THR Nutcase's recovery journey

[Nutcase]

Oh my, @myglasshalffull ! I am so glad to hear that you bring your phone now a days, otherwise I have to worry about you

It’s true that our smart devices knows more about us than we do ourselves. I also have a smart watch, so I don’t even have to bring my phone. Plus, my smart bike automatically calls ICE contact if I fall. Not sure if all this is for the better, though…

 

[raylo]

I have a smart watch, too, but seldom remember to charge it. So, it just sits on the table. And besides, one time when I had it on mountain biking and just hit some normal rocks or tree roots it popped up a message that it thought I fell and was going to call emergency. NO!!!

Oh my, @myglasshalffull ! I am so glad to hear that you bring your phone now a days, otherwise I have to worry about you

It’s true that our smart devices knows more about us than we do ourselves. I also have a smart watch, so I don’t even have to bring my phone. Plus, my smart bike automatically calls ICE contact if I fall. Not sure if all this is for the better, though…

 

[Nini]

@Nutcase @myglasshalffull thanks for your response! That’s what I have been getting also on good days.

 

[luvcats]

That must have been so scary, to have fallen and not able to reach out for help @myglasshalffull !

Days when I go for walks I usually end up around 7-8000 steps and I also golf which means even more steps.

looks on in awe about step totals I can't even contemplate.

 

[Nutcase]

15 weeks have passed and time for an update.

The swelling, the swelling, the swelling.
Pretty much pain free now. The only thing is a dull pain/ache in my groin every now and then. I can't see any pattern since it occurs almost randomly. I have felt i bicycling, laying flat in my bed and sitting on a chair. It doesn't last so I'm guessing it's nothing to worry about.

Walking is all fine and I'm gaining speed, which is nice. Feeling almost normal walking with others My gait still feels a bit funky, but no limping what so ever.

Muscles still weak, especially gluteus medius which, among other things, should keep my hips straight. Since it was completely removed and sewed back on at the OP I guess it needs more time to recover.

Edit: I have had, what you refer to as stutter steps (real stiffness first steps out of seated position) for the last couple of weeks. It’s worse in the evenings. Never had that before…

All and all I'm probably doing fine but it's really hard to notice progress on a daily basis

Hope all you hippies out there are doing fine

 

[Nini]

@Nutcase Wonderful words! Pretty much painfree!!! Yes! (Don’t your weak glutes cause pain?). I had gotten away from the stutter steps(never heard that before but makes perfect sense!) but since I’ve started PT they have sorta returned! I’m attributing them to stiff muscles. I also agree with the gait feeling a bit funky. I notice mine more when outside or in a large store. You sound very positive!!

 

[Nutcase]

@Nini Well I try my best to stay positive It’s a slow process but, so far, steadily progressing.
No, actually no pain in weak muscles, only fatigue. Come to think of it I actually have one movement causing some pain, but it never lingers. It’s when I ‘un-bend’ my hip after having bent it for like picking something up from the floor, Hoping it’s the swelling that’s causing it.
I do train a lot, so the stutter steps are probably the muscles as you said.
Totally agree about the gait. It’s more noticeable when you ‘stretch your legs’ outdoors and less walking indoors
BTW have you had a feeling that the angels of your hip/leg I different than before the OP? I can get that feeling when I for example do leg stretching.

 

[Nutcase]

Passed 4 month last week, so here's an update...

I can...

• take long (1h+) trail walks
• do most exercises at the gym
• clip and paint my toe nails
• get fully dressed standing up
• lay on my OP side in bed for 10-15 minutes
• run down a stair to avoid getting wet when i rains
• do pretty much whatever I want

I still...

• get uncomfortable sitting for any period of time in a regular chair
• feel some pain in my groin and outside of hip un-bending my hip (like raising up after touching the floor with straight legs)
• lack range of motion
• have weakness in my affected muscles
• work on regaining full balance
• get tingling, electric sensations at random spots all along my leg from time to time
• can't wait to get rid of the swelling and stiffness
• ice, from time to time

All and all, progress is ongoing but healing is obviously not complete yet.
Today is summer solstice in Sweden and that is something we really celebrate, so have a great day everyone

 

[myglasshalffull]

Sounds all normal to me! Thanks for update & Happy 1st day of Summer!

 

[Nutcase]

So, 5 months yesterday

Healing continues, although slowly.
Still some swelling, still some stiffness, still some pain in groin and outside hip at certain movements and still some redness in a small part of my scar, other than that, very little to complain about. Gait is finally stating to feel normal, which is a big step to feeling 'normal'

Just a quick question, which I probably already know the answer to...
Is it normal to still feel some isolated pain in groin and outside hip at this stage of the recovery?

The very best to all you hippies!

 

[Dorsey]

So, 5 months yesterday

Healing continues, although slowly.
Still some swelling, still some stiffness, still some pain in groin and outside hip at certain movements and still some redness in a small part of my scar, other than that, very little to complain about. Gait is finally stating to feel normal, which is a big step to feeling 'normal'

Just a quick question, which I probably already know the answer to...
Is it normal to still feel some isolated pain in groin and outside hip at this stage of the recovery?

The very best to all you hippies!

I am going to hit the 5 month mark shortly myself ,
Still feel some discomfort sitting for extended periods , still have some flashes of tingling sensations that only last for seconds, when I first upped my activity in getting back to being moderately active again the initial pain, Mostly on my side , to a much lesser degree in the groin , was concerning but I quickly discovered that these pains decreased each day with continued activity , and it is just a case of muscles that have been put thru the ringer getting used to being used again with the addition of a brand new piece of hardware .
The numbness I had on the front of my thigh is decreasing daily as well .
You are describing my experience to a tee.
All conditions normal .
God Bless !

 

[Nutcase]

Hi all hippies

Thought I would post a post-6-month update.
I don't have real issues, can do anything I want and seldom experiencing any pain.

The only thing I'm somewhat concerned about is a persisting swelling, very localized in size and place. Right after my OP I got a hematoma in the OP area that was really painful and hindered my movement. Now my PT has confirmed by ultrasound that I still have a swelling right by the joint. It's not really painful (except from some specific movements) but it does hinder my movement on a daily basis making me feel stiff around my joint. It's also located right above my lateral thigh muscles, which is REALLY weak. I'm starting to wonder if the initial hematoma actually was a rupture of the suture in that particular muscles from the OP and that I have a partial rupture of the lateral thigh muscle.

Anyone else who have experienced anything like this and is there something I can do about it?

Allt the best

 

[Jumeirah]

Hi there.

I also still have my big problem with my swelling in the lower part of my scar and the area around . It really sucks, sorry for my language, because it is mostly my only but very annoying problem. Off cause I’m still stiff and off cause it aches sometime, but my persistent swelling is just frustrating, because it really hurts when I sit for a longer time and also at night , when I turn from my back to my not operated site. It is also tender and fells sore If it wasn’t for that swelling I’m pretty sure that I would be moving around much better. I also sadly still have a limp when I walk without cane and I think it’s because of the swelling that make everything uncomfortable

As I wrote in my tread , my orthopedic didn’t even want to do a scan, he told my it was fluid, hematoma and lymph. He said that I could take about 1 year before the body was able to deal with it and that there was nothing to do about it. I just have to give it time
I also have bursitis , but that has nothing to do with my big swelling.

I’m now approximately 3 month after surgery and my stupid swelling is still there and I don’t think it’s getting smaller

I think we actually just had bad luck with our swelling , but I must admit that I have had the same thoughts as you, when it comes to a rupture

Every morning when I get up I’m praying that my swelling will be smaller and it is so depressing when I see that it is exactly the same size as always

You are not alone with your swelling problem . We can just hope that it finally goes away sometime..

I wish you a wonderful day ..

 

[Nutcase]

Hi all!

Not very active here anymore but wanted to give a quick update and ask a question

So, tomorrow I'm 13 month post-op and I can do basically everything i want. Haven't started joggin yet, but I plan to start by summer when the wether gets nicer. I started rowing last autumn (in a boat, on the lake) and I really think that has been great for the flexibility in my hip.

But I got the flu last week, with fever and all, basically knocked-out for 6 days, and my hip doesn't feel great after that. Not the actual hp, but all the muscles surrounding my hip. They feel stiff and almost swollen. Is this a thing after a surgery, that the area gets affected by a common cold or a flu?

Have a wonderful day!

 

[myglasshalffull]

Sorry to hear about the flu go round.
I'm not sure about it affecting your hip adversely but maybe just being down & not moving around as much had something to do with it?
Even now after 3 years I might have a day here or there I need to ice, use heating pad & take a chill pill. I've said it before, had lots of aches & pains way before I fractured my hip so shouldn't be surprised that once in awhile I need to relax.
But yesterday I walked 6 miles over course of the day with no ill effects!