THR Nearly Two Years after LTHR and now a popping/movement sensation

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What is a "physio?" Is that a physical therapist?
It's a physiotherapist Sissy.
I don't know if that's the same as a physical therapist, but I think it is.

Ah yes, I've just seen Bottomshollow's answer above. :)
 
Suzie, she didn't have you lay down and move the joint around or anything? Hmm... hope the PT will help and if not be able to help figure out what's causing the noise.

I'm curious to find out what Jo says about the possibility of ligaments causing such a clunking or popping noise.. I'd say it could probably feel like a popping sensation but to actually hear it...I can't help but to think not.
 
Everyone has a right to copies of their xrays and scans.
Is that the law in the UK? Whenever I asked for mine I was given the runaround. My OS finally said I could take a picture of his monitor screen, so I brought my camera the next time. I never thought of asking at the x-ray department. I go for an x-ray and followup visit in April and I'll ask.

Suzieslips , from what I've read here so far, to me it seems like might have stretched or damaged some ligaments in your fall and the "capsule" that developed to keep the ball in the cup is compromised and not doing its job. Basically, you're back to square one, where you had all the restrictions immediately after your operation until the capsule develops. At least that's my layman's opinion but I'm sure Josephine will jump in and agree or shoot me down. You must have gone through quite an ordeal when you broke your hip. I'll have to go back and check out your story.
 
No Special Lady, the doctor I saw is not exactly a 'hands on' type of doc :)
But to give her her due, she admitted that she wasn't sure what was happening and that further investigation was required. It's just that she preferred to send me to see someone who may have a better idea regarding muscle/soft tissue damage before (if necessary) taking things further.

As to ligaments causing noise, I've now been looking this up on the net and it seems this may happen.
But all the information I am finding concerns relatively new hip replacements (under 6 months), rather than those nearly two years old, so I'm not sure either....
I'm hoping that Jo will say that these sensations and noises are okay in a slightly older hip replacement, but I admit I'm worried too.
However, I have just seen John's post and that also makes sense...hopefully!
 
Thanks John.
What you say does make sense.:thumb:
And back to square one doesn't fill me with happiness, but it would sure be better than the possible alternative!
Let's see what Jo says about it...
 
from what I've read here so far, to me it seems like might have stretched or damaged some ligaments in your fall and the "capsule" that developed to keep the ball in the cup is compromised and not doing its job.
Very much a typical layman's concept! The false capsule is a tough structure and unlikely to be torn in a fall. What's more likely is that another ligamentous structure - there are many around the hip joint - was simply sprained.
At least that's my layman's opinion but I'm sure Josephine will jump in and ...... shoot me down.
Not shoot you down, Yeller! Maybe just ruffle your hair a bit! :snork:
 
Is that the law in the UK? Whenever I asked for mine I was given the runaround. I never thought of asking at the x-ray department. I go for an x-ray and follow up visit in April and I'll ask.
Don't know so much about it being a law as such but they should allow you to have them. But you do need to ask the right person! This would be the xray department although they do then have to get the surgeon's permission for you to have them. That should be no more than a formality though.
 
Not shoot you down, Yeller! Maybe just ruffle your hair a bit! :snork:
Oh well Yeller, at least you tried :)

Josephine
What I cannot quite understand is, if this is a ligament strain caused by the fall, why is it materialising now?
The fall was in July (x-ray in August) and within a few weeks the hip felt fine again.
But now I suddenly have a full-on ligament problem...
I'm hoping this is the case, but it does seem unusual.
 
This is an update of sorts :)

I saw the physio on Thursday morning as arranged. The session was over an hour long.
The physio took lots of notes and discussed different areas/types of pain/clicking/squeaking I was getting.
She examined me standing, laying down and walking (and heard the - now quite loud - click-clunks!).
She got me doing a few specific exercises and manipulated my leg in different ways.

Her assessment is that she isn't sure what is going on!
(Fair enough - I would rather have admitted uncertainty than someone telling me they are sure when they are not).

On Friday, my hip was very painful and I had a dull ache all across the top-front of my left thigh and into my groin; I was limping badly when I walked. But hopefully it's a little better today and I can walk okay (but with constant clicks...).

The outcome of the visit was that I have exercises to do for 6 weeks and within that time I will make bi-weekly visits to the physio.
If nothing has improved (or if things are worse) after those 6 weeks, my case will be passed on to a hip specialist (no names given).
I also have instructions to ring the hospital straight away if I am in really bad pain.

So that's as it stands (pun?) at the moment.
I will carry on clicking, clunking and occasionally squeaking and doing the exercises and hoping they work.
But I am not at all sure that they will...
 
Suzie,
Sounds like a wait, and see type of circumstances. So I'm guessing you can't just go to another OS or get into someone that specializes in complex hips? Like with my insurance I can simply make an appointment and go, I know there are insurance companies here that don't allow patients that freedom and need to go through all the steps before they can be referred to another Doc... so I'm assuming it's similar there in the UK?

When laying on your back and lifting your leg straight up do you feel any symptoms of pain? When you stand and twist your hips slightly do you feel any stress or pain in your hip, femur, groin, etc? Do you have any problems after sitting for a bit...then get up and go pain or weakness, squeaking, clicking or popping? Have you been able to figure out if the popping/clunking feeling happens when your leg is in one position or is it happening in all positions while walking? Just questions, as I was able to detirmine exactly what position my leg is in when the subluxation occures, which helped the Doctors out when evaluating and examining my hip.

Hopefully after the six weeks of exercise and working with the PT you'll feel better, or have some answers. Thanks for posting an update!
 
Hi Suzie, I was thrilled to see you back on the board but geez, doesn't sound exactly fun! Fingers crossed for you on the PT. Just don't let them push you into pain. If it were me I would march into that GP practice manager and demand a referral to the specialist that you want to see. They have no right to deny your choice of surgeon! Please keep us updated!
 
Suzieslips,

So loud noises but no pain? Perhaps that's what's slowing them down. The noises did start after a fall, which seems very suspicious. I don't understand why you're getting the runaround. Do you have any grievance process, when you feel you aren't getting proper healthcare?
 
Are they just putting it down to another ceramic hip noise problem? Hope you get it sorted.
 
Thanks Special Lady.
This is the NHS :)
I can ask to see a certain specialist, or at least ask to be seen by his team. If I am not happy with my doctor and how she/he is viewing my case, I can change to another GP practice, as long as it is in the same 'catchment area' as my home, but it is a fair bit of hassle, especially if you get the run around, and no guarantees.

You posed some very helpful questions which I am going to try to answer as it will help me understand the feeling I'm getting:

When laying on your back and lifting your leg straight up do you feel any symptoms of pain?
No pain. But when I stretch out my leg it squeaks and the squeak feels deep in the groin area.
When you stand and twist your hips slightly do you feel any stress or pain in your hip, femur, groin, etc?
No - just a click now and again.
Do you have any problems after sitting for a bit...then get up and go pain or weakness, squeaking, clicking or popping?
Stiffness, popping straight away. But no real pain.
Have you been able to figure out if the popping/clunking feeling happens when your leg is in one position or is it happening in all positions while walking?
Yes, I think so..... The pop/clunk happens when my right leg is striding forward and my left (operation) leg is backwards towards the end of the stride. It happens as I change weight from the left leg to the right as the right leg goes forward and takes up the stride (I think that's how to describe it!).
Just questions, as I was able to detirmine exactly what position my leg is in when the subluxation occures, which helped the Doctors out when evaluating and examining my hip.
And very helpful questions.
Thanks! :)
 
Hi Jaycey
Good to talk to you again. shame about the circumstances. :)
I will have to take a peek at your thread.

Thanks for replying on my behalf, beesquare. I have a habit of talking in shorts words, forgetting that not everyone comes from the same place as I do. :)

HappyHippy, I agree that it all sounds a little suspicious as the feelings/noises came after a fall, but then again, they didn't follow straight away. And there's also the point that muscle and ligament damage can also occur after a fall, so I don't know... :shrug:

puddle fish, I don't think that anyone I have seen so far this time around has even considered the ceramic hip as the noise problem. I get the feeling that I am more up on what could happen with a ceramic hip than they are!

A general observation:
Part of the problem is that I broke my hip in Spain and the replacement was done there, as an emergency procedure.
I then remained in Spain for three months while I healed and had my 6 week checkup there.
As a result, I had no team in the UK keeping an eye on things, so when it came to my 6 month checkup, although I had a list of hip consultants to choose from, I was simply referred to a general hip surgeon for the check up and basically got the "all is okay, now go away and get on with your life" assessment (although he had looked closely at the x-ray taken at 6 months.

So, when things began to go wrong a few months ago, I was simply referred to whoever picked up the new x-ray taken at the walk-in clinic.

There appears to be no chain of treatment in my case, which may be a part of the problem.
 
Suzie, remind me where you are living? Maybe I can think of someone for you.
 
Thanks Jo.
I live in Portsmouth.
But you have already given me a very good list of revision specialists practicing in the area.

I went through the list, made my choices and presented them to my doctor when I went to see him on my arrival back in Portsmouth in 2011. But he chose some other team to do my 6 month checkup.

It didn't bother me too much then because everything was okay, but now, if that list is still okay (and I think it is), I will have to be more insistent when/if it comes to a referral.

But truthfully, I am hoping that everything will be okay if I do the physio, but so far the clicking and squeaking is worse and I'm thinking it is a bit of a vain hope....
 
Suzie,

Maybe you'll luck out and the revision will only be a part or two. If it's not hurting that bad, I wonder if it's the ball and/or liner that's broken. And if they don't need to revise everything, it's really not that bad. I'm able to take a few steps on my own, and it's 2 weeks. If it's only the ball or liner, you'll be up and about in no time. My main pain is the stem - I don't feel anything from the new ball and liner.

Good luck getting a diagnosis!
 
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