THR Terrible muscle pains

[YogaLesley]

6 weeks post op today and hip feeling pretty good. Actually had a shower today - ours is over the bath not walk-in and I was told I couldn't get in that kind of shower for 12 weeks! But I have been feeling so relatively normal that we put a stool by the bath and I stepped up and in no problem, same getting out. Hurrah!!! I can take weight easily on my operated leg so felt perfectly OK. I am sure I could bend down now too (I had anterior lateral RTHR) but am still keeping largely to the 90 degree rule until I see the consultant surgeon on 22nd Nov. I am really wanting to exercise more and dying to get down on my yoga mat but again waiting to see what surgeon says. Very frustrating! Did others 'break the rules'? Most muscle/nerve pains have calmed down a lot though still on 1 amitryptaline and 1 tramacet at night and paracetamol maybe twice a day when I remember! Reading back over my posts, I see what a long way I have come in 6 weeks! Just did a mile and a half walk with a couple of bench rests and new hip fine, other one beginning to play up more (won't be long for that one, maybe New Year). I think it's time to change the title of my threads to '6 weeks post op and doing well'!

 

[Eman85]

We've all broken the rules, mostly by accident and were lucky enough to just go on. Pushing the limits can have consequences especially early on. It's been some time ago but there was a member that was doing yoga and pushed it too far too early and dislocated.

 

[Schaargi]

Hi @YogaLesley!

First, I'm so glad you are feeling better! As you know, the restrictions wore on me, too. Do you have specific restrictions that your surgeon listed for you? I'm not familiar with the anterolateral approach.

I can tell you that I'm a rule follower and can be quite literal about following instructions exactly, so I didn't deviate one little bit. And it about killed me emotionally.

From your viniyoga experience, I know you are super body aware and not someone who wants to do anything extreme. But, the early weeks can be risky.

I know that viniyoga is focused on individual ability, right? You said that you teach a chair yoga class. Can you apply those principles to your own yoga practice to try to make it through the next two weeks until you see the surgical consultant?

Then, when you go to your appointment, make sure your consultant knows what viniyoga is, and that it isn't about extreme, inhuman poses. Bring pictures of modifications so they know what you are asking.

Here is a link to the note you posted to me when you read my yoga saga. Maybe it will help you. https://bonesmart.org/forum/threads/schaargi-hip-2-nov-2.60864/page-20#post-1507561

I hope I am linking this correctly.

 

[Layla]

I am really wanting to exercise more and dying to get down on my yoga mat but again waiting to see what surgeon says. Very frustrating! Did others 'break the rules'?

Yes, I’m sure many bend, or break the rules and not always without consequences. You’ve been so good and you’re doing so well that I hope you don’t risk taking a chance that you’re sorry for later.

I think it's time to change the title of my threads to '6 weeks post op and doing well'!

Wondering if this is a request? If so please let us know so we can change it for you.
Thanks for updating, Lesley…Keep up the great work!

 

[YogaLesley]

So sorry all not to have responded sooner. Thank you for your comments, I have been very conservative and not done much. I should say that in UK it seems surgeon doesn't give restrictions normally, but early on I asked him showing him yoga poses and he said flexion I. E. Forward bends fine just not extreme extension. However around operation time, all nurses, physios etc just say woah! No bending!!!! I have to say that now at 7 weeks and waiting for first checkup next Monday, I am sweeping down floor wards and more than 90 degrees occasionally , nothing too extreme, feels perfectly OK so shall be interested to see what he says on Monday, if I can get him to commit himself! Last time he said, The physios will tell you! Talk about passing the buck.! Have cut well back on meds but still some at night occasionally. @Layla I thought I wanted to change my thread title, but on reflection, when I was first looking, I wanted to know if anyone had had muscle pains early on, not that they were recovering after 6 weeks, so maybe leave as is!!!! Muscle 'feeling' not exactly pain still in right thigh at night and aching today after audiology hospital visit and town shopping, shocked to discover we had walked over 2 miles, so no wonder I felt a bit achy! OK now, though, had a glass of wine and coming up to full moon sat outside and enjoyed night sky. Best thing is I don't feel 'artificial' at all!!!

 

[YogaLesley]

P. S. Just knelt down and put a log on the fire and got up perfectly normally!!! (Wine maybe made me casual!) Cannot help thinking that all this IT/physio obsession with not bending more than 90 degrees for 12 weeks is somewhat outdated with modern anteriolateral approaches. I am looking forward to discussing with surgeon but of course they never criticise or gainsay anyone else in NHS!!!! Nevertheless I am unendingly grateful to live in a country which allows me to have all this treatment at no extra cost - apart from all the national insurance contributions I have paid all my life of course!!! ( We tend to forget that!)

 

[Eman85]

I didn't have restrictions once past 6 weeks but I didn't push anything that would put extra pressure in the direction that I would be most likely to dislocate. The restrictions are to stop us from forcing the femur to rotate in the direction that we were dislocated to perform the surgery. I figured the longer I could give it to heal the better off I would be. I waited a long time before having my THR's and I really didn't want to screw anything up in the recovery.

 

[YogaLesley]

I had my first checkup last Monday, seven and a half weeks after RTHR. Didn't see surgeon but someone whom I think was an orthopaedic secretary /physio. Xray showed implant fine. Apparently I was uncemented although had been told it would be cemented as I am over 70- she said he must have decided I was fit enough for uncemented. She said I was doing very well, scar had healed extremely well and all restrictions are lifted. She said I should challenge myself and walk more and longer and gave me more exercises. However. I think in my excitement Ihave overdone things this week, lots of walking as well as picked up a heavy plant pot and other things, and now have pain in right buttock and underneath incision area. Also need stick again to take weight on right leg. Have spent all morning in bed and decided to take it really easy. Hoping I haven't torn internal tissue, done real damage? I am so cross with myself after being so careful!

 

[Jaycey]

@YogaLesley New hips hate heavy lifting! The increase in your walking plus the heavy lifting is bound to result in lots of complaining in the areas around that hip. I doubt very seriously that you have damaged anything. But please adopt the slow and steady approach again.

 

[YogaLesley]

Thanks so much @Jaycey. That is reassuring. Down the front of my thigh (where I imagine the stem was rammed in!) aches quite a lot still, is that normal?

 

[Jaycey]

Down the front of my thigh (where I imagine the stem was rammed in!) aches quite a lot still, is that normal?

Yes, especially after lifting anything heavy. It will take awhile before that hip tolerates heavy lifting - at least that was my experience. Remember, you are asking muscles that have not worked properly for a very long time to now perform. They will complain. Icing may ease this. And at this stage heat might be a comfort. Try both to see what works for you.

 

[Schaargi]

@YogaLesley I am so glad you posted, and so glad you had a good appointment!

Yeah, take the "challenge yourself" with a grain of salt. They don't know who you are and don't know what "challenge yourself" means to you. My surgeon wasn't happy with my slower-than-he-expected recovery (for my first hip) and told me I wasn't working hard enough, which I took to heart and ended up with an injury.

You just need to teach that baby hip how to do things again. It's a beginner, like your new yoga students.

I think that you are good at listening to your body and can do it!

 

[Coddfish]

@YogaLesley i doubt if you have damaged anything but understand it can be difficult to differentiate between the different sensations we feel. I also don’t see how you can hurt your actual hip from walking more. The hip is designed perfectly to do it. The muscles around it might have got out of the habit and got tired and that’s a good reason for stepping up incrementally. Also don’t try going faster and further at the same time - do one or the other.

 

[YogaLesley]

@Coddfish I don't think it was the walking so much as the heavy lifting and perhaps rather sudden extra bending that I did! As everyone including myself knows, slow and steady is the way. I have also decided that the advice to do 15 step ups on each side x 3 is perhaps too much to start with. We have lots of stairs anyway! Another of my concerns is the sudden tenderness and occasional shooting pain around the scar area. Hospital advised me to gently massage to wake up nerves. Perhaps it is the numbness wearing off which is suddenly making me much more aware of this area?

 

[YogaLesley]

Ps. I definitely think the pot-lifting has caused a small muscle pull in my mid lower back/buttock which is what is giving me pain when I put all my weight on that side! Time and rest I know will help!

 

[Mojo333]

@YogaLesley
Aaaw, the ebb and flow of THR recovery.
I totally agree with you (and Jaycey) that the heavy lifting which often is performed starting from a bent position angers new hips.
This was a sure way to get my lower back and glute complaining.
Yes, rest, time, and ice will most likely resolve this....it was an issue for me for many months as my job involves lots of lifting and I had to learn to edit myself.

Our quads sustain trauma too during surgery, so mine were very sore which concerned me as it follows the line of the femer.
Another reason to take it easy on the squatting and lifting.

I also agree the step ups are ALOT and not necessary right now. Doing any strengthening exercises night now should not involve pushing still healing muscles/tendons to excess. Good way to get tendonitis which can take months to resolve.

Another of my concerns is the sudden tenderness and occasional shooting pain around the scar area.

This was also normal for my recovery.
As things got less numb.... tenderness was more evident and even had zings and zaps as nerves awoke.

This is definitely the tough part of recovery where we are ready to get on with normal life so listening to your body is definitely going to help you determine what and when is too much.

You are doing great....stay the course!
All worth it in the end!

 

[Eman85]

Just past 7 weeks is still early in recovery, not what any of us want to hear but it is the truth. I felt the strain of lifting early on with my first THR just carrying a heavy bag of groceries up the steps and into the house. Luckily i was just the feeling I got while doing it that made me delay carrying anything heavy for a while. Later in recovery I could lift but made a point not to carry. Time for ice and rest and let things heal.

 

[YogaLesley]

It will be 10 weeks this Wednesday since my right THR and I must say it is still a roller coaster! When I start moving at the moment I am limping which I wasn't for the first six weeks! I have to consciously strengthen the thigh, buttock and leg muscles so they don't twinge with pain. Incision is very troubling, hot and stinging. OS at hospital said to massage it-is that a good idea? On the other hand once I get going I can quite forget about it for a while and indeed have been forgetting to take painkillers during most of the day. I still find I need them at night however. The thigh discomfort at the front continues. So not sure if I am doing well or not!

 

[Jaycey]

OS at hospital said to massage it-is that a good idea?

I never massaged either scar and they healed up just fine. I really think the massaging is aggravating soft tissues. Try backing off and see if this settles.

 

[YogaLesley]

I haven't actually tried massaging the scar area yet although gentle stroking seems to help. It has healed extremely well to look at, you can hardly notice it already, it's the sensations underneath and around that have started calling out in the last couple of weeks! In addition, my left hip (which needs doing soon) is playing up now when I walk! Will be glad when that is done and it's all over! I thought it would be very soon as surgeon had talked about from 2 months on, but at my appointment I was told I was being 'put on the list'! Maybe it is good to have longer for the first one to heal anyway?!