THR New hip for HipMomof3!
- Thread starter HipMomOf3
- Start date
- Status
OP
OP
HipMomOf3
junior member
How many people on the forum have had to do Gait Training due to muscle atrophy prior to their hip replacements? How has that gone for you? Did it take longer than you expected/shorter? Any suggestions?
alexthecat
Former BoneSmart staff member
- Joined
- Mar 1, 2010
- Messages
- 9,708
- Gender
- Female
- Country
United States
I had gait training after my THR. I am pleased with the results and I'm glad I did it. I didn't have any expectation of how long it would take, so I can't answer your question about that. I started gait training PT one week after my surgery and continued with it for six weeks.
jaymo
member
@HipMomOf3-I'm happy to read your recovery story and hear you're no longer in constant pain! It's exciting! I'm watching others' recovery stories in order to prepare myself for my upcoming surgery in just 10 days. Your story has some similarity with mine in that I've been limping for almost 3 years now. I know my gait is really messed up and I won't be surprised if it takes me a while to regain proper form. My right leg is very very weak. I've been doing some strengthening exercise specifically for hip arthritis to try or strengthen and stretch them in hopes it will help postop. My range of motion is pretty bad so anything will be an improvement.
From your description of your precautions it sounds like you had a posterior approach, which I am having as well. We have to be a bit more careful but it's all worth it in the end when we walk without pain and return to doing the things we used to do[emoji2].
You wrote earlier about the mindset of constant pain and how it affected your life and I identified with all that you said. I am there! I've slowly watched myself withdraw from people and activities, get cranky from pain and lose motivation to do much of anything. On weekends I sit in the parking lot psyching myself up to go into the grocery store and push the cart around in excruciating pain. Then muster up some oomph to carry the bags in and put groceries away. That single trip now does me in for a few hours. I only go into any store unless I absolutely need something and then I try to map out the shortest route through the store. Only someone with bone on bone pain can understand. Your story gives me hope that those days are numbered for me so thank you for sharing,
I'll be watching for more of your updates and cheering you on as you progress!
Sent from my iPad using BoneSmart Forum
From your description of your precautions it sounds like you had a posterior approach, which I am having as well. We have to be a bit more careful but it's all worth it in the end when we walk without pain and return to doing the things we used to do[emoji2].
You wrote earlier about the mindset of constant pain and how it affected your life and I identified with all that you said. I am there! I've slowly watched myself withdraw from people and activities, get cranky from pain and lose motivation to do much of anything. On weekends I sit in the parking lot psyching myself up to go into the grocery store and push the cart around in excruciating pain. Then muster up some oomph to carry the bags in and put groceries away. That single trip now does me in for a few hours. I only go into any store unless I absolutely need something and then I try to map out the shortest route through the store. Only someone with bone on bone pain can understand. Your story gives me hope that those days are numbered for me so thank you for sharing,
I'll be watching for more of your updates and cheering you on as you progress!
Sent from my iPad using BoneSmart Forum
Miss Muffet
post-grad
Me too! The best is yet to come - this is what liberation is all about 
Wrknitout
member
I am so happy for you. It is a blessing to have this opportunity to live without constant chronic pain. I agree that living with pain changes a person. It did me and I can relate. I am like you I feel like I have a new lease on life and am so anxious to get the "show on the road". I am trying to remember this recovery will take some time and not let the set backs or rough days get me down. I am going to send up a prayer for you and I am glad you are doing so well. Hugs.
OP
OP
HipMomOf3
junior member
Whew - today was an interesting day. Last night I didn't get any sleep. I don't know if it was muscle soreness or what, but even with taking my pain meds for the night I still couldn't settle down.
This morning, my boys were up and at their school work before I even got out of bed (I managed to fall asleep sometime after 3am). So, I spent the day feeling like I was playing catch up with trying to help them, clean up a bit, and get some rest. I did get in 2-3 good walks outside today. Oh, and @Jillians - I tried the marching and it actually works!!! I was very excited about that - thanks for the tip
I am looking forward to PT at 8 in the morning. Hopefully, that will start my day off better than this morning went.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
This morning, my boys were up and at their school work before I even got out of bed (I managed to fall asleep sometime after 3am). So, I spent the day feeling like I was playing catch up with trying to help them, clean up a bit, and get some rest. I did get in 2-3 good walks outside today. Oh, and @Jillians - I tried the marching and it actually works!!! I was very excited about that - thanks for the tip
I am looking forward to PT at 8 in the morning. Hopefully, that will start my day off better than this morning went.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
OP
OP
HipMomOf3
junior member
Jillians
junior member
@HipMomOf3
It's the strangest little exercise but it works- I like to call it my mini marches----
Posterior Right Total Hip Replacement due to Necrosis of femoral head -August 22,2016
It's the strangest little exercise but it works- I like to call it my mini marches----
Posterior Right Total Hip Replacement due to Necrosis of femoral head -August 22,2016
OP
OP
HipMomOf3
junior member
PT was difficult today. The exercises weren't hard, but while I was lying down on my back, the assistant took my leg and raised it to a near 90 degree angle several times, which caused some discomfort right below my rear. Then, with my knee up in the air, she grabbed my ankle and rotated my leg while pushing my knee in and pulling my ankle out towards her. I told her that didn't feel good . Tonight, guess what two areas are swollen? Yup! The back no longer hurts, but my knee sure does. I know these PTs must deal with hip patients all the time, and I'm certain she knew what she was doing, but what in the world would be the benefit of her doing that? Should I tell her politely not to do it again next visit?
@Josephine - is there anything in addition to rest, elevate, and ice I can do for my knee? It's still swollen. I also have a burning and stabbing pain at the top of my thigh in the back, right below my butt.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
. Tonight, guess what two areas are swollen? Yup! The back no longer hurts, but my knee sure does. I know these PTs must deal with hip patients all the time, and I'm certain she knew what she was doing, but what in the world would be the benefit of her doing that? Should I tell her politely not to do it again next visit? @Josephine - is there anything in addition to rest, elevate, and ice I can do for my knee? It's still swollen. I also have a burning and stabbing pain at the top of my thigh in the back, right below my butt.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Last edited by a moderator:
Krista
post-grad
That sounds like torture! You are 17 days out and someone is doing that to your leg? I'd be surprised if it did NOT cause damage. No one hands-on forced my surgical leg to do anything post-op, and I still ended up having my gluteus medius muscle torn very soon after my surgery, somehow, don't know how. It has never healed and I need a surgery to repair it. I have always sort of thought that maybe it happened because of that exercise that the home PT gave me, to stretch my leg up to 90 degrees while I was lying down and holding it up there with a loop of fabric around the middle of my foot, which is just what your PT did to you, plus that other insane manipulation.
I don't think I'd feel the need to be "polite", but just state matter-of factly that you don't want her to touch you during PT. If you can't do it on your own, you probably shouldn't be doing it. And, as Josephine here says often, you probably don't need PT anyway. Sorry if I sound so forceful, but it just kills me to think that she hurt you when there is all of that healing that is trying to go on in your hip! And I got hurt, and I am still wrecked over a year later.
I don't think I'd feel the need to be "polite", but just state matter-of factly that you don't want her to touch you during PT. If you can't do it on your own, you probably shouldn't be doing it. And, as Josephine here says often, you probably don't need PT anyway. Sorry if I sound so forceful, but it just kills me to think that she hurt you when there is all of that healing that is trying to go on in your hip! And I got hurt, and I am still wrecked over a year later.
OP
OP
HipMomOf3
junior member
@Josephine - is there something I can do besides elevate and ice for my knee?
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
OP
OP
HipMomOf3
junior member
msmo
junior member
@HipMomOf3, you could try a topical rub like aspercreme on your knee. I've used one called myoflex on my aches and pains throughout my recovery and it really did help. Also you need to tell PT to back off, geeze you are still in very early stages of healing!
OP
OP
HipMomOf3
junior member
@Krista - I'm so sorry for all you are going through. That sounds terrible. Since my muscle atrophy was so severe due to how long I limped around, I felt like PT would be helpful for that, but I'll definitely be talking to them about not over doing it next time.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Krista
post-grad
@HipMomOf3, I get it about the atrophy and how that might indeed require PT. And the therapists should be helping, not hurting! I've been limping around for 14 months now using walking aids, and with the torn gluteus medius not being used all that time due to the severe tear, it might be a goner as far as being usable again, even with the repair. They might have to pull some of my gluteus maximus through to attach to the greater trochanter to act like the glut med. I imagine I'll have some PT to do to get to be able to walk correctly again after my upcoming repair/revision. I am hoping we both will be walking well in the near future! Best wishes...
OP
OP
HipMomOf3
junior member
I would like some advice on whether people find it beneficial to massage their incision site or not? Mine is healing and beginning to develop some hard knotty-feeling spots and is a little sensitive. The PT said to gently massage the area to help keep the area from forming scar tissue.
Sorry but this is just rubbish. All massaging with do is make you sore. You don't need to do anything with your incision site. It will heal and fade to a very faint line.
There is no way you should be forced to do this at this point. Was this person trying to dislocate your hip for you? Please do not be "polite". All that twisting is not good at all and does nothing toward your recovery.
Krista
post-grad
I did no massage, and have a very thin, flat scar. I don't understand why they talk about preventing scar tissue from forming. There has to be scar tissue, or our wounds would never heal. Some scars and the areas around them are flatter than others. I think that has to do more with the skill of the surgeon, or whoever closes the incision, more than anything else.
msmo
junior member
My physio therapist said massaging the scar is to help prevent the scar tissue from attaching itself to the underlying tissue. I have an old scar that this happened to and it's really indented. Maybe massage works, maybe it doesn't, I lightly massaged my new scar and it's lovely and flat.
- Status
Staff online
-
EalingGranStaff member since January 23, 2024 -
benne68Staff member since February 4, 2022
