THR JoeKnows Recovery

[Mojo333]

Oh, Joe. I'm sure this groin pain is getting old and you just want to get on with it.
It sounds like you are considering other potential causes...perhaps iliopsoas tendonitis or as Layla mentions, inflammation of soft tissue which you would want to try dealing with conservatively first....with REST and ice...the most boring of all treatments.
I dont know if this will resolve things but seems like it will be another check off potential solutions.

 

[Mojo333]

Just hoping things have settled and wondering how you were?

 

[JoeKnows]

Hey @Mojo333 - things are going okay. I'm still getting the groin pain, so I'm not confident that the wire was the root of the problem. It's not as bad as it was, and it's still early-ish in the healing process, so who knows. Just need to give it some more time. I have another follow up with the surgeon on Friday, so we'll see what he says about it. I'm considering physical therapy, since loss of strength on that leg might have something to do with it. Just my layman's speculation, but it occurs to me that maybe that side just relies too much on the psoas muscle since the other muscles are weaker. Thanks for checking in with me!

 

[Layla]

Sorry you're still struggling, Joe.
Thankfully the pain has lessened, hopefully it continues to improve.
Let us know what the surgeon says on Friday. Best of luck with your appointment!

 

[BionicButt]

Hi Joe,

Checking in to see how you are doing? I hope the pain was one of those crazy roller coaster loops of the recovery process and that it has subsided. Thinking about you and sending healing energy your way. I know whenever I have strange sensations and setbacks I don't expect, it always throws me for a loop. I had one this summer after being too aggressive on a hike. Since then I toned it down and I'm happy to say all is well with my two new hips. I finally feel like I have gotten over the hump of my recovery. The anniversary of my cable removal is coming up at the end of October. Visualizing you having the same results

 

[BionicButt]

Hi @JoeKnows!

How did your trick or treating excursion go? I was glad to hear your on the move and things are getting better. It takes awhile to restore the muscles and improve flexibility after the cable comes out in my experience.

I still have a muscle mass imbalance on my right side from the cable, and from favoring it for a long time. I work with some of my favorite PT exercises: curtsy lunges, step ups, leg lifts while lying on my side on a mat, and bridges regularly. I also do Tai Chi every day, which really helps me balance and strengthen in an easy way. I've also found some gentle stretches, held for 60 seconds plus and supported with my hands or props can help stretch out the shortened tissues. I try to do stairs regularly. But I have learned the hard way to stay in my Goldilocks Zone and only do what I am able on any given day. Otherwise, I set myself back. For me it was a learning process for sure!

Good to see you back on the Forum and wishing you all the best in your continuing recovery my cerclage cable buddy!

 

[JoeKnows]

Hey everybody, sorry for the delayed update. A couple ups and downs. My surgeon basically said (in the most professional way possible) that there wasn't a visible problem so he couldn't do much about it. The groin hasn't interfered too much with normal life, but enough to be annoying. My daughter had a dinosaur themed party for her third birthday, and I managed to chase kids around in an inflatable T-Rex costume without issue, when the week before just stubbing my toe made it painful to get into my truck... Frustratingly inconsistent.

In any event, I did start PT. I really like the therapist I'm using - I explained my tendency to push through pain when I should know better, and he's been good about helping identify the motions that will aggravate the pain versus isolating the muscles that need improving. He recently worked with a guy about my age who also had AVN resulting in a hip replacement, so it's not his first rodeo (though apparently that patient's AVN was the result of a weird bedsheet related accident... Not kidding).

Doing a lot of the things you described @BionicButt - bridges, clams, etc. The hardest by far is having an elastic band around my ankles and walking sideways.

I've been to two sessions and doing the home exercises for less than a week, but I swear I can already feel a strength difference. The PT says it's not unusual, some of my glute muscles have just basically forgotten to do stuff and the exercises remind them, haha. As he put it, I literally have a lazy... Well, I can't use the exact phrase, but a lazy glute. It's good to feel muscle soreness but not the groin pain. It's also already helping my lower back pain, since apparently I was using some of those muscles to compensate. I joked with my wife that if I keep this up, I'm going to keep the belly of a desk job but the butt of an athlete, haha.

Basically, I wish I had done PT six months ago. I still think the wire was a problem, but I'm realizing it was just a contributing factor and the bigger problem was the lack of "supporting cast" muscles as I think of them.

 

[BionicButt]

Sounds like you are in good hands with your PT! I had all the same issues. I remember feeling like whenever my "supporting cast" muscles contracted and hit the cerclage cable, they would go, "OUCH!" and let go. They simply stopped functioning. It took awhile to convince them it was safe to flex again and then it took time to rebuild the strength. I still have work to do in that department and also watching my tendency to list left, since it is my stronger side. I agree the elastic band around the ankles thing is a beast! But, a very effective one.

I'm glad the PT is helping and you are experiencing relief of pain and increased strength. Now the trick will be to stay in the Goldilocks Zone and not overdo.

 

[NanaKP]

Happy to read of your progress Joe. Boy oh boy can I relate on the inconsistent issues though. I won't hi-jack your thread, thinking I need to check into a PT that can get me on the right path that you are currently on. @BionicButt - I need to go respond to your post (sorry, things have been their normal hectic pre-holiday pace!)

Take care Joe and baby steps, they may seem too tiny to count but they add up!

 

[CricketHip]

Glad to read that you are finding some improvement and beginning to exercise that lazy glute. And hopefully in a controlled and cautious way. Those elastic band exercises make me a bit nervous but it sounds like you are handling them ok?
Wishing you the best in the upcoming year. Happy Holidays!

 

[Layla]

Hey Joe
I'll bet you're knee deep into holiday fun with the Littles.
A mad dash getting all the presents under the tree to witness them squeal as they rip through each package in record time. I was thinking back to my childhood the other day. Our family tradition was to open presents on Christmas Eve but then more was delivered by Santa and his reindeer as we slept and he slurped down the milk and cookies we left him.
I imagine our parents weren't too thrilled when we ran into their room at 5:30 in the morning waking them with Mom, Dad...look, look, wake up and see what Santa left us. Ha-ha-ha! Aaah, Christmas through kids eyes, it's the best!
I hope you and yours have a lovely Christmas and I'm wishing you a happy healthy, pain free 2020!
@JoeKnows