Hello Bonesmart. I have had terrible problems since my Right THR 31/10/23. I discovered after having an MRI & EMG that I had a tear in the gluteus minimus & medius and nerve damage, which has caused the Trendelenburg Gait. What I have been struggling to find out is the reason for this damage. After researching for months it seems that the Lateral Incision as opposed to the Posterior approach could be the reason as the muscles have to be cut from the bone as opposed to the Posterior approach whereby the muscles are clamped away from the bone. Two surgeons have concurred with my theory and they do not recommend surgery to repair the damage as less than 50% success rate and could make it considerably worse.
I have been doing all the physio that has been recommended and more. I swim twice a week (doing physio in the pool) and have been doing all the exercises in addition, plus I recently had Shock Wave Therapy from Pure Physio in Norwich. I can bike as no pressure on my R leg but all my normal activities have been affected like housework, gardening, shopping, dancing, Table tennis because I hobble without a stick and makes my back ache from the abnormal gait.
I have complained to Spire Norwich where I had the surgery and they said that there is no way of knowing how the tear happened and in their opinion it was not because of the Lateral approach and the surgeon said he could be certain that it wasn't caused by the operation. I replied and said I can be certain that I didn't hobble or need a walking stick before surgery.
I was assured that I could do any exercises after the 7 week follow-up but when I didn't improve I asked to have the MRI & EMG which revealed the damage. My desire now is to find out how many patients who have had the Lateral approach have been left with Trendelenburg Gait and if they limped & needed a stick before the operation, because if they are pain free post op, they may not ask for further MRI & EMG to investigate, as they are grateful to be pain free; whereas I feel I am worse off than pre-surgery.
I have tried to approach solicitors for No Win - No Fee but 3 will not take on my case as medical negligence cannot be proven. I have been turned down for a Blue Badge twice.
So you can imagine my desire yet hope now in finding a community that may know just how I have been struggling and hopefully find out how many more patients have been left with a disability (possibly from the Lateral approach) and what we can do (with enough evidence) to stop this happening to other people.
Any advice would be gladly received. A 'support' to wear if anybody has tried one and long term effects of Trendelenburg Gait as I now get groin pain when walking for more than 15 mins with stick and my 2 knee replacements are getting residual pain from the hobbling.
Thank you so much for reading my experience which has been traumatic. Stefanie
I have been doing all the physio that has been recommended and more. I swim twice a week (doing physio in the pool) and have been doing all the exercises in addition, plus I recently had Shock Wave Therapy from Pure Physio in Norwich. I can bike as no pressure on my R leg but all my normal activities have been affected like housework, gardening, shopping, dancing, Table tennis because I hobble without a stick and makes my back ache from the abnormal gait.
I have complained to Spire Norwich where I had the surgery and they said that there is no way of knowing how the tear happened and in their opinion it was not because of the Lateral approach and the surgeon said he could be certain that it wasn't caused by the operation. I replied and said I can be certain that I didn't hobble or need a walking stick before surgery.
I was assured that I could do any exercises after the 7 week follow-up but when I didn't improve I asked to have the MRI & EMG which revealed the damage. My desire now is to find out how many patients who have had the Lateral approach have been left with Trendelenburg Gait and if they limped & needed a stick before the operation, because if they are pain free post op, they may not ask for further MRI & EMG to investigate, as they are grateful to be pain free; whereas I feel I am worse off than pre-surgery.
I have tried to approach solicitors for No Win - No Fee but 3 will not take on my case as medical negligence cannot be proven. I have been turned down for a Blue Badge twice.
So you can imagine my desire yet hope now in finding a community that may know just how I have been struggling and hopefully find out how many more patients have been left with a disability (possibly from the Lateral approach) and what we can do (with enough evidence) to stop this happening to other people.
Any advice would be gladly received. A 'support' to wear if anybody has tried one and long term effects of Trendelenburg Gait as I now get groin pain when walking for more than 15 mins with stick and my 2 knee replacements are getting residual pain from the hobbling.
Thank you so much for reading my experience which has been traumatic. Stefanie