THR New hip for HipMomof3!

[HipMomOf3]

Thank you for the responses. I guess I may have misspoke - the PT said it was to prevent the scar tissue from attaching to the underlying tissue as @msmo stated.


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[Cynthia777]

HI @HipMomOf3!

I just read your recovery and found what your OS said about PT. There is a lot of different opinions about PT here on Bonesmart and I found what your OS said about PT to be the best advice I've seen here. I recovered without PT, but every THR is different. I think the secret is to make sure one gets a therapist that is not too aggressive. I've seen some members end up with all sorts of problems from PT and I've seen other members (@DizzyBlond as an example) who have had great success with PT. Would you mind if I shared one of your posts with other members who are uncertain whether they should have PT or not?
I think your PT got much too aggressive with the manipulation of your leg...just what your OS said NOT to let them do (just my opinion for what it's worth).

You sound like you're progressing really well! So happy for you!

 

[HipMomOf3]

@Cynthia777 - I agree! My first PT appointment went perfect - not aggressive at all, very easy-going, lots of gentle stretches. My 2nd appointment was with the PT assistant (I guess that's what they call her) and she just got too aggressive. My problem is I don't like confrontation and I was nervous about saying something to her, which is ridiculous, I know. However, when I went back on Friday, I told her what happened and showed her the swelling and we had no problems during that session. I told her what the OS said about not being aggressive.
Thanks for your response, Cynthia. I don't mind if you share my post. I'm glad you said something, because I needed a reminder myself! Lol.

How are things going with you?


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[Wrknitout]

I am glad your next appointment with the PT assistant was a better one. I think it is good that you were able to communicate with her when you went back. It sounds like it paid off.
My scar is healing well but, kind of lumpy and it is indented at the top and feels like it is attached. I don't know if it is or not. I am glad you brought this issue up. I am still not sure if massaging it for that reason is helpful or not. I will ask my Dr about that when I see him. Hopefully I will remember. I should probably start a list my questions are piling up. Lol!

 

[Cynthia777]

Thanks for letting me share your post, I really appreciate it! I've paid really close attention to our members experiences with PT and I've been so confused why PT has worked for some and done more harm for others. I really think it has to do with how aggressive or gentle the PT is. I'm so happy you spoke up! I bet next time you will find it much easier to speak up.

I'm doing well, but I haven't regained the strength I once had in my leg muscles. I'm considering purchasing a stationary bicycle and try and use it faithfully (I've got to get off my duff)!

 

[Constanze]

Hi @HipMomOf3 , I've read your thread and found it interesting. How are you managing with your three children? How old are they. My 4 daughers are all adults. It must be challenging to have hip recovery while still raising very active and lively children.
You asked about gait training. I believe - yes while some PT exercises are too aggressive and hurt - gait training is very beneficial. It helped me a lot since, like many of us, I was limping pre-op and had to relearn how to walk symmetrically.
In Germany, we have the choice to go to a rehab center for 3 weeks following the 7th day post-op. It's paid for by the statutory pension fund which we pay in (I think the idea is to make people fit for work again, i.e. to stop them becoming invalid so they don't have to retire early). In the rehab center we had gait training in groups with 2 crutches (we use 2 crutches post op, not a walker). We were taught to walk elegantly and symmetrically like models; no slouching, no limping. That's why I also call it cat walk training. You can do that at home. Put some music on; that's fun. My favorite gait training track was "All about that gait" ooops - pardon me "All about that base" by Megan Trainer (misspelling intended .
Rehab is not a free holiday, it's hard work: discipline and getting up early in the morning for breakfast, sometimes to have blood taken to find out whether you still need an anticoagulant (blood thinner), physiotherapy (excellent! not too aggressive, really helps). Those who are already quite fit have to go to a gym (excellent inhouse gym) to train on the machines and the exercise bike, and there's a swimming pool where we had aqua jogging and aqua fitness classes.
I wish you a phantastic recovery - Constanze

 

[HipMomOf3]

It's been awhile since my last post. I've been quite busy balancing recovery and school with the boys Overall, I believe things are going good. It has taken me some time to stop comparing my recovery to all of the other recovery threads on this site and thinking, "wow, I should be doing that, but I'm not!" As long as I don't do that, I'm golden! LOL The PT has been great. For about three years before having surgery, my gait gradually deteriorated (along with my ability to function), so I had quite a bit of muscle atrophy and weakness to overcome post-surgery. That's in addition to the muscle trauma of the surgery itself. I'm sure this is not anything new for a lot of people on this site. I'd be curious to hear how many people feel like they were able to completely eliminate their gait issues post-surgery, and how they achieved that recovery. My PT said that if I limped around for 3 years, then I shouldn't expect to be walking "limp-free" in 3-4 months. "It's going to take time - be patient." Good advice, I think ;) I use a cane now, with some walking without any aide for part of the day. I'm still not able to walk without a significant limp without the cane, but the limp has gotten better. It's easier to see the progress in my recovery when I look at it in weeks instead of day-to-day progress.

As far as pain goes, I still have a dull ache/burn that is present most of the time in my right upper-thigh area & around my right knee. My incision site looks great. The majority of my swelling is still around my knee on my operated side, which is a little disappointing because I had significant knee pain prior to surgery, which my OS said was probably referred pain from my hip. I'm hopeful that the knee pain and swelling is due to the surgery and will disappear as things heal.

I have a question for you guys - Did any of you have significant muscle weakness in your quads and glutes on your operated side? Did you rebuild those muscles simply by walking, or some additional exercises? If so, which ones? Also, is it likely that someone who has had long-term gait issues pre-op (mine is a Trendelenburg gait) will recover to the point of walking "normally" after surgery? I'm hope so - the 2 main reasons I wanted the surgery were for #1) pain relief, and #2) to help me be able to walk/function and keep up with my beautiful (& extremely active) boys!

-Rita

 

[sharonslp]

Hi Rita. Each of us is completely different, so as you've seen, comparing to someone else's recovery is futile. But a couple things you said stand out to me.
1. You limp when you walk without the cane. Yet...you do without the cane for part of the day. I can only think that sets you back in learning to retrain your gait and walk without a limp.
2. You are describing pain that is still present most of the time in your upper right thigh, along with swelling and pain in your right knee. That suggests a combination of two things to me....one is that you are under-medicating, and the second is that you are overdoing.
3. Plus pain is why you still limp.

I had....and still occasionally get....a great deal of muscle weakness in my quads. For me, it feels like a deep fatigue and ache, and I feel like my legs are made of wood when it happens. I've pinpointed that it tends to come on when I've left my sweet zone of activity. Either I get a period of way too much inactivity (hello, winter!) or conversely, I way overdo. I know from past experience that I could sidestep it entirely if I stayed on Celebrex continuously, but one of my major goals was to get off of all medications. So I put up with it occasionally now, and work at modulating my activity level. But I did find that I needed to stay on it for a good five months after my first THR, and for nine months after my second.

In regard to your upper thigh pain, especially if you are overdoing your activity level, check out this information about bursitis. It's a common problem for us hippies. See if this describes what you're feeling.
Trochanteric bursitis with THR

Again, at risk of being a broken record (wow....I just realized that we're raising a whole new generation of kids who will never know that sound!!)....you are a mere 6 weeks out. It is common to need effective pain control for anywhere from 2 to 6 months easily. And it's just as common to return to real life way too soon. You're a mom of three kids....so was I....I know what that real life demands of you. But really backing it off and making your recovery a top priority now will get you back to where you can keep up with your kids. It took a while after my surgeries....but I walk without a limp, I bike ride, I was out dancing just this evening, and tomorrow I'll be keeping up with my grandkids. Give yourself a real chance, and you will get your pain-free active life back.

Sharon

 

[Constanze]

Hi Rita (@HipMomOf3 ), You asked about rebuilding your muscles, and I can tell you, yes, its possible to get that muscle back and eventually walk limp-free. I was limping on and off at 6 weeks post-op. That depended on how tired I was. At that stage, I had 6 additional lessons of physiotherapy as an out-patient. And that, too, was excellent. It involved mainly gait-training - walk practice and massage. The trainer asked me to walk in all kinds of fashions - for example side-ways, or round in wavy lines (around obstacles, slalom) etc. I'm limp-free and able to do my all favourite kinds of sport again. Swimming, cycling and even running. But then I was quite sporty before my hip deteriorated. I limped around quite a long time - about 2 years and had bone-on-bone osteoarthritis. My left thigh muscles were also quite badly atrophied but are - almost - back to normal now. I wish you a great recovery - Constanze

 

[HipMomOf3]

That is very encouraging, @Constanze, thank you! Before my hip began deteriorating I led a pretty active lifestyle. Now, I'm focused on shedding the pounds I acquired over the past couple of years and rebuilding the muscles that have atrophied. I have lost 25 lbs so far! I will try to focus on being patient and just doing the things I know will help. Thank you for the response[emoji2]

@sharonship - thank you for your reply. I didn't mean to imply that I walk around a lot without an aide. I only walk around the house short distances occasionally without my cane to see how things are progressing. As soon as my muscles feel tired, I go back to using the cane. According to the PT, my thigh ache is due to muscle weakness. You are right, it is so easy to overdo things when you are focused on getting back to "real life." I need to get used to my "new normal" for now and be more patient. I look forward to being more active; I just need to make sure I don't do too much too soon.


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[Jillians]

Hey you!!! My walking is the same- my pelvis tilts significantly ecs if I'm tired- the can helps a lot -I'm off of it 80 percent of the time- my new thing is my I socio has started to have fires of nerves- ecs with physical therapy- my bootie muscles are weak per the pt- this week I did exercises and my muscles weren't even firing off- it took many tries and it got easier but I'm soooo sore- muscle sore not joint sore- today was the first time I saw myself walking in glass and I wasn't really limping- it's all trial and error with gaining my muscles back but slowly they are deciding to cooperate and i know yours will too- I am in the same boat I feel pretty good as long as I don't read about someone tiring their shoe or doing something that I can't do yet- I had 9 years of gradually getting to the point of surgery- I suspect my body is in pure schlock that I don't have to be Frankenstein [emoji41]


Posterior Right Total Hip Replacement due to Necrosis of femoral head -August 22,2016