THR Pain at night

[Shellsbells]

I'm two weeks post thr, all gone smoothly but last night and tonight pain from my knee up to my groin in like waves
Fine during the day but worsening through the night,

 

[djklaugh]

@Shellsbells Welcome to BoneSmart! Please tell us the exact date of your surgery and which hip was replaced. We will create a signature for you with that information.

What are your current daily activities? At only two weeks out from major surgery you should be mostly resting. Elevating your leg and applying ice or frozen gel packs will help reduce swelling and help control any pain you have. Hips really do not need a lot of physical therapy - walking is the best exercise. If you have not done so already it may be a good idea to get new shoes. If you wore your current shoes a lot before the surgery the wear pattern on the soles and heels will be in the old limping pattern and that is NOT a good pattern for your new hip.

Here is a list of our post op articles and helpful suggestions:


Hip Recovery: The Guidelines
1. Don’t worry: Your body will heal all by itself. Relax, let it, don't try and hurry it, don’t worry about any symptoms now, they are almost certainly temporary.
2. Control discomfort:
rest
elevate
ice
take your pain meds by prescription schedule (not when pain starts!)
3. Do what you want to do BUT
a. If it hurts, don't do it and don't allow anyone - especially a physical therapist - to do it to you
b. If your leg swells more or gets stiffer in the 24 hours after doing it, don't do it again.
4. PT or exercise can be useful BUT take note of these
BoneSmart philosophy for sensible post op therapy
5. At week 4 and after you should follow this
Activity progression for THRs
6. Access these pages on the website
Oral And Intravenous Pain Medications
Wound Care In Hospital

The Recovery articles:
Pain management and the pain chart
Healing: how long does it take?
Chart representation of THR recovery

Dislocation risk and 90 degree rule
Energy drain for THRs
Pain and swelling control: elevation is the key

Post op blues is a reality - be prepared for it
Myth busting: on getting addicted to pain meds
Sleep deprivation is pretty much inevitable - but what causes it?

BIG TIP: Hips actually don't need any exercise to get better. They do a pretty good job of it all on their own if given half a chance. Trouble is, people don't give them a chance and end up with all sorts of aches and pains and sore spots. All they need is the best therapy which is walking and even then not to excess.
We try to keep the forum a positive and safe place for our members to talk about their questions or concerns and to report successes with their joint replacement surgery.
While members may create as many threads as they like in a majority of BoneSmart's forums, we ask that each member have only one recovery thread. This policy makes it easier to go back and review history before providing advice.

 

[Eman85]

Have you increased your activity or added activity? Do you ice?

 

[TiredOfLimping]

Welcome @Shellsbells!

I had swelling on the top outer part of my knee on the operated leg that went all the way up my thigh. Icing helped relieve both the swelling and pain. I hope you get relief soon!

Edit to add: Icing and elevation helped my knee! I forgot to add the elevation.

 

[Hippie Chick]

I had to call in for pain medicine refills as mine were not automatic. I will be three weeks tomorrow- as your leg transitions from log leg to less log leg the pain and feels are different. Hang in there!

 

[Esmeralda]

Hi @Shellsbells and welcome

It's worrying when suddenly these aches and pains appear from nowhere. I've only experienced a wave like pain once in the last 3 weeks and I attributed that to doing something I shouldn't have earlier in the day - I've found my new hip doesn't let me get away with anything !

I'm keeping my fingers firmly crossed that this unsettling pain won't last much longer for you. Please keep us updated

 

[Shellsbells]

It's still here I'm afraid, only when I lie flat, walking, putting weight through my leg is fine
But if I lie flat it starts immediately

 

[Shellsbells]

I had my THR on 4th September, left hip
I'm walking about pretty easily around the house with one crutch but use 2when I go for my daily strolls, twice a day about 200 yds

 

[Newhip_Pol]

Hi @Shellsbells Are you keeping your leg elevated when you're lying down? Even one pillow under the operated leg will ease the stretch across your groin. Elevation is recommended because there will be internal soft tissue swelling at this stage even if you can't see it!

 

[Hippie Chick]

Hang in there! Elevation will help! Also icing

 

[Shellsbells]

This is where I need better advice I guess, I've been told and read that you mustn't put pillows under your knees after hip replacement,if I tuck a small pillow under my knee it relieves it but advice is saying "don't do this" or, should I put a pillow longways under the whole leg?

 

[djklaugh]

@Shellsbells Here is an article about how to elevate your leg effectively and safely: https://bonesmart.org/forum/threads/elevation-doing-it-the-right-way.7602/

 

[Clairebella]

Hi @Shellsbells

I had my THR on 30th Aug so I’m almost a week ahead of you. I’m still using 2 crutches so I am wondering at 2 weeks whether it is a bit early to go down to 1 even in the house. With one are you using it in the opposite arm?

I am not going out for strolls yet because I have had lots of pains from over doing it and had a check up on Monday and surgeon told me to rest and chill out. No need for daily out door walks quite yet. Which lends itself to the current Scottish Autumn climate for me!

I have also had a lot of pain from thigh down to knee. What painkiller’s are you talking and do you spread out and take over night too? If I potter too much in the day I pay for it at night, I put it down to the activities increasing swelling/aggravating the soft tissues and muscles which are still healing.

 

[Newhip_Pol]

This is where I need better advice I guess, I've been told and read that you mustn't put pillows under your knees after hip replacement,if I tuck a small pillow under my knee it relieves it but advice is saying "don't do this" or, should I put a pillow longways under the whole leg?

Longways under whole leg from thigh to ankle. The reason for not putting a pillow under your knee is because of the risk of interference with blood and lymph (tissue fluid) flow. If you can manage additional pillows under the lower leg as in the "pillow stack" so much the better but I found my leg tended to fall off the pile when I was asleep. Better elevation was possible if I was half sitting and awake using lots of pillows for support. As the article linked above also says, beware pressure on your heel too because of the risk of bedsores. The first few weeks are difficult but I'm sure you'll find some comfort soon - icing really helps!

 

[Hippie Chick]

August 31st here- the adage I have adopted is slow and steady wins the race. I am the tortoise not the hare. I think I started my bed exercises closer to week 2 and was able to complete them- slight burn, tired, not extreme pain. I am using my walker still and practicing good form. I have also come to the conclusion that recovery from this surgery is like snowflakes- no two are exactly alike. The advice and experience shared here has helped me tremendously. I also use the search feature here as needed.

 

[Shellsbells]

Hi @Shellsbells

I had my THR on 30th Aug so I’m almost a week ahead of you. I’m still using 2 crutches so I am wondering at 2 weeks whether it is a bit early to go down to 1 even in the house. With one are you using it in the opposite arm?

I am not going out for strolls yet because I have had lots of pains from over doing it and had a check up on Monday and surgeon told me to rest and chill out. No need for daily out door walks quite yet. Which lends itself to the current Scottish Autumn climate for me!

I have also had a lot of pain from thigh down to knee. What painkiller’s are you talking and do you spread out and take over night too? If I potter too much in the day I pay for it at night, I put it down to the activities increasing swelling/aggravating the soft tissues and muscles which are still healing.

 

[Shellsbells]

I take my pain medication regularly at 6 hourly intervals, I've spent the last 2 days resting a bit more, I was advised to walk by my physio and to build it up more daily she was very positive about my outdoor walks/distance
I'm going to elevate the leg tonight on pillow long ways and see how I get on

 

[Clairebella]

The first few weeks or more as you will read on here is always slow and steady. The first couple of weeks in particular requires the only walking to be from the bathroom and back. Many don’t advise the PT advice!

I’ve not been told by my PT to be walking outside and building up anymore than going to the first lamppost and back!

Any exercise you do, if too much your body will tell you so then scale it back just as you’ve done this weekend with resting more.

 

[Goma]

I also find that keeping my toes straight helps. I roll up a towel and put it between my feet to stop my feet flopping in or out. The entire leg .knees and toes are in one line as much as possible.
In hospital my leg was put in a u shaped wedge to keep it straight and stable. I found it really comfortable.

I also took magnesium prior to surgery and continue to do so to help with muscle aches.
I checked with my surgeon and he said it was ok.

Thanks and good luck.

 

[Shellsbells]

Have you increased your activity or added activity? Do you ice?

I

I'm two weeks post thr, all gone smoothly but last night and tonight pain from my knee up to my groin in like waves
Fine during the day but worsening through the night,

I elevated my leg last night, all suggestions to do so we're very helpful, I did the slopey trio of pillows arrangement, workrd a treat, huge difference