Question for Jo: Muscle Spasms?

[1grampa]

Hi Jo, not sure where this belongs so will let you decide. Am at 3 mo. and 3 days post op. for THR-rt. hip. Had the non-cemented implant so it took a while for the bone ache to leave. Also have a lot of spinal issues due to age (70) and yrs. of hard work and abuse. (my refusal to quit even when it hurt) Spinal stenosis, bone spurs and fractured discs. All common with age and years of truck driving. Am with an excellent Chiropractor now working on the spinal issues and getting the pelvis level again but am having a lot of continueing pain on the inner thigh and even into the calf. Am still walking with a cane as I will get severe muscle spasms at odd times when standing and/or walking. It seems to be from the adductor muscle region just behind the knee cap. There is a solid muscle right on top the thigh and also a big muscle below the thigh. Right in between at mid point inside the thigh close to the bone is where the spasms are. They also will radiate up into the groin and stiffen the upper muscle like a rock when they hit. I can ride one of the stationary horizonal bikes with no problem but when I get on a vertical bike---BIG problem and big pain. Moving the leg to the right or trying to lift it straight up while lying flat also triggers these spasms.Am doing squats to build up the "guads" and stretch the shrunken muscles from years of "waddling" but don't understand the spasms. And yes I'm eating bananas and taking potassium pills. Really thought I would be more pain free by now and walking without a cane. Any ideas folks?

 

[Jamie]

Re: muscle spasms?

Hi, 1grampa! I moved your thread to the hip recovery forum. It fits better here.

Have you discussed this with your surgeon? It sounds to me like you need some more sessions with a physical therapist who can help you work on these specific problems. Your surgeon or primary physician could order that for you.

 

[1grampa]

Re: muscle spasms?

Oh yes I've been vocal about this particular muscle pain/spasm since leaving the hospital and starting in-home therapy. 1st response was "oh thats just part of the trauma, it'll heal". It didn't. 2nd response from out-patient therapist was "h-m-m-m-m thats odd, never heard of that before". I no longer go there. Saw the surgeon the 11th of this month and he says "give it one more month and if not healed we'll look further". It does kinda come and go in that if I just lay on the bed or sit in a chair, no exercise for a couple of days, it will more or less disapate and let me walk fairly pain free. But any strengthing exercises or even ROM on a bike stirs it up. I'm thinking pinched nerve in scar tissue or something simular. I'm just a dumb truckdriver, not a highly educated Dr. so don't know for sure but I do know it hurts and I don't think it should.

 

[Jamie]

I modified the title of your thread to make it easier for Jo, our forum nurse to see it and comment. She is our medical expert. Since you've talked to your doctor about it and didn't get a very good response (I'm on YOUR side about that!), you might want to try a pain management specialist. Do you live in or near a large city that has a pain clinic avialable?

 

[Josephine]

having a lot of continuing pain on the inner thigh and even into the calf .... from the adductor muscle region just behind the knee cap. There is a solid muscle right on top the thigh and also a big muscle below the thigh. Right in between at mid point inside the thigh close to the bone is where the spasms are. They also will radiate up into the groin and stiffen the upper muscle like a rock when they hit .... Moving the leg to the right or trying to lift it straight up while lying flat also triggers these spasms.

Best I can do it show you an image and try to guess where this is .... and I'm guessing it's the pes anserius, the group of ligaments and muscles that goes down the inside of the thigh, around the knee and into the shin bone or tibia (I've outline these in blue).

.. side view of knee muscles

Actually, we seem very fond of pointing out a single muscle but truth is, if one like this gets inflamed it's likely to be the companion muscles as well, including the calf muscle which is very closely associated. You can also see one part goes out over the front of the thigh and the rest go up into the groin.

You can check this out for yourself by applying pressure to the area, preferably by making a fist and pressing your finger knuckles into the area around and above the inside of your knee. You might try a few places before you find the really painful point, but if you do, you'll know you have inflammation there even though it might just manifest itself in spasms or cramps now and again. Having an increase in pain when you use the upright bike.

My suggestions for this are
~ stop doing squats, they'll make it worse
~ take some anti-inflammatories like ibuprofen and paracetamol which you can take together
~ stretches - you should get a good physio to show you the appropriate ones. Or maybe your chiropractor could
~ having deep massage and acu-pressure. My chiropractor does this for me and he's really good at it
~ applying heat before you do the stretches and ice after, also heat after a spasm as this helps the muscle to relax

Hope this is some help. Let me know how you get on.

 

[TBONE]

Grampa: "years of "waddling" caught my eye as, though I am younger than you, this is how I wold describe my pre-surgery walk. I actually masked it well.
It sounds like you are reasonably active and exercising, but your job is worse than a desk job. I have been working hard on my atrophied muscles since my surgery. My hamstrings, in particular, are very tight. I would say that exercising is important, but stretching is much more important at this stage. If you are like me, stretching, slow, gradual stretching, is one of the most difficult things to do. I still need my PT and suggest that you do too, and until you get through this. I also have used "trigger point dry needling" with some real success in giving me greater range of motion. My impression is that it works well on muscle tightness, but not so well at the ligament. It's a bit like accupuncture, but goes much deeper. You can google it. I'm not sure how your state handles it. My impression is that most stated do not recognize it as PT, so proceed with caution here. Anyway, I would suggest that you see a PT again and stretch.
All the best!

 

[1grampa]

Thanks to all for the support and suggestions. Its great to talk to people who have actually "struggled/waddled a mile in my moccasins " and know you understand I'm not just whining cause I'm bored! LOL I'm back with the basic stretching exercises now and will be for awhile. My Chiro. Dr. has a new Physical Therapist who came in the room the other day while I was sitting on a bench, had me lie down, felt and examined the leg,hip and buttock area and then proceeded to tell me how I was walking and what it felt like and what the pains were! (The last two therapists never examined me--just started routine exercises) I'm waiting for the Dr. (surgeon) to authorize more therapy now but even if I have to mortgage the house, I'm going to give this guy a shot at it. He says the muscles are so shrunken and weak from years of disuse, it will be a very intensive 6 to 8 weeks to get me functional again but says he can do it. Will keep you all posted as it develops. Thanks again just for caring.

 

[Josephine]

Isn't that reassuring when you get a carer who actually demonstrates they know what you are suffering? My chiro is like that. I'm delighted for you.

 

[1grampa]

Quick update---ALL of Josephines suggestions are in use by my Therapist and are working to relieve the pain. His diagnose so far is a possible "torn labrum" as he has definately pinpointed the pain trigger spot back to the hip socket area. Note this does NOT mean the surgeon did anything wrong as he says there are a thousand different ways this could happen including too aggressive therapy too soon after I got off the table. Will see the surgeon Tuesday the 8th and hope to get him to schedule an MRI to pinpoint the actual injury and then fix it. Will post again as soon as I know.

 

[Texas]

Hey Grandpa im a knee but im glad you can work this out hang in there..........Hope you feel better fast !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!..Good Luck to you.....................)

 

[Jamie]

Thanks for the update Grampa...gosh, I hope you can get this fixed quickly so you can get on with recovery. Sounds like you are in capable hands at this point.

 

[1grampa]

The endless saga continues----The Dr. laughed when I said I "may have a torn labrum". He said you don't have a labrum---it was so bad and torn, I removed it while I was in there. So on to plan B---have a bone scan scheduled for the 16th but won't see the Dr. for results till the 22nd. He does agree now that something is definately wrong in there and we will fix it. It could be a low grade infection or a slight fracture or (fill in the blank). More news as it happens.

 

[1grampa]

Well heres the promised update--did the bone scan Wed. and saw the Dr. today (the 17th) for the results. ALL IS NORMAL! So thats the good news. No infection, no fracture, just normal growth. So that leaves me with a back problem causing the excess pain and delay in getting back to walking properly. This was from years of abuse---truckdriving--lifting way more weight improperly then you should etc etc. All self caused so will accept the blame and try and fix it. Have an excellent Chiropractor working on it and the surgeon is setting up an MRI to pinpoint the exact cause if we can. I will be walking straight and true again. My care givers have put too much effort into this to let it fail. Never give up people!

 

[Texas]

Hey grandpa im glad it came out normal im so happy for you..........But sorry you still have to deal with it......I wish there was something i could say to help you.........I know you have been thru alot and i have no doubt that you can do this............you are so right never give up as i know you wont Ive seen your posts grandpa your to strong........hang in there .............) please let us know how you are doing.......I wish you the best...........

 

[Jamie]

Good news, Grampa!!! This is something you can work on. You'll get there....you have a fabulous attitude. I agree....NEVER, ever give up!

 

[JudyS]

I agree 100% with you grampa never give up
judy

 

[Judles]

Me too!!!! You better NEVER give up!!! (0)

 

[Josephine]

Excellent! I'm delighted for you!