likely associated with back issues or SI joints.

I was still trying to do some of them but I think my hip and leg need a rest for a few days and maybe some ice. There has been a lot of crackling noises and grating movements in my lumbar region in the last couple of days and soreness around my entire thigh and outer calf and foot. I don't know if it is my sciatica, piriformis syndrome or just pulled muscles. I feel like there is one giant knot in my right buttock and across my hip and there is tightness on the right side of my lumbar spinal region still.

That sounds very much like Piriformis syndrome and I suggest you see a chiropractor.

1. Foot paddles
2. Slide leg up and down
3. Slide leg out to the side and back
4. Push knee into the back of the bed
5. Buttock clenches (which hurt if I do them too tightly)
6. Lift bottom off the bed and hold for two seconds and then lower hips
7. Clamshell lying on my back (Now just changed to lying on my side)
8. Up and down on my toes
9. Practice straightening my knee when walking as I am bending it because I think it will give way (but it doesn't)
10. Tie a red Theraband around my ankle and the back of a chair leg and then straighten my knee. I have only tried this once last night and not very successfully.

@Grannyhippy why on earth are you doing all these? They are totally unnecessary! You don't need a visiting PT either. That's what's caused the pain in your buttock. You're 14 weeks out, you don't need PT. Fire your PT and just do walks and stuff. Okay?

How long will it be before I can cut my own toenails?

Oh my goodness! That's one of those "how long is a piece of string" questions!

I notice that when you were answering someone else's question about hip dislocation there was a picture of someone cutting their toenails and they had their leg bent and their foot up on their other knee. I don't do it that way I do it as mentioned above. Is this way safe at 14 weeks

Checking back, I see we forgot to give you the recovery articles so here they are now. Especially read the one I've made bold.

Pain management and the pain chart
Healing: how long does it take?
Chart representation of THR recovery
Dislocation risk and 90 degree rule
Energy drain for THRs
Pain and swelling control: elevation is the key
Activity progression for THRs
Home physio (PT)
Post op blues is a reality - be prepared for it
Myth busting: on getting addicted to pain meds
Sleep deprivation is pretty much inevitable - but what causes it?

I do my own mowing too

@Plum Perfect you should NOT be mowing your lawn at 5 days out! Naughty naughty!
Read this Activity progression for THRs

 

[Plum Perfect]

@Josephine I am NOT mowing my lawn now, I normally do it and know how much work it is and don't expect to even try for at least 3 months. I had my first outdoor walk today, down my street, 1 block, and back. Now I'm in bed with ice ready to take a nap.

 

[Josephine]

ooops - okay - sorry!

 

[Grannyhippy]

@Plum Perfect Hi, Like Josephine I misunderstood your post and thought you mowed your lawn after surgery. That is not something to try for a few months yet and even then it is hard when turning the mower around even without the weight of the catcher on it. I was concious of the discomfort in my hip the whole time I was doing it.

No, my physiotherapist has not given me any specific instructions regarding my recovery. I was given the first five exercises to do when in hospital plus three to do when standing up which I forgot to mention. These exercises are
1. Stand and hold onto a chair or the kitchen bench and lift the leg up in front (not passed 90 degrees) x 10
2. Lift the operated leg out to the side x 10
3. Lift the operated leg out to the back x 10
Plus the exercises up to number 5 on my previous list.

Initially while in hospital and when I first came home I was unable to slide my leg out to the side when lying on my back but eventually it came to me. When I saw my surgeon just prior to the three week mark and told him I could not do that exercise he said to leave it and also not to lift my leg out to the side when standing until I went back to see him a month later. I also had minor subsidence of the femoral stem when I first saw him and I have to have an x-ray just before I see him in a few days time.

My surgeon did not want me to go to a recovery unit after surgery as he said that they push too hard and give exercises which are unsuitable for someone my age. He said they think you are twenty when you are not.

I was just walking and doing the exercises I had been given in hospital but decided I needed to see a PT so that I would know which exercises to do to strengthen my gluteus muscles and my quads. I told her of my surgeon's views on overdoing it and the PT only gave me one or two extra exercises each fortnight when I visited her. She had given me the clamshell to do while lying on my back as I was unable to do it lying on my side. Towards the end of the fortnight I tested myself and could do the clamshell a little while lying on my side and showed her. So she said from now on I have to do them on my side. It is too early for you to do the clamshell in any form so please don't. Don't rush things and set yourself back. If you cannot do an exercise leave it for a few weeks and maybe try again. If you cannot do them 10 times just do a few and stop. Eventually you will get stronger. But, having said that Josephine is correct in saying that walking is the best exercise.

I hope your "girls" are well behaved when you take them for a walk and don't pull on their leads too much to pull you over. I used to have two small dogs and often looked after my daughter's big dogs when she went on holidays. I would then walk four dogs. One of my dogs was no bigger than a cat and often had to be carried home as she was getting old and it was too much for her. I would loop the leads over my wrists two dogs on each one. People would often say that I had a handful when they saw me. Take it easy. Actually when my hip and back were bad I was glad my dogs were too old to want to be taken for a walk as I then had trouble even walking two blocks. My poor doggies have been gone a couple of years now. One was 17 years old and the other 16 years old. Both had to be put down. The 17 year old was near to death and the 16 year old was so crippled with arthritis that even though she was on expensive medication she spent all day lying on her bed in the house and needed help to get up to go outside to the toilet. She yelped with pain when she tried to get up on her own. She had also become blind with cataracts. It was cruel to let her go on in pain like that. She no longer had any quality of life and was just hanging in there. I still have a beautiful long haired cat who was a rescue cat. He is about 7 or 8 years old and very affectionate. No more dogs for me as I think I am getting too old and if they live long lives as many of my previous pets have I will be way too old to care for them properly. One dog I had in the past lived to be 18 years old.