THR Sometimes peachy, sometimes the pits

[ByGosh]

Songlady Can you do the stairs the usual way yet, one foot up, then the other up? Or were you told not to?

 

[Songlady]

ByGosh, no one told me not to. Actually, last night I went up the normal way. I "felt it" on my operated side, near the incision, but the knees felt much better!
I am finding that if I don't think about it, I am starting to do steps in the normal way - we have 3 steps from our back door, for instance. The stairs up the bedroom are more daunting; it is a straight stairwell and I'm more likely to stop and thinking before doing so - and when I stop to think, I tend to do it "the more cautious way." Whatever hurts less is likely the better way - lol!

 

[LeeApril26]

Songlady, ByGosh, Peaches . Thank you, Songlady, I think you may be right about the golfer's pose. My PT does seem to suggest things that are difficult. When I dropped the cane and tried the golfer's reach I thought I would fall on my side. Would not have been good. And, I do think the step at a time is stressing out my knee and hip on the no operated side. I only hope they both calm down. I don't want to think about more surgery at the moment. I also get pain in both knees when I elevate my legs on pillows. This recuperation is doing me in!

 

[Elosarabrab]

I do the stairs normally coming down but toddler style going up. Im 4 weeks post op today.

 

[LeeApril26]

Elosarabrab. I just started doing exactly the opposite. Up normally, down toddler style.

 

[special lady]

@Peaches

You certainly have a great attitude, unfortunately we all have to cope with the "Pits". Our bodies do react to surgeries in sometimes unexpected ways. Do you have crutches? After my 3rd 4th, & 5th surgeries I found that my lower back started bothering me in the early weeks after switching to the cane, then a personal trainer explained that I was shifting my weight more so to the non-operative leg which caused my knee to ache & me unconsciously sort of twisting my lower back to compensate resulting in a lower back ache, he suggested I go back to using the crutches, it relieved my lower back pain and annoying knee ache. He emphasized that while using the crutches for a couple weeks that I concentrate on a well balanced walk....heal/toe, heal/toe, ultimately using the crutches helped my balance tremendously.

This time around I won't be so quick to ditch the crutches, because I really want to be walking well with the aid of crutches to help my balance before using the cane. Hoping that you feel better each passing day, but the reality is we can have set backs in the way of a new pain here and there, and our hips really let us know when we're pushing our limits when we feel improvements. Hang in there, you are doing well, just have to give yourself some TLC.

 

[Songlady]

Elosarabrab, Peaches, LeeApril26, ByGosh, and special lady[/USER], I paid attention to my stair climbing last night going up and this morning coming down, because of this discussion. (Goodness, it's wonderful to know others are sharing the same issues!) I did go up in a "normal" way, but I leaned heavily on the railing. Coming down, I did "toddler-style" - but I've had such issues with that hip, going as far back as my bursitis 6 years ago, that I've been nervous to come down the regular way for several years. For the last few months pre-op, I made myself go down normally to strengthen whatever muscles - but this morning I was just too nervous to feel safe in doing so. Hmm.
Part of it is that looong straight staircase, because yesterday afternoon I went outdoors and went down those 3 outdoor steps "normally." The indoor straight staircase just looks so daunting! lol. I will try to take a photo later.

special lady[/USER], I found your discussion of crutches vs cane very interesting. Crutches were never mentioned as an option for me, and I think I've done OK - but I have definitely seen that when I take a few steps without my cane, I am lurching unevenly, while if I have the cane my steps are even. Before I ever had hip surgery, I had no clue how these aids helped. It's been a huge learning for me! Thanks for teaching me even more!

 

[Elosarabrab]

LeeApril26 I find going upstairs puts more stress on muscles etc where the downwards steps don't put as much stress on them.

 

[Peaches]

This stair/step conversation is enlightening to me. I am still doing it like a toddler up and down. I have tried it once or twice the big-girl way, but am fearful and now that my knee is messed up, I don't want to attempt it again. I have to talk to my PT this week about this. Until the knee acted up (due to something else, i think), the toddler stair exercises never hurt at all. Can't figure this one out.

Thanks, Special Lady. I am sometimes criticized (it feels) for not saying to people, "Yes, I am abso-toot-ly all better and the progress is better and better with each day and there are no potholes and I am so happy I had the surgery and there are no problems and lalalal." I tell it like it is, warts and all, as I get worried people expect me to be tap dancing by now and I want it made clear what I can do and what I can't do.

I never had crutches! My surgeon said use a walker at the hospital, take it home and use it if needed--but start using the cane as soon as you can. So that's what I did.

I was light to moderate in all activities this weekend; iced the knee and hip; heat on the lower back. Lower back pain subsided yesterday! Now, it's back. Knee slightly better, I think.

This is a bit of a milestone, I think: Yesterday I spontaneously had to go down my corridor outside my apartment (where I usually take my cane for numerous "planned" walks) and I started walking without the cane for a third of the way before realizing I was walking without my cane! I then noticed I was walking a little waddly and slowed down and tried to walk better. It didn't hurt at all. I could not have done it faster and not sure for how long I could do it without the cane, but I did it. (I have been walking caneless in my apt. for a week or so, though it's not corridors or hallways and a lot of baby steps since it's small and crowded.) The hallway is carpeted and nice and smooth sailing. Not sure at all I could walk caneless on the sidewalks. Still...this was kind of fun to realize I'd forgotten to take the cane!

ByGosh, your hub sounds like a real keeper: A homemade peach pie for your birthday??? Any pie would have been great, but peach especially!!! I would have been over the moon.

I'm sorry others have shared my "not sure if I'm glad i had this surgery / this surgery is kinda disappointing" moments, but gosh I am so grateful you guys have shared that you've had it. I felt like an ungrateful freak there for a while.

I wish you all a great day. Thank you for your support.

 

[LeeApril26]

Elosarabrab. the stairs in my apt. are narrow and steep. I feel like I will fall if I try them normally, as my leg does not feel strong enough.

 

[LeeApril26]

Peaches. Wow! No cane. That's great. Have you been given the bridging exercise yet? I think that is supposed to help your lower back. Here's a link: https://sportsmedicine.about.com/od/strengthtraining/qt/bridge-exercise.htm

 

[Peaches]

No, no bridge exercises. My PT has given me almost nothing at all; she answers my questions, monitors the hospital exercises I am still doing when I have questions about them; talks to me a lot about getting around safely at home and at work and on the streets. She told me she is not really authorized to be giving me lots of new exercises. She is probably "lighter" in her approach than many at-home PTs, but that's fine with me. I really feel a dearth of in-person support and she is my go-to person for questions about the wound, the restrictions, getting in and out of the tub, subway, bus, etc. So no exercises like the bridge, squats, clamshell, etc. I will look at your link and ask her about it. I am probably veering too far in the "cautious" area, but am just not willing to do one dang thing to lose any time. can't afford it. Thanks....

 

[Peaches]

Just looked at "the bridge" clip. No way I could do that, or even attempt that. Will ask the PT about it, though.
See ... I told you I am super super cautious!

 

[LeeApril26]

Peaches. I had it assigned last week, but did it in Pre-op PT for five months when I was trying desperately to avoid the THR. I also do not get up as high.

 

[bottomshollow]

Peaches, I had about 8 PT in-home visits---and was only 20% weight bearing on my operated side that entire period. Never did any bridges, squats, clamshells, etc. Never went to outpatient PT. Just living my life, taking care of my semi-invalid hubby, the cats, the house, the yard, etc. was all the PT I ever needed. My hip has never given me a moments trouble since the surgery; and if it were not for the forum, I would never think about it at all.

So unless you have a real problem with an abnormal gait, limping, IT band pain, etc., I think all this PT is totally unnecessary---unless you just want to do it.

Take care and keep posting. We care.

 

[ByGosh]

Yes, Peaches I agree, I don't think bridges are a good idea for you now. And the clamshell and are squats very taxing on the legs and the hips. I think I'm one who may have been led to believe that 'more is better' and none of my go-to people properly cautioned me. Now, I can do everything normally, walk, stairs, sit, etc. but I have pain. So at this point I feel that 'less is more', at least in the beginning few months of recovery. If something hurts, feels awkward or looks too hard, I don't think it should be done. There's no hurry. The ultimate goal is a pain-free life and if it takes a little longer, that's ok. You'll know when the stairs can be taken 'the big girl way' (you're too funny ). Don't rush yourself.

Songlady and Peaches I'm sure you know there's a lot of leg manipulation during surgery, and many people complain of knee pain afterwards. Plus the muscles, ligaments and tendons are traumatized and the muscles cut during surery. Afterwards, there is stress put on different parts of our anatomy from our new gait, and our various weaked muscles from pre-op hip problems. It all takes time to heal, become less inflammed, and settle in and get back to a 'new normal'. Treat your knee and back pain like pain - rest, ice, elevate, take your meds. Ask the PT if there's anything she can think of that could be contibuting to it, and also the OS if you have access to him. Or try tagging Josephine. She's been doing this for many, many years, and can advise you. (Sometimes knee pain is referred pain from the hip, too.)

Songlady You're right about the stairs. They are daunting and very difficult on the hips, the knees and the shoulders (pulling on the railing, leaning on the cane.) I also have 13 wooden stairs in a 1939 two story home.
I was shown by my in-home PT how to do them, so I've been doing them the 'big girl way' awhile. But, here I am, with groin pain...so who knows? Just don't push yourself if it hurts. I'll still resort alot of the time to toddler steps coming down or going up if I feel I have to, especially down.

 

[Songlady]

Peaches, WahOO - you had one of those "I forgot my cane" moments! As I looked back at my experience with my first hip, 3 years ago, I came to see those moments as tiny glimmers of what recovery would be like! And so what if you figured it out in a few steps? The fact that you had that moment - the time will come when there will be more and more of those, I'm sure!
I know that I was walking better by this point after surgery 3 years ago. Back then, I was Matron of Honor at an outdoor wedding 4 1/2 weeks post op, and I managed to go through the ceremony without the cane. Now, if I go a few steps without the cane, I am aware I duck-walk, side-to-side. But.... it'll come, I have confidence.
My home PT is done; I was allotted 10 visits by my insurance, and I let the therapist wrap up with me on Friday so she could be assigned a full workload for this week. Mostly, over those visits, we walked, although she showed me how to use the golfer's reach if I needed to, and the best way to "toddler-style" do stairs. (Of course, I'd learned these things 3 years ago and had been using the golfer's reach because of lack of ROM....lol) She had me do a few isometric exercises, glut "squeezes" and some "walk in place" exercises while holding he kitchen counter, but nothing too fancy.
3 years ago, I was really astonished at what it took to recover from the surgery; this time, I do "know," intellectually, but goodness, it really is difficult to be patient......!

 

[Peaches]

SongLady: I had another "honey, I forgot my cane!" moments and this time, an entire jaunt down the hallway on my own. Bum knee is still bum, though, so I continued to be light on the activities and exercises today, relying on ice and rest. Tried to do ONE step like a big girl, just to see, and ouch! Good hip hurt, bad hip hurt, knee hurt. No stairs for me for a while unless it's back to ToddlerLand. So you are now done with at-home PT, too (mine ends this week as well). Am eager to see those scary stairs you mentioned you might send a picture of. Please be careful. I too didn't realize what an aid these aides are such as canes.

ByGosh, your stairs sound scary, too. I like you in the "less is more" camp. So sorry about your groin pain. That pain is what started my whole hip mess years ago; it's come and gone stealthily in years since and since surgery cropped up only a little bit. Fingers crossed. The most annoying pain. Like a knitting needle being poked in my groin is how I imagine it. Please let us know how you are doing with this; I am really sympathetic.

BottomsHollo, you have your hands full; I don't know how you do it. I hear you in preferring the "just living my life ... and doing lots of walking" school of "physical therapy" and veer more toward that than official PT. Am playing it all by ear and hoping that'll do for now.

Lenora, I'm sorry for the knee pains. And those dang pillows. I too am weary of all of the song and dance this recovery involves.

 

[ByGosh]

Peaches Thanks for your sweet reply and your kind sympathy! The groin pains have really cramped my style, as in slowed down my recovery for me! More like stopped it in it's tracks. But I'm hopeful it's going to get better.

Just some tech info you may not know: to notify other members that you've written to them, put an @ sign right in front of their name, no space between. Then when you post your note, they'll get a message that you've written something in your forum, or whomever's forum, to them. If you just type their name, they won't know you're having a conversation with them. When you post it, their name should get underlined, then you know it's worked.
So now, Peaches will be alerted that I've written to you.

 

[jellybean]

Hi Peaches I am just catching up with your recover thread. Sorry to hear that your knee is sore,I hope it feels better soon. I am also in the minimal PT camp, I am ten days behind you but haven;t seen a PT since I was in the hospital. All I've been doing is walking around my house apart from the odd time I have been out in the car and I am soo glad about that.
Keep icing your knee and hip and take it easy hon. Sorry if I missed it but when is your return to work date again? And did you say your job is at a desk or involves moving around?