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THR One year post-op

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Alex, now you have mentioned it I have been meaning to ask about the external rotation of operated hip. Mine is really useless, pretty much can't do it at all. It is making me wonder if this is the way it is always going to be or can I work at improving it.

Doing the recliner and gravity thing doesn't work for me, it just doesn't move at all. My knee is not moving to the side at all.can you suggest any exercises I could do to improve on this? When I try to force it it is like it's stuck at all and hurts

Thanks

Ann.x.
 
Oh I get it now Alex...did I ever mention I'm a bit ditsy??:th_heehee:

You mean foot flat on footrest with knees bent. Tried it, it hurt a bi but bearable for a minute or so..nice one...not at all ladylike but I won't do it when we have vsitors.hehe.

Thanks
 
Ann, it sounds like you just aren't ready for that kind of motion yet. Painful stretches are counterproductive because the muscles react to pain by contracting and resisting the stretch. Just try again in a week or two and see how it goes.

I had to do a lot of that after my THR. There were certain poses that I really wanted to get back, but there was nothing to do but wait until my body was ready for them. I knew that from my background in exercise science, but it was still frustrating, so I think I understand how you feel.

Oops... you posted again while I was writing. I'm going to leave my initial thoughts there because I think others may benefit from that.

You're right... that is what I meant about the recliner. Just carry on with that, a few minutes at a time until you can bear more. I think your lower back will thank you for working on this.
 
Okay, thanks Alex, I will TRY to wait a while before I get cracking with that one but once something gets in my head I find it difficult to not keep having a go.lol
 
Okay, but understand that if you do a particular stretch and the muscles involved feel weak or wobbly afterwards, that's a sign that you need to give up stretching that muscle until you've built some strength there first. Let me know if that happens, okay?
 
Hi Alex, Thanks for the advice. When I do stretch I do feel a benefit in that I feel longer and taller etc. It does feel good overall but not noticing any flexibiity increase.
Yes, I will give it a break. Getting fed up also. When I do stretch I don't force it but when I get out of it it hurts as I am so stiff. So not the greatest feeling while doing, but overall it's good.

Will stick to the Feldengrais for now. Also as knee paining alot can't do a great deal lower limb wise. Lucky I can still walk :th_heehee:

Jyoti
 
Hi Alex

alexthecat said:
@C Mac: and @The Cappuccino Kid: Try out this stretch for me:

[Bonesmart.org] One year post-op


You're looking for an inner thigh stretch in the straight leg. Don't lock your knee and keep your toes pointing straight ahead or in slight external rotation.


Cappy, are you able to do this stretch?

[Bonesmart.org] One year post-op
Click to expand...



I can do the first stretch no bother.

I'm not too sure about the second one - is it really a knee to knee stretch? I struggle a bit with that one.

I had a reassessment at my gym yesterday and the trainer has suggested increasing my leg / glute strength with some squats and abductor exercises.

Thanks !
 
With the second stretch, you are going for knee-to-knee, if you can manage it and as little hip flexion as possible.

Now, let me interpret what you've told me so far. The knock-kneed guy above is doing a piriformis stretch. The previous stretch I shared with a guy on his back and his legs like the number 4... that stretches the internal rotator muscles, but not the piriformis. The seated woman with an ankle on her opposite knee is stretching all the internal rotator muscles, including the piriformis.

There is a piriformis thread in the Library. You might want to take a look at that. It sounds like you have tightness in other muscles besides the piriformis, but anything you do for the piriformis will benefit those muscles as well.

You might also want to try the stretch in the recliner that Ann and I were talking about. It doesn't have to be in a recliner. Whatever is convenient ...
 
alexthecat said:
@C Mac: and @The Cappuccino Kid: Try out this stretch for me:

[Bonesmart.org] One year post-op


You're looking for an inner thigh stretch in the straight leg. Don't lock your knee and keep your toes pointing straight ahead or in slight external rotation.

Cardie, can you stand with your legs in lateral rotation like this?

[Bonesmart.org] One year post-op


Sorry about the photo. I'm in a hurry and it's the best one I could find at the moment. Imagine you are standing on a clock. Your face is pointing at 12 o'clock. What times are your feet pointing at?
Click to expand...

Hi Alex,

I can do the stretch above, however, I don't feel much of a stretch on my THR leg on those inner muscles -- it feels like a nice stretch on the normal side, mostly from about mid thigh up into the groin area. I am a little surprised I don't get the stretch on my THR side because I have quite a bit on tension at the tippy top of my thigh/groin where the adductors start. Oh, wait... just tried it a little differently than the lady in the picture (she's leaning forward some) if I lean back more and tilt the bottom of my pelvis forward a bit I can feel it in those muscles better now!!

On the ballet position -- my feet are at 10:00 and 2:00.

Whoo Hooo!!! Always love to throw down the yoga mat and try some stuff!! Thank you Alex:friends:

Have a good weekend,
Cardie
 
I had a hunch that you had something going on with your adductors! There are a lot of different stretches to help with that. I'm on the phone, so no photos from me today. I think you have it covered anyway.

The little ballerina is a check of the internal rotators other than the piriformis. It sounds like you're good there. I'm not sure about your piriformis. You've said previously that you can do the knock-kneed piriformis stretch, right? It may just be your adductors limiting your ROM in the figure-4 type stretches.
 
Alex,
Just wanted to thank you so much for the great advice and ideas you give! I'm only 4 days out from side 2 so it will be awhile before I'm back to that form but I can't wait to try:) Please keep up your great job of supporting and encouraging us. MUCH THANKS!
Dee
@alexthecat:
 
That's kind of you to say, Dee, and you're very welcome. I wish you well with your recovery and I look forward to following your progress.
 
Hi Alex,

I just posted a ? for you on someone else's thread you had responded to. I want to know where exactly the hip flexor muscles are and what they do? I am going to try the exercise you posted about lifting the legs while sitting because it sounds like one I can do. Thanks
 
Hi Diane! I already answered you in the other thread and I hope that exercise helps you. If you ever feel stiff or sore in your lower back after standing or walking a lot, hip flexor exercises may help with that.
 
Now that I have had a re-eval with my PT and have identified my weaknesses, I have been cruising your thread for things I can use. Your thread is so full of good info, I think sometimes it should go in the excercise library haha. Gotta work on my THR quad, glutes (obviously :) and when sitting with my legs hanging, trying to move my leg to the outside, not much action there. Ramping up clams and leg raises, added one for thigh and have found a few on your site. As I get more active, it s hard for me to start my day with my excercises. I want to do other things which means I must be getting better, but also know the excercises are so imp.

You are 2 years out. Do you forget your hip is artificial now? I know on my page you said you forget some of the trials and tribulations of recovery, but are you constantly reminded of something foreign, or does it just feel like "your hip"?
 
Cathy, you're at a point in recovery where the need for exercise depends on what you want to be able to do. I used to live in Burlington. (I did my Master's at UVM.) It's such a good place for walking and biking. I guess any college town is. If you want to do lots of that, it's worth it to do those exercises.

I don't feel my THR at all and I don't pay much attention to it. It's sort of like my contact lenses. It's in the back of my mind, but it's not something that I actively think about most of the time. If I weren't still on Bonesmart, I doubt I would think about it at all. I never talk about it and most of the people around me don't know that I have an artificial hip. My hip fracture was such a traumatic, painful experience. I really just want to put it behind me and get on with my life.
 
Cathy,

I had my RTHR Feb. 28, 2011 and I never think about it. It has just become part of me and never even gives me a twinge (and I hope it stays that way). I only think about L because I am still healing from the nerve damage. I don't think about L hip every day but only the issues from the nerves which have involved my L calf and ankle.

You will get there...as more time goes by you will think about it less and less...

Hope you get that bike ride soon.
 
Sorry Alex, meant to post this on Cathy's. But Hi! to you also and thanks for all the continuing good info for exercise and stretches!
 
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