THR Leg length after surgery

Ah - yes it's because you are using a phone. But trust me - the info is there.
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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

Hi @nazo12, I'm in the UK too and bought 5 theraflex gel cold packs size 99-300 and would ice for 45-60 mins at a time 3 or 4 times a day....it really helped. For me I had pain at the front of the hip (Flexors) all the way round to behind the incision but ice is definitely your friend.

I'm 4.5 weeks out and still ice but only really when I need to after my physio type activities to help with recovery.
 
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Is it ok to ice the incision also? It currently has got waterproof dressing on. Do you ice where the pain is?
 
Is it ok to ice the incision also? It currently has got waterproof dressing on. Do you ice where the pain is?

Hi @nazo12 Yes exactly, anywhere where you have pain and swelling....I iced over the incision where I had the waterproof dressing and pretty much all over the hip....

Always have a 'barrier' between the ice/gel patch and your skin.....I used a pillow case.
 
Is it ok to ice the incision also? It currently has got waterproof dressing on. Do you ice where the pain is?

Hi @nazo12 Yes exactly, anywhere where you have pain and swelling....I iced over the incision where I had the waterproof dressing and pretty much all over the hip....

Always have a 'barrier' between the ice/gel patch and your skin.....I used a pillow case.
Thank you
 
@nazo12 Feb 13 is a great day to have a THR! Icing is some of the best pain relief, ice everywhere and often. I'm sitting on my ice machine pad as I type this, it's great after a long day of walking no matter how many weeks out.
Back to the stiffness question. I just finished my OS 2 year questionnaire about my left hip. It took quite a while to answer all of the questions but the first 2 questions were about stiffness in the morning and stiffness later in the day after sitting.
 
I use codeine with my right hip but was given gabapentin for this time. Which one do you feel stronger? I think codeine was more effective
 
@nazo12 Feb 13 is a great day to have a THR! Icing is some of the best pain relief, ice everywhere and often. I'm sitting on my ice machine pad as I type this, it's great after a long day of walking no matter how many weeks out.
Back to the stiffness question. I just finished my OS 2 year questionnaire about my left hip. It took quite a while to answer all of the questions but the first 2 questions were about stiffness in the morning and stiffness later in the day after sitting.
Oh i see why you said that :) ... how are you feeling after the second op in November?
 
I use codeine with my right hip but was given gabapentin for this time. Which one do you feel stronger? I think codeine was more effective

So I was on Gabapentin and Longtec/OxyContin (Opiod based) and paracetamol when initially discharged with Codeine after the Longtec had been used up. I was also on a strong anti-inflammatory.

As I understand it Gabapentin is more for nerve pain and Codeine generalised pain relief.

Here's my recovery thread that details my meds and where my recovery is at currently.


Are you home yet ?
 
I am going home this afternoon. I had to wait for Monday to get a sick note for work! I hope the feeling of log leg will go away soon. It is stopping me walking nicely. I know it is very early stages, i am planning to chill this week and wont do too much. I work full time and I am trying to make the most of my off work time this week and next week. I wonder if it is too little time to walk 5 minutes per 1.5hours at this stage. Is there a table showing the activity levels what they should be?

Prem1234 I have just read your recovery thread, you have mastered this already. Great work! Well done. Hope my recovery will go as smooth as yours
 
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:wave:@nazo12
Log leg is definitely an odd feeling like my leg was no longer connected to my brain and didn't want to listen.:unsure:
All temporary.
Glad you are going home tonight but today might be a good day to review the recovery guidelines left for you.
I was so foggy brained that I think I read them, but it didn't compute.

. I wonder if it is too little time to walk 5 minutes per 1.5hours at this stage. Is there a table showing the activity levels what they should be?
This is one of the articles and you are pretty much spot on.
I work full time and I am trying to make the most of my off work time this week and next week.

Hope you have more than two weeks off from work.
The time needed to get this recovery business right will be well worth it.
Healing vibes coming your way!:ok:
 
I am going home this afternoon. I had to wait for Monday to get a sick note for work! I hope the feeling of log leg will go away soon. It is stopping me walking nicely. I know it is very early stages, i am planning to chill this week and wont do too much. I work full time and I am trying to make the most of my off work time this week and next week. I wonder if it is too little time to walk 5 minutes per 1.5hours at this stage. Is there a table showing the activity levels what they should be?

Prem1234 I have just read your recovery thread, you have mastered this already. Great work! Well done. Hope my recovery will go as smooth as yours

Hi @nazo12 thank you...still a way to go but definitely getting there.

In my journey so far there has been pain, pops/bangs and klonking in and around my hip as well as doubt that things were going in the right direction. The key for me was listening to my body/hip as each recovery is different.

I had 4 weeks off of work and that allowed me to do plenty of icing and then very light physio/exercises and more icing without worrying about work which is very important. When we are resting we are healing and we need plenty of healing time. For the first 2-3 weeks I spent a lot of time in bed icing...I was most comfortable lying down.

At your stage I would only be walking when you need the bathroom, as what I learnt is this is not like a 'normal' sporting injury where to recover you would push the boundaries/pain. In our scenario pain is definitely a no go and alot of the time you don't feel the pain until after you've stopped walking especially when we are on pain meds as this masks it. Doing too much now or in the future can be detrimental to recovery. Time is defintely the healer here.

Wishing you a smooth and speedy recovery.
 
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@nazo12 Feb 13 is a great day to have a THR! Icing is some of the best pain relief, ice everywhere and often. I'm sitting on my ice machine pad as I type this, it's great after a long day of walking no matter how many weeks out.
Back to the stiffness question. I just finished my OS 2 year questionnaire about my left hip. It took quite a while to answer all of the questions but the first 2 questions were about stiffness in the morning and stiffness later in the day after sitting.
Oh i see why you said that :) ... how are you feeling after the second op in November?
I'm feeling good, still in the recovery stage. Read the recovery guidelines and the recovery timeline. Everyone is different but the recovery is an ongoing process for quite a long time. If you have the stomach for it you can watch videos of what they do to us, it helps you understand why it takes a while to recover. I didn't have log leg with my first but I did with the 2nd. Took some time but it eventually went away. This one took some time before I could reach my foot, first one was quicker. I'm down to soreness on the outside of my thigh which I had with the first but in a slightly different spot. The hard part is the patience to take it easy and allow the muscles to heal.
 
:wave:
I hope all is well (as can be at this stage) with you.
The first week was rather disconcerting for me and I must admit I told my OS at my first post op appointment that it was good that he set it at 10 days out because I just quit hating on him by that point.:giggle:

Sending healing mojo your way, friend.:loveshwr:
 
Elevation of the log leg helped mine, to be gone by about day 6-7 for me, but my leg was still swollen enough that it took a few more days before I could comfortable bend my knee.

I found the leg lifter to be helpful, slowly moving the log leg, where I wanted it. I did not have a sturdy enough robe belt to do that job.

I had read Layla had used a plastic bag to slide in and out of bed more easily, and that made it a much easier transition for me, because I have flannel sheets. I did spend most of my time in a recliner.

Hoping you have daily improvements.
 
I'm 3 weeks post op. My leg felt longer and even appeared longer. Over time standing up straight and getting my strength back the leg length seems to have leveled out. Ice and walking helped me. I walked a few minutes every hour, just to get up and move. Every day will get easier
 
I'm 3 weeks post op. My leg felt longer and even appeared longer. Over time standing up straight and getting my strength back the leg length seems to have leveled out. Ice and walking helped me. I walked a few minutes every hour, just to get up and move. Every day will get easier
Thank you, What was the difference it looked longer than non operated leg? I feel and see it in the mirror that operated leg is about 2 cm longer :( It is very hard to believe that will level out :(
 
I feel and see it in the mirror that operated leg is about 2 cm longer
My leg difference when I straightened my operated leg, lifted my non operated leg off the ground..difference was about 2 cm. I used a small lift in my shoe or one slipper on/one off for the first few weeks. As my muscles relaxed and the soft tissue trauma began to subside I noticed they began evening out. Every day seems to get better. Rest/ice/elevate/walk - every day will get better.
 
@nazo12 When I stood on my left (LLD) leg, I could actually swing my right leg forward and back without touching the ground. It was very scary. I had a typical LLD with my first THR (right), but that one leveled out fairly soon after I came home from the hospital. My left LLD took more time....but I am totally level now 9 months out. HTH
 

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