THR Not sure if I overdid it

While I took it easy I spent time researching the muscle groups that are in and around the hip. You'd understand why pain radiates all up and down if you look at how many there are and where they start and end. Considering they have to dislocate us then twist the leg to gain access then put it all back together it's little wonder it takes so long to get those muscles to heal. I would ice where it hurt, and in the early weeks I iced continuously if I was still.
I found that measuring my walking was a mistake, it just caused more pain and setback. Instead I concentrated on walking better and slower. Once everything heals the distance will come as walking will be painless.
 
My pain moves around too. Sometimes it's my thigh, sometimes it's uncomfortable in the hip or the groin and then sometimes my knee or lower leg hurts. My surgeon told me that because I am small (short), they had to move things around a little bit more to do what was needed, so he expected me to have a bit more pain than average. He told me the pain and swelling would travel down my leg and that is exactly what happened. The swelling is almost gone now. Only the very upper part of my thigh and around the incision is swollen. I just keep icing and elevating.

Thanks for all the replies. It helps to get feedback.
I had my left Anterior THR done on July 14th. I have had a rollercoaster recovery as well. At the 2 week post op appt I was walking great, had no pain. I over did it with exercises and went downhill quick. It took the docs another 4 weeks to finally figure out I had a fracture next to my femoral stem. I had to get an MRI to finally find the fracture. They didn’t like the fact I could not put full weight on the surgical leg. If you feel like something is not right, call your surgeon. I had to be persistent. I was really getting depressed thinking I was never going to walk correctly again. Knowing what is wrong has helped a lot and now I am about 5 weeks out from the fracture and it feels so much better. I haven’t even tried to go out for a real walk yet Since surgery. Patience is something I do not have though, so I understand your frustration.
 
...a THR is literally an amputation of your femoral head and placement of a prosthesis that your body then has to accept and heal with.

Exactly. Two major sites of bone trauma (femur and acetabulum), two implants, and soft tissue trauma that extends down the leg on top of that. That the body can and does heal all is nothing short of miraculous.
 
Hi @WashingtonHiker how are you doing this week? Thinking of you and hoping you are seeing some small improvements.
 
While I took it easy I spent time researching the muscle groups that are in and around the hip. You'd understand why pain radiates all up and down if you look at how many there are and where they start and end. Considering they have to dislocate us then twist the leg to gain access then put it all back together it's little wonder it takes so long to get those muscles to heal. I would ice where it hurt, and in the early weeks I iced continuously if I was still.
I found that measuring my walking was a mistake, it just caused more pain and setback. Instead I concentrated on walking better and slower. Once everything heals the distance will come as walking will be painless.
Hi Eman85, I followed your suggestion and am trying to walk better and slower. I did two short walks today walking very slowly and trying to not limp and stand tall. Now my hip actually feels better than it did this morning. We'll see how I feel tomorrow. If I wake up feeling good I will be excited and will keep trying this approach.
 
I also wanted to report that I can go down the stairs normally holding the rail and am starting to go up the stairs normally hanging on to the rail. I'm taking it easy and only going foot over foot up about half the flight. It feels weak, but doesn't really hurt. It's more just slightly uncomfortable.
 
Slow walking with good posture is what you're after. It's like any exercise, it's about form more than speed or quantity. One thing that makes a difference is new shoes. Shoes you wore pre-op sometimes have a wear pattern that will cause pain or promote limping. 2 short walks worked out better for me, going too far was a mistake. I learned the hard way about going too far and not being able to get back home, had to hang on a fence for a while to recover enough to walk home.
 
Wow. I'm impressed at you going up and down stairs on alternating feet. I went for a short walk outside yesterday without my stick for the first time. I wanted to focus on walking without a limp. Worked well. It was just in our grounds though. I'll still use one in the street or when out shopping.
 
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Slow walking with good posture is what you're after. It's like any exercise, it's about form more than speed or quantity. One thing that makes a difference is new shoes. Shoes you wore pre-op sometimes have a wear pattern that will cause pain or promote limping. 2 short walks worked out better for me, going too far was a mistake. I learned the hard way about going too far and not being able to get back home, had to hang on a fence for a while to recover enough to walk home.
Yup bought new shoes and going to focus on the slow walking with the best posture and form I can do. Thanks. This morning I feel much better than usual and I also noticed that turning over to either side now doesn't hurt so much. I am thinking that the bad posture and the limping actually made me hurt.
 
I am thinking that the bad posture and the limping actually made me hurt.

Here’s a little diagram reflecting heel-toe walking, which can help resolve the limp.
Hope you have a nice weekend!

1631278076998.jpeg
 
As you've discovered, breaking up the walks into smaller chunks is helpful. It gives the muscles more time to recover and allows you to assess how you're doing before you go again. I found that things might not hurt while I was doing them but might be more painful later.

Another thing you might consider is hiking poles. They might help you with stability and allow a more upright stance than with a cane and could be helpful to you when you resume hiking.
 
Well, looks like I overdid it again. I was out of town in the Olympic Peninsula and went up to Hurricane Ridge. Did a short hike with a little elevation gain and on the way down my leg started trembling. That was last Wednesday. My thigh still hurts today.

I am also still, at ten weeks out, having pain bending over to pick things up and doing certain motions/positions. I get a sharp pain in my hip sometimes and sometimes in the back side of my hip. Makes me worry, because I don't know what is "normal" and whether or not I should be concerned.
 
As you've discovered, breaking up the walks into smaller chunks is helpful. It gives the muscles more time to recover and allows you to assess how you're doing before you go again. I found that things might not hurt while I was doing them but might be more painful later.

Another thing you might consider is hiking poles. They might help you with stability and allow a more upright stance than with a cane and could be helpful to you when you resume hiking.
Hi Sara K, I have been using hiking poles. Thanks for the suggestion.
 
It definitely sounds like you're in the multiple overdidit club. In my experiences in overdidit world the only way to figure out the level of damage or return to normal was to stop, sit and ice. I know it sounds hard to believe but 10 or 12 weeks is still recovery stage. Unfortunately the more overdidits the more or longer the nagging pains seem to last. Tendonitis is also something that can cause lasting pain.
 
Hello,
Since you are not recovered at ten weeks out, I think some of what you’re engaging in is too ambitious for these very early months of recovery. I’d dial back the activity, to walking alone, but not to excess, at least until the pain / discomfort you mention eases or completely goes away. Consider icing and engaging in ADL’s with some additional walking for exercise until more time passes. You don’t want to push it and develop chronic pain issues. Try not to worry and see if rest, ice and modifying your activity for a time helps.
All the best!
@WashingtonHiker
 
Hello,
Since you are not recovered at ten weeks out, I think some of what you’re engaging in is too ambitious for these very early months of recovery. I’d dial back the activity, to walking alone, but not to excess, at least until the pain / discomfort you mention eases or completely goes away. Consider icing and engaging in ADL’s with some additional walking for exercise until more time passes. You don’t want to push it and develop chronic pain issues. Try not to worry and see if rest, ice and modifying your activity for a time helps.
All the best!
@WashingtonHiker
@Layla - what are ADL's?
 
I’m sorry, I should have typed it out.
Activities of Daily Living.
Just the normal activity of moving through your day. Preparing meals, cleaning up after yourself, bathing, dressing, light housekeeping etc.
 
Hi @WashingtonHiker - I had my surgery the exact same date you had yours, and I still feel that I’m not recovered completely. I have some pain when I bend to grab things, lower back pain and a general feeling of inflammation around my hip and leg. It is probably because I tried to do too much too early.

I went back to work full time on September 13. My job consists pretty much of sitting in front of the computer for 8 hours. I try to get up and move around/stretch every 45 minutes or so. Sometimes when I get up I don’t feel any pain, and sometimes I do, especially at the end of my shift (my hip/leg area feels tight). I drive home from work, I talk to the wife, play with the kids, and get on the bed and elevate the leg. If the leg feels particularly swollen, I ice it down 45 minutes to an hour; that brings relief.

I notice some buttock/groin pain some days, and other days less so. I guess that’s the nature of my recovery, not a straight, and steady one, but with a series of ups and downs. Patience (which I’m starting to develop) is necessary at this juncture of recovery.

Good luck with your recovery!
 
Recovery chart drawn.jpg

Definitely not a straight line...
Doing less now will protect your new hip and all of the soft tissue affected during the replacment surgery.
You will get there!
 

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