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THR New hip 3/7/12

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Re: Leg length discrepancy?

Cathy -

First time I stood after 2nd THR the LLD felt significant. At 2.5 months post op, I don't notice it at all anymore.

Good luck to ya.

Kevin
 
Re: Leg length discrepancy?

HI Cathy, my operated leg has been about 1cm shorter than my unoperated all my life. during my THR they made the shorter leg the same length.. im 7 weeks in and my brain thinks this leg is now longer that the other one! It's getting better but its still feels odd!
 
Re: Leg length discrepancy?

Hi Cathy. My operated leg has been 2 inches shorter my whole life due to a congenital dislocated hip. My lovely surgeon has managed to level my legs up but he did say he wouldn't be able to get them exact.

Since my op four weeks ago i have felt my operated leg is longer and one of the physios in hospital even said to me that I would be needing a heel raise in my unoperated right leg. I said I hope not as I had been wearing one in my left shoe for years and was hoping to get rid of it for good.

It does feel like it is evening up now and after reading many posts on here I have been reassured that it is completely normal for it to feel that way.

Hopefully yours will sort itself out in time.
 
Re: Leg length discrepancy?

Hi Cathy,
Mine felt too long at first too. The PA drew the geometrics on the xray to show me that it was even, and I thought he was just plain wrong (I thought, let me talk to the surgeon). But I listened to everyone here, and now 6 weeks out, it feels normal. He was right:) Hope everything evens out for you soon!
 
Well today is 3 wks. Sometimes the information on this site is so helpful and then sometimes it is hard to not compare myself to others who are doing what I consider "better" Than I am. I know, I know, we are all different :)

So it seems when I make a step forward, it ends up with me going a little back on the pain. I have not been shy about taking pain meds. I have been using them as I need them. Monday my PT said I could start using the cane in the house. She still wants me to use the walker outside and first thing in the a.m. a and right before bed. Wow, it felt good to have an arm free while moving around the house. End of the day, after my walks outside, a few new excercises and using the cane, my butt was killing me and I had some sciatica, which I have not had it in a long time. Ice became my friend again.

I am not complaining, I still feel things are going well. When I have more pain, I tell myself it is because my muscles are coming alive and it is a good thing. By next week I am sure I will be tossing the walker altogether. I'll let you all know. Thanks for listening - cathy
 
Good morning Cathy,

Nice update and I'm glad you are doing very well. I know its tough not to compare to others there are some areas of the recovery where we all pace around the same time frame which I found helpful.

Have a good week!

xxooxx
 
Hi Cathy - I'm new to the site and was doing some comparison myself. I'm at 12 weeks post-op and although things keep improving, with some setbacks here and there, I am simply not being patient with the whole process.

Which is odd because I knew going into this whole thing that it takes 6 months to a year for full recovery. The weather has been great in the northeast and I just want to get out there like the horse out of the gate.

Good luck to you and, yeah, ice is a best friend, indeed. :th_heehee:
 
Hello Cathy, My THR was 3/5/12...so we are really close in our recovery journey. All last week I had spasm in my leg, which slowed up my progress. Today my PT told me to start weaning myself off the walker, same instructions that you posted...how freeing!!! Unfortunately, we are both experiencing the pain in the rear. Thank God for ice packs....I know that you want to get back to normal, but take it slow. Be prepared for each day being "different" from the one before. Focus on the future and we will be kicking up our heels in no time....:dancy: Hugs and Prayers from a kindred spirit.
 
Hi, Cathy.....welcome. I'm so glad that you are starting to see some progress with your recovery. Remember things can go slowly sometimes and that's normal for a lot of our BoneSmarties! Your body is 100% in charge of your healing process and it doesn't every consult you!

You may notice that I combined your two recovery threads into this one. We like to keep a person's updates, questions and concerns about their recovery in a single thread. That way people can more easily read your story without having to search through multiple threads. So, if you would please, post here from now on unless you have a topic that is not related to your own recovery.
 
Cathy, Good for you to realize this is not a race. The important thing is to go slow. Not to push. Also not to compair. Yes a sore you know what comes along with this. I think it comes along with the recover. I find that herbal warm pack useful too. I was so glad to get rid of the walker but I do admit using it does work and don't get rid of two soon. Good to hear things are going well. Do take care and be careful. :doggieshmooze:Tashia:friends:
 
Cathy, I noticed that you had your surgrey just a couple days before mine. We almost could be sister in surgrey. Cool. Take care.:doggieshmooze:Tashia:friends:
 
Hi Cathy
Sound like your right on track..I had My hip replaced on the first.And I cant be more happier!!..keep up on the PT and dont over do it.

HAPPY HEALING ...DONNIE
 
Hi Cathy I have just read through this thread with much interest as I had my op 2 days after yours but on the other side of the pond.

Hope your recovery goes well, I will keep a watch out for your updates.

BTW I have visited Vermont many times for business and pleasure and love it.

Good luck

Clive
 
Cathy,
First of all, congratulations on feeling so well so quickly! Enjoy. As to the leg length there is a thread from sometime in the last couple weeks called just that. Lots of good responses. For my own experience when I first got home my HR leg felt so much longer. Even my PT thought it was almost an inch longer than the left. It seemed to resolve quite a bit, but i was still concerned. But like Hagar above, my PA in my OS's office said if there is any discrepancy at all it is less than 1/4 in. And we won't know for sure for a few more months. I think the more you walk and do weight bearing PT the less you will feel an issue. Congrats again on your encouraging recovery!

Homeschooling Mom
R THR. 2-20-12
 
Time for a reality check. Besides the incision soreness, is it "normal" to have pain in the thigh/groin area. I find that when I do get sore, this is where it is besides the incision. It is not horrible or anything, just gets sore but with all this time on my hands I sometimes over think things and worry. Then I try to figure out why I would have pain there. Is it because it is tied in with the hip flexors?

As far as an update for myself, I am now using the cane almost all day in the house which has freed me up tremendously. For my outside walks they still want me to use the walker and to be honest, I think I need to. In the house I am on my feet a lot but, of course, not going long distances. My follow up with my doc is at 6 wks (I am at 4 now) which is a bit long but my PT says he likes to take it slow so the appliance and bone have proper time to join. ...and as I say, I only have 1 chance to heal properly so I am totally following the docs orders.

Off narcotics and alternating Tramadol and Tylenol now and am glad about that. Also am sleeping much much better these days. For a while I was using an over the counter sleep aide to help and now I do not need that. Mornings I am the stiffest but that seems normal. I feel like the tin man in the wizard of oz asking for the oil can haha. Once I walk around a bit and get the blood flowing, take morning med, I get rolling again.

So that is my update, hope you are all doing well and anyone also having the above mentioned groin pain, let me know so I don't make things up in my head :) Cathy
 
Hi Cathy,

You are not alone with the groin/upper hip pain. I am getting this too, it's especially bad during the night when I wake from the few consequtive hours sleep I am getting. It is really stiff and I have to get up and walk about to ease the stiffness, an oil can would be a handy solution :^)

I saw my PT this morning and she says it is not uncommon and will ease with time.

Clive
 
This is normal post-op pain and when you experience it to any degree it's a sign that you need to up your meds and/or decrease your activity a bit. What is keeping you "on your feet a lot" at home???? You aren't doing home chores, are you?????
 
Hi Cathy, even at four months, I still find I get a sense of burning in the groin, not pain exactly, just uncomfortable. Also, if I am over tired I walk, well waddle a bit like a duck in the evenings... It all takes time and you are early days still..

Be kind to yourself and try not to overdo it too much :)
 
Jamie, yes I am doing things around the house, like cooking. I actually feel, compared to others posting, i am behind. Being hard not to compare myself to others who seem ahead of me. Others are walking without any support and I still need the cane and use the walker when I first get up. It has been 4 wks now, and once I moved to the cane that freed up an arm to do things. I do not think I am overdoing it but appreciate your concern. It is nice how you admins care about everyone, thanks.

I guess as I compare myself, maybe I'll tag you and ask the question. "should" I be further along at 4 wks? My postoperative is not till 6 wks.
 
Hello Cathy, just catching up with your thread. Do try not to compare yourself to others, as we are all different. I'm a naturally competitive type and not only am I tempted to compare my progress with everyone else's, but now I'm on the second hip, I'm comparing it with the first one too, and then getting depressed because it's not doing as well. We must remember that we are all different, and every hip is different, and all heal at different rates. Whilst to you and me 4 weeks seems like a lifetime, in the big scheme of things you are at very early days, and I'm even earlier. It is much, much better to use walking aids and NOT LIMP rather than try to cast them aside and waddle like a duck! You need to train your body to walk properly, otherwise it might pick up the idea that it's OK to waddle, and it's not. I'm sure that our Sandy down under, who is very sensible, uses her walker in the evenings when she's tired, and that's what you might need to do.
 
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