THR Intermittent pain around greater trochanter area<

[sabrejet60]

@1stSurgery

Good advice - those tips do help me but I don’t participate in them enough. I live in Pennsylvania so we get about 40% sunshine, but this weekend is sunny, and (too) hot. I did get out today and I do feel better.

 

[sabrejet60]

Much more energetic today. Walked outside three times and two short bike rides. In 90 degree heat! Knee gets sore when I walk - I will be happy when that goes away. Today was a really good day.

 

[Mojo333]

Glad you had a good day.
Hope your knee issues ease soon!

 

[sabrejet60]

Update - good for the most part
Today marks 9 weeks. Have been back to work three weeks (office), walk most days - or every other day for 20-30 minutes, use elliptical occasionally, and ride bike a few times per week as time permits.

For the most part everything has been going well. I do have a few concerns though. Since the surgery I sometimes get various pains around the knee when walking - feeling mostly like a strain. Sometimes to the left of the knee, other times on the right side, sometimes below into the shin, and at times just above the knee. Not enough to quit walking though - but enough to realize that there is still may be some healing to be done.

Some days, like today, when just walking around at work I will have pain after a dozen or so steps - right above and around the knee, the top of the groin, and in the front of the thigh - and sometimes they are more of a sharper pain that the strain type pain I usually feel. And it's not always consistently in the same spot. But there are days when I don't really have any real pain at all.

Having had a revision on my other hip these pains of course bring to mind memories of a loose stem. Anyone else experience these types of pains?

 

[Eman85]

Pains? it seems like each stage brings new and different pains. I'm past 5 mos and I can make it hurt depending on what I do that day. Basic level ground walking doesn't bother me but I don't own any level ground. I still get the little zings once in a while too.

 

[Layla]

Happy Four Month Anniversary!
Even though you're four months out, there is still healing to happen.
I'm sure you've read the knee is often used as leverage to dislocate the hip.
If that was the case with you, it may still be healing. Ice the area right along with the groin and front of the thigh pain. If you're really troubled, don't hesitate to call the office of your OS and I'm sure through a series of questions they'll be able to offer you enough reassurance to put your mind at ease.
I hope you have a great week!
@sabrejet60

 

[sabrejet60]

I'm doing really well. No more knee pain, just have some occasional soreness and stiffness that goes away pretty quick, but am I active as I want to be - walking, elliptical, biking. Couldn't be more happy with where I am today!

 

[Mojo333]

Glad to hear it!
Isn't this surgery just amazing!

Roll on...just no falling allowed!

 

[sabrejet60]

Having intermittent pain on the outside of my hip around the greater trochanter area. Started bothering me about a week ago and is getting somewhat worse. It's not constant - it can happen when I stand and walk, or come on while I'm walking, or when I pivot and turn on that leg. It starts near the bottom of my butt at times, other times at the greater trochanter and goes down the outside of the thigh to above the knee. It feels like a muscle pull or strain and when it happens it causes me to limp a little or at times a lot. It comes and goes sometimes very quickly and other times lingers on and varies in intensity. Bending over and then standing seems to aggravate it.

It almost feels like some muscle or tendon is out of place and once it gets back in place the pain stops.

I was at physical therapy yesterday for my shoulder and mentioned it to my PT and he move the leg in all directions and checked for tightness - said the IT band was a little tight but everything felt and moved fine. No pain when moving my leg around - just when weight bearing. And it does not hurt to touch or press on that area of my hip and thigh.

I had a THR on this leg in 2011 and a revision in 2014 in which a loose stem was replaced.

Anyone experience this type of pain or have any suggestions?

Thanks

 

[Layla]

Hi,
Welcome back to the forum. I'm sorry you're struggling with some pain and uncertainty. Let's have the forum Nurse, @Josephine, weigh in. I've tagged her for you. She's in the UK and there is a time difference so please check back periodically as I'm sure she'll have questions. I hope it eases for you soon.
Wishing you comfort.
@sabrejet60

 

[Celle]

Hello @sabrejet60
You'll notice that I have merged your newest thread with your original recovery thread.
Although you're talking about your right hip this time, something in your thread about your left hip's recovery might give us a clue about what's happening this time.

For several reasons, we prefer that you only have one recovery thread:

• That way, we have all your information in one place. This makes it easier to go back and review your history before providing advice.
• If you keep starting new threads, you miss the posts and advice others have left for you in the old threads, and some information may be unnecessarily repeated
• Having only one thread will act as a diary of your progress that you can look back on.

So please post any updates, questions or concerns about your recovery here.
Don't worry that we won't see your question because, between us, the staff read all new posts every day.
If you need an urgent response to a question, just tag a member of staff.
How to tag another member; how to answer when someone tags you

If you prefer a different thread title, just post what you want and we'll get it changed for you.

Here are the instructions on finding your thread, How can I find my threads and posts? . Many members bookmark their thread, so they can find it when they log on.

 

[Josephine]

Perhaps you could show me where this pain is using this chart?

After that, I'd really like to offer you some structured advice but in order to do that, I also need to ask you some questions. Are you willing for me to do that?

 

[sabrejet60]

@Josephine
Thanks for the reply.
I would say the pain originates on the side in the area of R1B-V using the back view. But I will often feel it down to the X/Y area.

Comes and goes and seems to happen more after I bend over or turn/pivot with weight on that leg. I'll be glad to answer any questions you have.

 

[Josephine]

So your pain is here?

The red spot would seem to me to be an ITB (ilio-tibial band) issue perhaps even with some Trochanteric bursitis
The fainter pink area would also be IT band


As for my questions, here y'go

It would be very helpful if you would answer each one individually - numbered as I have done - in as much detail as you can then I'll come back as see where you are

1. what approach did you have for your surgery? Anterior, posterior, lateral? You can look here to see the various types THR approaches or incisions

2. what are your pain levels right now? (remember the 1-10 scale: 1 = no pain and 10 = the worst you can imagine. And don't forget to factor in other forms of pain such as soreness, burning, stabbing, throbbing, aching, swelling and stiffness).

3. what pain medications have you been prescribed, how much are you taking (in mg please) and how often?

4. are you icing your painful area at all? If so, how often and for how long?

5. are you elevating your leg. If so how often and for how long?

6. what is your activity level? What do you do in the way of housework, cooking, cleaning, shopping, etc., and

7. are you doing any exercises at home? If so what and how often?
This is the most crucial question so please help me by using the format I have left as an example
(which means please make a list and not an essay!)

Exercises done at home
- how many sessions you do each day
- enter exercise by name then number of repetitions of each
etc., etc.

Anything done at PT
- how many times a week
- enter exercise by name then number of repetitions of each
etc., etc.

 

[sabrejet60]

@Josephine

Yes, that's where the pain is.
To answer your questions:

1. 2011 minimally invasive approach - 1 incision anterior and 1 incision near groin. Revision in 2014 to replace stem was posterior - much larger incision.

2. Pain when acting up anywhere from 2 to 6. When not acting up - zero. Has been intermittent for the past 2-3 weeks. Today when it acted up maybe one to two, but 98% of today no pain - today feels like it may be getting better / going away.

3. Just taking ibuprofen for my shoulder and a Vicodin about four to five nights a week to help me sleep due to my shoulder.

4. No icing.

5. Not intentionally - only when watching TV.

6. My activity level is moderate - office work, grocery shopping, normal daily activities. However, my activity has drastically decreased beginning this past December 14th when I had surgery for a torn rotator cuff.

7. - No leg exercises at home at this point or PT - but see the following.

I exercised a minimum of 150 minutes a week usually walking and using an elliptical - much more in the summer when I would include bicycle riding. I walked on my treadmill a few times in January but the motion of walking was aggravating my shoulder so my PT said to scale back a bit. I'm probably fine for introducing exercise back into my normal routine at this point. I wonder if the lack of activity has had some effect on the leg pains I have been experiencing.

And just to recap, this started up within the past few weeks with occasionally bothering me. Last Thursday was a bad day - it would start up when I would be walking, after bending over, or turning/pivoting on that leg. On that day when it would act up it would cause me to limp significantly - feeling like a bad muscle pull or strain. And then it could go away as quick as it started. The day before when I was at PT for my shoulder I asked my PT about it and he gave me a stretch to do. I did a few of them on Wednesday and Thursday along with with some leg lifts lying on my back and then on my side, which I think is why I had a bad day on Thursday. Today (Sunday) I had the least amount of "acting up" that I had in the past two weeks - only a few times that was brief and with minimal discomfort.

Also, my PT that I went to for my hip (who I saw this past fall for something else) told me I had some weakness in that leg due to the surgeries and gave me some strengthening exercises. I did not spend much time doing them since I was pretty active in my regular exercises - until my shoulder surgery.

Looking forward to your input - Thank You!

 

[Josephine]

3. Just taking ibuprofen for my shoulder and a Vicodin

You've not answered the question fully. Remember I asked how much are you taking (in mg please) and how often?

I exercised a minimum of 150 minutes a week usually walking and using an elliptical - much more in the summer when I would include bicycle riding. I walked on my treadmill a few times in January but the motion of walking was aggravating my shoulder so my PT said to scale back a bit. I'm probably fine for introducing exercise back into my normal routine at this point. I wonder if the lack of activity has had some effect on the leg pains I have been experiencing.

I also asked you to

make a list and not an essay!
- how many sessions you do each day
- enter exercise by name then number of repetitions of each​

 

[sabrejet60]

Ibuprofen - 200 mg in the a.m., 400 mg mid afternoon
Vicodin 5/325 4 times a week at bedtime

Exercises - I only did them for a couple of days last week:
Leg raises laying on back - 2 sets of 15
Leg raises on side - 2 sets of 15
PT gave me a stretch - IT band stretch - only did twice since it seem to make it worse at the time

 

[Josephine]

2. Pain when acting up anywhere from 2 to 6. When not acting up - zero. Has been intermittent for the past 2-3 weeks. Today when it acted up maybe one to two, but 98% of today no pain - today feels like it may be getting better / going away.

Perhaps you are!

3. Just taking ibuprofen for my shoulder and a Vicodin about four to five nights a week to help me sleep due to my shoulder. Ibuprofen - 200 mg in the a.m., 400 mg mid afternoon. Vicodin 5/325 4 times a week at bedtime.

I suggest you take Tylenol instead of the ibuprofen which is a woefully inadequate pain med. Bearing in mind that Vicodin has Tylenol in it,
I would suggest you take Tylenol 1,000mg 4 times a day at 6hrly intervals to a maximum of 4,000mg per 24hrs but be sure to subtract the Tylenol that's in the Vicodin! Got that?

4. No icing.

Okay

5. Not intentionally - only when watching TV.

Okay

6. My activity level is moderate - office work, grocery shopping, normal daily activities. However, my activity has drastically decreased beginning this past December 14th when I had surgery for a torn rotator cuff.

Okay

7. - No leg exercises at home at this point or PT - but see the following.

Hmmm

Exercises - I only did them for a couple of days last week:
Leg raises laying on back - 2 sets of 15
Leg raises on side - 2 sets of 15
PT gave me a stretch - IT band stretch - only did twice since it seem to make it worse at the time

Did you not notice this paragraph in your Recovery Guidelines? (post #2)

BIG TIP: Hips actually don't need any exercise to get better. They do a pretty good job of it all on their own if given half a chance. Trouble is, people don't give them a chance and end up with all sorts of aches and pains and sore spots. All they need is the best therapy which is walking and even then not to excess.