THR Lily's recovery

[Goma]

Can you please change my title to Day 3..Elevation recommendations

Thank you

 

[Jaycey]

Here is an article from our Library on elevation: Elevation: Doing It the Right Way

 

[Goma]

I'm going to use pillows and hope it works.
I find the swelling the restless legs the worst.

Pain is under control.

Thank you.

 

[Eman85]

I never elevated any more than sitting back in a recliner, didn't elevate in bed. Ice, ice and more ice kept the swelling and bruising at bay I never had compression hose of any kind. Too much activity will cause swelling.

 

[Goma]

I'm having alot of trouble sleeping tonight and am feeling particularly cold so I've added additional blankets. It's not the weather but my body temp isn't stable.

I've elevated and finding that the fluid in my legs is draining.

Having said that the swelling has increased in my operated leg and when walking my body seems out of balance. I was worried about leg length and prior to discharge I asked my surgeon wether he checked during surgery that the legs would eventually even out.

He said yes but it doesn't feel like it at the moment. I'm hobbling and feeling unsteady.

Does this sound common.

Thank you.

Can you change me header to leg length..thank you.

 

[Goma]

I'm icing constantly and it's a tremendous help. With my knee I didn't use stockings and now seeing what a difference it's made with keeping swelling at bay with my hip I wish I had.

I'm not overexercising with the hip ..just getting around is enough. We have a long house.

Thank you.

 

[djklaugh]

@Goma Yes feeling wobbly right after hip replacement is normal. You are not yet use to having a new hip and it is going to take some time for the healing to be completed and the leg to feel strong and normal. Another factor might be your shoes. If you are wearing shoes that you wore a lot before the surgery then the wear patterns on the soles and heels of your shoes are in the old "bad hip limping" patterns. And those old bad patterns are not good for new hips. So it might be you need new hoes. Just food for thought.

 

[Hippie Chick]

I am managing with back sleeping- scared of messing something up. I am 3 weeks today and I still worry about the 90 degree rule. I am walking around barefooted and my leg difference still is there but has gotten a bit better.

 

[Eman85]

You're 4 days in, everything you describe is very normal. It's usually rough in the beginning then you'll see sudden improvement. Right now it's just rest, eat right and ice. Trips to the bathroom are usually all of the walking and exercise you will need, or want.

 

[Goma]

Totally agree about shoes and the imprinted walking pattern.
After my tkr I bought new shoes and started a new heel to toe walk. The old shoes didn't get on with my new knee.

Only walking where I have to during the day ..just don't have the motivation. I do toe wiggles and calf stretches to keep my legs moving as I'm scared of blood pooling in my legs and to help with swelling.

The 90 degree rule isn't permanent is it. I thought it was just at the start. Surely you can bend over later to tie your shoelaces or pick up something you've dropped. When can you tell when you can do what you want without thinking about it.

So very tired today..in bed..no energy .feeling a bit blah and reading others stories. What a great community.

 

[Eman85]

As far as the 90* rule speak to your OS. For me it was 6 weeks but it took some time past that before I was able to do certain things just because my body wouldn't do them.

 

[benne68]

The 90 degree rule isn't permanent is it. I thought it was just at the start. Surely you can bend over later to tie your shoelaces or pick up something you've dropped. When can you tell when you can do what you want without thinking about it.

It is a temporary measure designed to give new bone a chance to grow around the implant so it will be solid and won't loosen. Your surgeon will take x-rays again at your follow-up appointment and let you know when you are cleared to move more freely. I had my follow-up appointment at 6 weeks post-op; but each surgeon has his/her own protocol.

So very tired today..in bed..no energy .feeling a bit blah

Of course you are tired! In the first few weeks after surgery, you body is working hard to repair itself from the trauma of surgery. Recovery takes all of your energy, which is why you fatigue so easily. It may seem like you are doing "nothing," but your body's energy stores are busy doing things like making and restoring lost blood, repairing soft tissue damage, and beginning the process of producing the important building blocks to insuring proper bone growth into your new prosthesis.

I found this information about energy drain really helpful when I was recovering:
Energy drain for THRs

 

[Eman85]

Activities to Avoid After Hip Replacement

Over my career, I have seen countless patients whose lives have forever been changed for the better with a hip replacement. This is one of the most successful surgeries ever devised.

www.jointpreservationinstitute.com

This is just a link I found but it describes a lot about the procedure and reasons for 90* rule and restrictions. It has been described to me by my OS that restrictions are to lessen the chances of dislocation during the early healing. The link describes the hip capsule and the difference between the factory parts and the replacements.

 

[Goma]

Thanks for the links.

I can completely relate to the energy drain.

So my understanding is to permanently avoid bending past 130 degrees even after recovery. If you drop for example your keys can you eventually just bend over and pick them up when you've recovered.

I think in everyday life there's as lot of bending for various reasons...feeding pets, putting on socks...wiping spills...picking up anything you've dropped..

Just have to manage I guess..
Thank you.

 

[benne68]

my understanding is to permanently avoid bending past 130 degrees even after recovery.

I've never heard that restriction. After I was fully recovered, my surgeon cleared me to go back to ALL normal activities -- including practice yoga, which involves lots of bending.

Can you share the source of that 130 restriction, please?

 

[Goma]

In post #33 there's a link.

I interpreted it to say don't go past 130 degrees.
Is that how you read it... my brain is fog ...day 5 for me..so please excuse any mistake.

Thanks.

 

[Jaycey]

So my understanding is to permanently avoid bending past 130 degrees even after recovery.

I have had both hips replaced and regularly bend to pick up items. The risk of dislocation is present in the early days of recovery. But once there are bone growth around the implant you should be fine to go about daily activities as normal. Just listen to that hip. It will quickly tell you if it does not want to move a particular way.

 

[Goma]

It's already telling me what to do. I moved a certain way and it let me know.

Hope there's no restrictions..it was bad enough living with a bad hip before surgery.

I struggled standing straight plus all the heavy duty medication to get through the day.

Just hope to live pain and drug free. I can accommodate some restrictions if necessary.

I don't intend on any extreme sports or risky adventures.

 

[Eman85]

I posted that link just to help understand why the restrictions exist in early recovery. As I originally said speak to your OS and they can give you a better understanding as they know you. What advice we give you is just general or in our case.
I was given restrictions for 6 weeks, the 90* rule and the crossing of legs and not pivoting on my operated leg. Pre-op I was very concerned about how I could follow them. post-op it was pretty simple as most of the movements couldn't do or didn't want to. While healing I sat and googled a lot about THR's which is how I found this site. In my googling I learned what they do to us when the perform the operation and how and why dislocation is a risk. If you let your body heal by not stressing the muscles surrounding the hip, over time the dislocation risk diminishes. There's a chart on here somewhere showing risk to time.
Speaking for myself I have no restrictions and your goal was like mine to eliminate the pain and stay mobile. I do anything I want to and a lot of things I shouldn't. I drop stuff a lot so bending down is not a problem. I can twist and turn and do basic yoga, you just learn not to force any stretch especially in the hips.

 

[Goma]

Could you change my title to Lily's recovery.

Thank you.