THR One year on, today

Trowelhand

new member
Joined
Mar 29, 2013
Messages
17
Age
66
Location
Birmingham UK
Gender
Male
Hi based in the UK, just post THR 3 weeks now, first one was over 7 yrs ago, my question is when does the swelling on my thigh and calf go down to allow me to bend more of leg or even get into bed unaided, it restricts my excise, is there some advice to aid the swelling, like ice, many thanks
 
@Trowelhand Welcome to BoneSmart! Congratulations on your new hip!

The swelling and stiffness does last for a while. Elevating the leg "toes above nose" can help as does icing. Keep ice packs on the area for at least 20 minutes several times a day. Also walking will help. The hip does not need physical therapy - walking really is the best exercise for that. Are you currently doing any exercises/PT? If so what is your regime like? And what other activities are you doing these days?

I hope all else is going well for you!
 
@Trowelhand
Welcome back to BoneSmart! :welome:

Everyone heals differently even the other hip on the same person. You are still very early in this yearlong+ recovery, this is a marathon not a sprint.

Please post your surgery date, a moderator will add it to your signature for you. Having the exact date will help us properly advise you. Thanks!

Here are the Hip Recovery Guidelines, the articles are short and will not take long to read.

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
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

5. At week 4 and after you should follow this

6. Access these pages on the website


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 the 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 the member’s history before providing advice, so please post any updates or questions you have right here in this thread.
 
:wave: and :welome:
Ice, Ice and more icing.... Along with elevation:ice::ice::ice:
Great pain reliever and anti-inflammatory
Healing vibes coming your way...:loveshwr:
 
Hi all thanks for all advice and love, my exercises are reduced to internal, walking around a table, ankle pumps, slight squats, not past 90" all as mentioned due to snow, rain hitting the UK, Birmingham since I came out of hospital, plus restiction due to Covid 19, no pyshio visits, at home or at hospital, so just my own determination to recover, forgot to state, op was 5/1/21 kept in hospital due to very low BP restricting movement from bed hence now my determination. I shall continue to take pain relief for swelling to continue exercises and apply ice and elevation, oh yes due to none visits, just for staples out, I was taken back in yesterday 23/1/21 with suspected DVT but scan came back good.
Once again many thanks for love and advice and I shall continue to view forum for advice and suggestions xx
 
@Trowelhand Which hip did you have replaced recently? I'll update your signature for you.

Sounds like you are doing well. Yes, the weather in the UK has not been the best for outside activities. It is supposed to stay very cold for the next few days. Inside walks for awhile.

Glad your scan results were good!
 
Elevation and ice. Be sure your foot is elevated well above your heart. Also make sure the back of your leg has gradual padding so your leg is not suspended in air. Ice ice ice. Ankle pumps. I think I had severe swelling through week 4 into week 5. I am at week 6 and no swelling.
 
Many thanks and I will get there, I have wonderful support at home, yes it was my right hip, total different recovery from my THR left hip 2013
 
Day by day gets better, just using one elbow crutch now, tried to but weight on op leg but NO, swelling down just have muscle pain, calf and thigh above knee and inner thigh I suspect its where calf was held , and the muscles knitting together, reminds me of my young soccer days, waking up next morning legs total dead weight, tender to touch but this is stronger but reducing day by day. Great to view all the messages of advice
 
Sounds like you are progressing well @Trowelhand, slow steady improvement is definitely a sign you on the right track.
 
Happy One Month Anniversary!
It looks like you recently passed eight years with your Left THR. Congrats!
I hope Righty is doing well and you’re enjoying steady progress. Still early days, but you know the drill.
A great weekend to you! :)
@Trowelhand
 
Many thank all for your support, strange thing though, I cannot recall my progress I went thru on my left leg, when I asked my consultant he said the mind has a strange way of blocking pain memories out, weird.
Yes I'll get there, I'm on one elbow crutch but if I try without, I limp with slight top pelvis pain, so step by step, as all the muscles knit together, as my wife says, walk before you can run, thanks again all, and stay safe xx
 
Early days @Trowelhand ! Continue to use a crutch as long as you are limping. Sounds like you are right on track.
 
Hi I am now nearly 9 weeks post op of thr , right hip, I shall return to my teaching duties on the 8th of March here in the uk, mobility is great, stairs, up, down great, toilet not raised, no walking aids required now(but) still have a tightness in groin to top of pelvis but that's muscle related, exercising regular, energy levels exhausted quickly as expected, but as mentioned earlier for the past two days my scar has become reden at the top and the bottom, very sore, forcing me to use my stick again and reverting to pain killers again, strong ones, I suspect it is NOT infected, and I have been wearing loose track suit bottoms all the time, it feels like I have been smacked and have constant reaction and constant soreness, any advice of what is happening and advice to reduce all pain and soreness without pain killers help please.
 
Have you undertaken any new or more challenging activities lately, @Trowelhand ?
9 weeks post-op is still very early in this recovery, which can often take as long as a full year. Your hip is still healing.

You're really quite active for so early in recovery and those activities don't need exercises added as well. Hips don't need a lot of exercises to recover.

As well as some redness, have you noticed that your scar is hotter than before, or more tender?
Are you still resting, elevating and icing? It's not too late to be doing those regularly still.

Have you consulted your surgeon about this increased redness in your scar? Even if he/she isn't seeing patients face-to-face, you could send a photo, and ask for advice.

If you're taking a photo, please post a copy for us as well, so we can see what's going on.
 
By the way @Trowelhand ,
You'll notice that I have merged your two threads together, as it's best if members in recovery only have one thread.
This is because:
  • That way, you have all your information in one place. This makes it easier for others to go back and review your history before providing advice.
  • If you start new threads, you miss the posts and advice others have left for you in the old threads, and some information may be unnecessarily repeated
  • Having only one thread will act as a diary of your progress that you can look back on.

Please keep all your questions and updates on this thread. We won't miss your new question as, between us, the staff read all new posts each day.
If you need an urgent response to a question, tag a member of staff.
Tagging other members and answering tags

If you prefer a different thread title, just post what you want and we'll get it changed for you.

Here are the instructions on finding your thread, How can I find my threads and posts?

A helpful hint - Many members have found it useful to bookmark their thread so they don't lose it.

Best wishes,
Celle
 
Hello @Trowelhand
Dropping by to extend anniversary wishes, but in catching up, wondering how you’re doing? I hope some of the symptoms you’ve mentioned are easing, or you’ve received reassurance from your surgeons office. If you’re still heading back to work on Monday, I wish you all the best. Please stay in touch and let us know how you’re doing.
 
Hope this goes in the right forum, one year on from THR, left side, couldn't see this far but I'm here, walking pain free, taking my new grandson out to every park in Birmingham, UK, to all those good people wondering whether to have that op, have that op, you won't look back, it can be a painful recovery but at the end it so worth it. A big thank to BoneSmart and its members for you support and my questions pre op and post op answered THANK YOU
TROEWLHAND
 

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