THR Hip Number 2

[Caison113]

Day 19: Well things continue to progress well. Totally on my own walking now. Gait is still stiff and some pain around the incision area, but otherwise doing well. Or so I thought. Decided to a 1 mile walk around the neighborhood. While I made it, I had not appreciated how much atrophy there was. By the end my quad was trembling and my knee hurt. I toughed it out, but wow, I still have work ahead of me. Good lesson to learn. I’m going to do some work on our treadmill in shorter bursts to build up strength. Anyway, I survived.

The walk aside, I am sleeping better and only taking one 500mg Tylenol every 4 hours or so. Sitting in chairs remains a pain but that is the only real thing that bothers me. Till next time!

 

[Layla]

Hello Caison113,
Ice and rest should help ease the pain. Then start out again slowly adding time / distance in small increments. Nothing like a little stint in the ODIC (Over Did It Club) to set us straight. We've all been there!
You're doing great on only Day 19. Please be careful on the treadmill. Makes me a tad nervous for you so early on.
Enjoy the rest of the week!

 

[thepuckhead]

That all sounds fantastic - great to hear! Jealous that you live in a location that permits walks around the neighborhood, so please do share any interesting sights, smells....anything for us poor idiots living in snowmaggdeon country who can't see anything but a driveway full of ice and 12 inches of fresh white powder on the way....

I remember a few muscle quivers/shaking, too, and remember being surprised that they'd be so weak, but I suppose they were pushed and stretched beyond what any workout could do, so they will likely need a bit of time to "get over that," as my PT said.

Keep it up and looking forward to hearing your continued progress!

 

[Caison113]

Day 22: Walking is getting better and better. Took another mile loop walk last evening with my wife (@thepuckhead - saw two dogs and a neighbor who is recovering from knee surgery!). Went better than the first time, but by the end my leg was still feeling week and my knee continues to bother me, sort of just below the kneecap. In addition, my knee is hurting when I sleep! Not when on my back, but if I go to either side, it starts to ache but more behind the knee. It's very odd. I had no knee pain prior to surgery. I am sure it is due to how my hips are now properly aligned and my body is struggling to undo all the weird leans and gait issues I developed over the past three years but it's annoying. It feels tight in the tendons at the back of my thigh close to the knee. I'm going to start stretching it out more as it feels like maybe my leg is getting stuck in a quasi-bent position.

Oh the joys of recovery! Every couple of days it's something new! Other than that, going to start driving soon as I can get up and down out of seat fine and my leg feels strong, knee pain notwithstanding. Just taking a few tylenol a day now to help with aches, but should be stopping that soon. Hope everyone has a great weekend!

 

[Layla]

I had no knee pain prior to surgery. I am sure it is due to how my hips are now properly aligned and my body is struggling to undo all the weird leans and gait issues I developed over the past three years but it's annoying.

Knee pain is a common issue after THR and it is very often a result of the aggressive dislocation process of your hip. Ice and care for it as you are any / all areas of discomfort and pain from the surgery and hopefully it eases.
A great weekend to you!

 

[Eman85]

Muscles that pass through the hip area terminate at the knee. One of the things I did in my down time was look at a diagram of the muscles in the hip area as that is what hurts post-op. You'll see where each pain comes from and see what actions cause pains in that muscle.
One of my OS suggestions for keeping my leg stretched was to keep a rolled up towel. When reclining or laying down I'd place it under my heel for about 15 mins every hour and it helped.

 

[Caison113]

Thank you @Eman85 - very useful.

 

[Caison113]

Day 25 (I’m like a parent that tells you their kid is 118 months old! lol): So I went for my first drive this weekend and it went fine. No issues with shifting foot around from brake to accelerator and no issues pressing down on either pedal. Still a little slow getting in and out, but no pain really, just being cautious. Best thing was that old pain I would get after being in a car for too long is no longer there! My mind kept waiting for it to creep in, but it never did. What a relief! Also, went to a neighborhood gathering and stood around and talked for a few hours (with some sitting as well) and felt fine.

My knee on the operative side continues to hurt when I’m sleeping, but now only in a couple certain positions. It is definitely getting used to the new me. Doesn’t really bother me when I walk or sit, so it’s just one of those weird things that I hope goes away soon. Other than that, the hip is doing very well. The scar is fading away nicely as all the post-op glue peels away (fun, fun). Doing modified workouts that mostly address upper body, with minor leg movements. Sticking to walking still to rehab the hip. Just taking a Tylenol in the morning and one before bed usually, so that’s good.

Till next time loyal readers!

 

[thepuckhead]

Took another mile loop walk last evening with my wife (@thepuckhead - saw two dogs and a neighbor who is recovering from knee surgery!)

Wow! People outside! There IS a world out there...I knew it, I knew it! Thanks for confirming.

Do you have weights or bands at home for your upper body? Or are you at a gym? I discovered wall push ups because I don't quite want to try getting down on the floor yet.

Really glad to hear that pain you had after being in the car too long is gone. Yay! Cheers to long car rides again! And to plain old standing around. Standing was one of the worst things I endured before surgery. Couldn't tolerate it for more than an hour or so and if I got caught standing with someone who liked to yap...like, say, me....argh!

 

[Layla]

Great update! It is nice regaining that independence behind the wheel.
Happy Two Month Anniversary, Righty!
You're on your way, Caison. Have a lovely end to the week!
@Caison113

 

[Caison113]

Thank you @Layla! But it's only a one-month anniversary thus far.

Might as well provide the 1-month update: Things are going really well overall. I've narrowed the knee pain to my IT band as it's very sore above and below my knee right where the band is, although I must say I've slept better the past two nights. It doesn't really bother me to walk, but if I press on it, I can feel the pain. So I've been icing and massaging. All in all, it's manageable. Once I'm more healed up, I will do some deeper tissue manipulation.

Tonight I'm going back to my kickboxing class -- but obviously, I'm just going to be shuffling around and doing some hitting with my hands. I've already warned my friends to just ignore me. Honestly, I'm doing it more for the social aspects than any real workout. I know I'm not ready for that.

Only other thing worth reporting is that yesterday I did a couple errands and mentally, I was getting into the car the way I had been doing for the past years, where I had to sort of lunge my leg in and when my leg just moved into place, naturally, you should have seen the look of shock on my face and the resulting smile. I literally had forgotten what it was like to get into a car without pain. That has been the most tangible example to date. Really amazing.

 

[Mojo333]

@Caison113
Love to see the update......on your way to double hippy happy

I was reading your post this morning

Tonight I'm going back to my kickboxing class -

and I went....
continued reading...

but obviously, I'm just going to be shuffling around and doing some hitting with my hands. I've already warned my friends to just ignore me. Honestly, I'm doing it more for the social aspects than any real workout. I know I'm not ready for that.

Whew!

I literally had forgotten what it was like to get into a car without pain. That has been the most tangible example to date. Really amazing.

This still makes me smile almost 6 years later... along with being able to sling my legs wide over my ATV, walking painfree, and sleeping!!
New hips rock!

Hope your weekend is restful.

 

[Caison113]

Sorry for the shock @Mojo333! Didn’t mean to make you spit out any coffee or other fluids. Class went very well and I actually taught part of it with a “do as I say, not as I do” approach. Went very well and I was able to move around and instruct and use others as examples. No falls or twists and I came away unscathed and very satisfied that I was able to be out in public. Didn’t build up too much of a sweat, but that’s okay. Felt good anyway.

I’m moving around pretty well now, although the pain in the knee remains a weird issue at night sometimes. Certainly not excruciating or anything, but will wake me up on occasion. But oddly not the night after kickboxing haha. Hip area remains somewhat tender and swelling not fully gone, but that’s okay. The incision is really becoming more faint which is nice.

And yes, the little things are becoming more appreciated as the recovery pain dissipates. Sitting down, getting up, picking things up — no pain! Amazing.

 

[Layla]

you should have seen the look of shock on my face and the resulting smile. I literally had forgotten what it was like to get into a car without pain. That has been the most tangible example to date.

Boy can I relate to this. Only with me, I had to manually lift my thigh from underneath and slowly lower my leg to the ground pre-op, to exit the car, and when I realized four weeks post op that I no longer needed to do that, nor did it hurt to do it normally, I did this -> Not even kidding...happy tears of course. I'll bet you wanted to do it over again as a test to make sure it really didn't hurt. I know I did.

Sorry about anniversary wishes being off. I do that sometimes, lol. Sounds like your doing really well and just think it's going to get even better!
@Caison113

 

[Caison113]

5 Week Update (I'll stop doing days now!): Overall, things continue to go smoothly, with the continued exception of my operative leg IT band soreness around knee when I sleep on that side. If I try to sleep on that side, within 5 mins, my knee starts to burn/ache on the outside where the band is. It's improving from say two weeks ago, but slowly. Oddly doesn't really bother me much sitting or walking -- definitely has to do with the pressure on the band when laying down on that side.

Continue to ease back into boxing (no kicking) and it's been going well with minimal soreness after. Big milestone today: I put on my socks without the sock device! I sat on the edge of the bed, raised my leg up and put on a sock. Honestly, it may have been 5 years since I could do that on either side. I literally asked my wife how "normal people put on their socks." Again, it's the little things that really mean so much!

I know my recovery is very much dependent on being relatively young and having good health going into the operation, so I don't wish to discourage anyone who is taking longer in their journey. I'm also not out of the woods yet, so I'm not counting my chickens just yet.

 

[thepuckhead]

This grown up sock thing you speak of....I'm trying to follow along because, while I can prop my foot over my non-op leg's knee to put on a sock, that stretch is just a leeeeeetle too deep for comfort right now. But that's how I've always put on my socks, so I am fascinated by this other method that may get me to the point of letting my purramedic have the sock-putter-on-er she's rather obsessed with now.

Let's see if Puck can follow the clues you've left.

Sit on edge of bed. OK. Done!
Raise leg (OK, here goes....um...wait...how far? Ooof....not to ceiling because then I roll back on the bed and take nap...k, maybe just off floor...no, not working....halfway? But....how do you keep your leg up and get sock down to foot....)
Oh have mercy, universe, I am not meant for the grown up world.
But wait...I can get my foot resting just below my knee on my non-op leg and get the sock on! Oh boy oh boy I am sooooo close to getting dressed without any aid!

You are now a certified occupational therapist, @Caison113. Congratulations!!

Really encouraging and helpful to read your progress. Are you icing and/or on painkiller meds? And you must have trained really smartly over the years to have a good mind-body connection and know your limits. Tips for knowing when to say when?

Today, I threw a few extra jabs during my upper body "workout" in your honor. Not AT you, of course. ;)

As you were and carry on!

 

[Caison113]

Haha @thepuckhead you slay me. My way of putting on said socks was to sit, and then raise leg with knee bent so that my heel is resting against mattress, and then lean over. I don't rest the foot against the other, but whatever works for you! I could not do that recently due to extreme inflexibility when in that position. Isn't it amazing how much conversation sock-putting-on can spark with THRs???

I do ice most days and will take one or two tylenol or advils during day, but not too many at this point. Pain is minimal overall (again except for sleeping in that one position).

Glad to hear you are getting some aggression out by punching your imaginary enemies. Also glad I am not one! I can't skate a damn, so won't be lacing them up in your honor -- apologies.

 

[Caison113]

Closing in on 7 weeks since surgery and thought I'd give another update, which isn't all that exciting. On the Con side, my lateral knee pain remains, which I'm convinced is the IT band trying to adjust to new leg alignment from the hip. It started hurting about two weeks from surgery so I know it's not from exercise! Have to balance the need to let the hip heal while trying to do some stretches and other rehab. Pain remains pretty consistent when I sleep on that side which is annoying. Will wait a little longer before I go harder on it.

On the Pro side, everything else is going well. Been going back to kickboxing and have been able to ramp up slowly some more things which feels great. Just the lack of pain when I move my leg in a certain way is so refreshing. No flare-ups or major pain after these sessions so I am happy with that. A little soreness, but all good. Rest of my quality of life remains great with those nagging, jolting pains gone. Getting in the car, sitting for a longer period of time, walking -- all so much better. Still have occasional soreness, but nothing out of the ordinary. Continue ice, elevate and take some advil.

Funny story: my wife had to get an x-ray to rule out some issue and it included her pelvis area, so I immediately demanded to see her hip joints. My god -- the roundest ball joint, with ample dark space in the acetabulum evidencing lots of healthy cartilage. She laughed at the face I made as I looked at it with a mix of wonder and annoyance. Then I showed her mine in comparison with the misshapen hip and bone-on-bone "spacing". Life is not fair!

But overall, I am not complaining despite the knee pain. I am still miles ahead of where I was. Thanks again to all for the support and stories.

 

[Layla]

Happy Two Month Anniversary!

I am still miles ahead of where I was.

Thankfully so! It will get even better since you are only two months post op.
I hope Spring 2023 is one of your best ever!

 

[Caison113]

Thanks @Layla! Appreciate the kind words. All-in-all, having passed two months and things are good. Went away this weekend with lots of walking and my wife said some words to me that I hadn't heard in years: "Slow down! I can't keep up!" Haha -- we laughed about that one.

Still have knee pain, but it's overall a 2 out of 10 most of the time. Bothers me only periodically now at night. Still doing some stretching and other exercises for the IT band. It's annoying but not much more than that.