THR Leg length after surgery

nazo12

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Hi,
I had my surgery 2 days ago. My operated leg feels longer. My surgeon said it is normal to feel like it at the begining which will settle diwn in time. Is this correct? Did you have a similar issue?
 
@nazo12 Welcome to the other side! What was the actual date of your surgery. I think your signature is not correct.

It is totally normal to have this leg length feeling post THR. Please don't worry - in most cases this feeling just fades with time. Give it a good 3-4 months before doing anything about it. Here's an article from our Library: Leg length differential - LLD.

I'll also leave our recovery guideline here for you.
Hip Recovery: The Guidelines
1. Don’t worry: Your body will heal all by itself. Relax, let it, don't try and hurry it, don’t worry about any symptoms now, they are almost certainly temporary
2. Control discomfort:
rest
ice
take your pain meds by prescription schedule (not when pain starts!)​
3. Do what you want to do BUT
a. If it hurts, don't do it and don't allow anyone - especially a physical therapist - to do it to you​
b. If your leg swells more or gets stiffer in the 24 hours after doing it, don't do it again.​
4. PT or exercise can be useful BUT take note of this BoneSmart philosophy for sensible post op therapy
5. Here is a week-by-week guide for Activity progression for THRs
6. Access these pages on the website

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
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?

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.

We try to keep the forum a positive and safe place for our members to talk about their questions or concerns and to report successes with their joint replacement surgery.

While members may create as many threads as they like in a majority of BoneSmart's forums, we ask that each member have only one recovery thread. This policy makes it easier to go back and review history before providing advice.
 
Thank you my op was on 13th Feb as it was rescheduled,
 
Welcome to the other side! Hope you are managing well with ice and medications. Get as much sleep as you can, whenever you can.

As the swelling fades and such, you should feel an improvement in your leg length.
 
Thank you, I am trying to get loads of rest! The biggest thing I learned from my THR was not to do much exercise at the beginning. I am not pushing myself but doing wc visits with walker. I am still at the hospital but they dont supply ice, I am in the UK
 
I am also having all the painkillers offered by the nurse!
 
I had three frozen gel packs at all times, inserted into a cover with velcro tabs. I would think ice cubes would be too drippy/wet.

My nurse gave me the pain medicine, too, no pain pump. I used my phone alarm to help me push the pain button at the appropriate time to get the best coverage those first few days.
 
Hi,
I had my surgery 2 days ago. My operated leg feels longer. My surgeon said it is normal to feel like it at the begining which will settle diwn in time. Is this correct? Did you have a similar issue?

Mine feels longer. I know my shoulders are level again. Prior to surgery the op side shoulder had lowered enough to notice, it could of just been how I was compensating for my bad hip.

I'm noticing sore thigh muscles on the non op leg when walking or standing. I think they are adjusting to the THR and my concentrated effort to keep good posture and gait while walking.

It's all getting better as time goes on.
 
I’m 4 1/2 weeks out. My op leg felt longer for the first few weeks but not now. As you stop limping and walk straighter it tends to disappear. Best advice I got from someone on this forum is to continue to use a walker or cane until you can walk without a limp. I still use one or the other when I’m tired and start to limp. Happens a lot less frequently these days.
 
Is it harder to get up in the morning for wc visits? Leg felt better in the day then morning.
 
What I used to do is a few calf pumps and ankle/knee slides and quad muscle squeezes before getting out of bed to visit the bathroon....I also used to slide out of the bottom of the bed which helped me until my hip got stronger.

I hope things settle down quickly for you
 
Hello @nazo12 … I too had a pretty big LLD after my second THR last April, so much so that it gave me real concerns. My OS assured me that it would settle down, which it did, slowly, after a few months.

Try not to be overconcerned, as in most cases, it goes away. Since your OS told you it would, I would trust his professional opinion.

I was and am very grateful for this forum and all of the great folks who comforted me in the meantime.

Happy healing!
 
Hello @nazo12 … I too had a pretty big LLD after my second THR last April, so much so that it gave me real concerns. My OS assured me that it would settle down, which it did, slowly, after a few months.

Try not to be overconcerned, as in most cases, it goes away. Since your OS told you it would, I would trust his professional opinion.

I was and am very grateful for this forum and all of the great folks who comforted me in the meantime.

Happy healing!

Thank you it really helps to hear experiences.
 
Hello and Happy Sunday! I hope you're having a good day.
Thankfully you're relieved through reading others responses to your leg length
concerns. I can assure you I've read this many times, through many members and it almost always resolves with time. I'm sure you'll experience the same.
Stay in touch and have a great week as you begin healing! :)
@nazo12
 
Is it harder to get up in the morning for wc visits? Leg felt better in the day then morning.
Yes, very much so, and it continues for quite some time. Some of it comes with age but there's no doubt it comes from THR's. Doing some movements and stretches make it better.
 
Duck and run, @Eman85 she's coming after you...she's a pup at 44.
We're the ones with the old aging bodies :heehee: I can say that at 63.

Just a little humor on your thread, @nazo12 I hope you don't mind, lol.
 
Duck and run, @Eman85 she's coming after you...she's a pup at 44.
We're the ones with the old aging bodies :heehee: I can say that at 63.

Just a little humor on your thread, @nazo12 I hope you don't mind, lol.
Of course not! It made me giggle :)
What i dont understand is apparently there is an information about me on my posts. Everyone can see the date of my op and age etc but I can’t see anything. Not even my own signature ‍‍‍
 
You can see your signature after you have posted. Just look back on your thread. The post above this one has your signature.
 
Just looked again but It is not there! May be because I am using android not through the application. X
 

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