THR Unable to balance on operated leg.

[Fudge]

Went to hydrotherapy at the hospital,was meant to be Tues but in the end it was Wednesday. A really lovely experience,actually felt warm and v comfortable in the water. I normally freeze in pools and forget the sea, unless in a wet suit. Anyway, the physio got me walking up and down the side in deep water. Then knee raises, followed by operated leg elevated to the rear, lastly knees together and bending operated legs knee as far as possible, backwards of ourse. I found my knee was quite stiff and she told me to work on it at home. To get the pool from changing I was given a Zimmer and used my pool shoes,so I felt very stable.
Unfortunately I didn't get to walk on water but as an experience it is a real antidote to feeling a bit down. Apparently in our area, on the NHS I will get 6 sessions which I shall add to by going to the local pool, which is geared up to a certain degree for disabled folks.
The physio remarked on my red operated leg and advised talking to the surgeon on my appt with him next week. It has been reddened and swollen through out this experience, the leg itself always feels prickly inside......like there is a bunch of holly leaves wriggling around in it. There is also a difference in the feeling of heat. To me it has always felt hotter than the other leg but when comparing it to the other with back of my hand it is always cooler on the surface.....very odd !
But there is a plus to all this, I have made and frozen sausage rolls, sausage balls and mince pies for Xmas. Not usually so organised.....husband most impressed. When I go Shepton next week I am going to stop off at Glastonbury on my return and have a forage for Xmas presents as there are always quirky and interesting books and items in the shops.
Hope all you hipsters are making improvement and your legs are coming back to life!

 

[Mojo333]

All normal feelings...wish I had thought of the holly prickles when I was trying to describe...perfect analogy.
It is all coming back from that trauma....mine got more intense after a month which was disconcerting...and has slowly lessened until I only get a few pricks now and then.
Love quirky gifts and cool old bookstores!

 

[Fudge]

Amazing news today..... I went to hydrotherapy at the hospital yesterday and walked normally....ok....it was in deep water,but no limp! Went to the local pool today and did the same.....couldn't do it in shallow water or on dry land. It's shown me that I can do it.....everything is actually connected ...it's just a matter of getting leg muscles back and working like they use to.
The relief of realising this is exhilarating when there have been some really bad days when I thought I would never walk let alone climb again. I was having bad thoughts about one way tickets to Switzerland.......i was looking at people in town walking normally and was sick with envy.....not my finest moments I must admit.... So I needn't throw out my skinny jeans, I will be able to get back into them soon.
I saw the surgeon on Tuesday and he said get on with life, not such onerous restrictions now after 13 weeks, I actually managed to get both socks on without using the sock device....yes I am pretty stiff and my knee keeps wa nting to cramp...but hey...life is good today!
Thank you for all the encouragement, help and advice...its been awesome, I know there's still along way to go but there has been a efinite
shift forward in my progress.

 

[MammaT]

Great news! Glad you are able to notice your progress. I totally relate to being jealous of others at times. Putting socks on without the device was a huge milestone for me. I was really excited when I could put hose on (that was such a trial before surgery). Follow your doctor's advice and get on with life! That' why we have this surgery. Enjoy the pool.

 

[Gretel]

Oh I love the pool too I’m walking well in the pool though not so good on land.

 

[Mojo333]

Great news @Fudge. Onward and upward.

 

[Layla]

Yay for you! What a great feeling to confidently walk in the pool without a limp. Progress!
Also great to ditch the sock aid. Keep it up...
Wishing you a great weekend!
@Fudge

 

[Fudge]

Thanks for all the replies,v. heartwarming indeed. Today I went down to where my car is being stored, unfortunately I can't get into it yet, it is quite low which wasn't the problem, but I just couldn't fold my leg up enough to get in it yet, it is the only occasion I have wished I was 5ft as opposed to 6 ft! I'm going to keep it for longer for,hopefully, when I can concertiner myself up into it.
Also went to the gym today, my operated leg is so much weaker than the left one,it's not surprising I have a problem. I remember a week after my op I could see the femur,(covered with skin ofcouse) but the muscle seemed to have evaporated in a few days, which was surprising. Will be pleased when I get can do floor stuff, bit of a problem at present ,getting up.

Fun weekend coming up for me,swimming and making some more mince pies to freeze. Husband slightly less enthusiastic, he's copped the plastering and building an under eaves cupboard,no justice sometimes,eh?

 

[Fudge]

Suddenly realised the prickling sensation inide my operated leg has eased and gone,also gone is the heaviness and discomfort in the leg in the evening,when it particularly occured. So that is good, I am now mainly walking with one crutch unless walking around a long time, but I still can't balance on the leg or walk without the crutch unless I do the Trendelenburg shuffle. It's just so annoying.
Today was good, went to the pool and wallowed...absolutely fab.....love it in the water. Did some walking and knee stretch things,swam a bit.....highly recommend it, one feels so good doing it and vastly relaxed after it.
Tomorrow will be interesting,driving up to Bath to see a feldenkrais therapist who is going to see if she can help me. I have looked it up on the internet and it all sounds quite gentle.....the last thing I want is an Amazon pulling me around! Hopefully it will be informative but I have now realised nothing is going to work quickly, as it is now 14 weeks on Wed and I still can't balance. I refuse to give up and it's not an impossible ask, I feel.

 

[mcopt]

.......i was looking at people in town walking normally and was sick with envy..

Hi I know exactly what you mean I have sometimes ended up in tears when I stop and think about how I could walk/run when I see people walking normally difficult thing for a 62 year old bloke to admit. Past 6 months both hips have got bad quickly, I am pre op and both hips painfully bone on bone, now hobble round on sticks right THR due next week other hopefully 6 weeks later. I am under no illusions that I will be instantly fixed it will take time but let's try and think that this time next year neither of us will be experiencing 'normal walk envy' ! Stick at it (no pun intended!) We will get there.

 

[Mojo333]

Agree and agree with all @mcopt expressed. That crunching pain and feeling debilitated is heartaching.
All temporary, Fudge..and mcopt...your turn soon.
Hang in there

 

[Fudge]

An update......had a great Xmas with family and friends round for a rather late christmas dinner.....good fun,kept off alcohol,not a problem,as I didn't want to fall over.
Hip news.....no change,still am a million miles from balancing,can lift uno perated leg for approximately 1 second so still walking with a cane. I went for 2 feldenkrais sessions which were good but I don't think it is exactly what I need at the moment,but I did feel good afterwards, my knee particularly felt looser. I have stopped nhs hydrotherapy as I am using the pool 3 to 4 times a week locally,I can park closer, have more time and the disabled access is brilliant. I am doing aqua it and Pilates.
I have appointment with nhs land based physio tomorrow,so it will be interesting to see what he comes up with. I hope it is more informative than just expressing surprise I am not walking unaided.
I have also booked in with a local clinic with a gym where there is a very experienced instructor who has had a hip replacement himself. He works with a well respected pain specialist and between them are going to give me a personally targeted exercise plan.....there is also a sauna there which will be lovely with all this cold weather we are having. I am now in double thermals now...trying to stay warm is always problematic!
I am actually feeling pathetically sorry for myself.....before the op I could do everything....walk,work,drive my sports car , climb and do gym and classes.......all with pain of ourse. Now I am pain free apart from the stiffening knee but I have lost all of the above. Was it a good trade? I'm very unsure at the moment but I have to keep pushing on.
But I am going to ask the nhs physio if there is any diagnostic work that can be done to explain exactly what is going on..... then I can target more precisely,with advice , as the best way to go. I just feel there has been little progress over the last 2 to 3 months. I never was the most patient!
Wishing all a happy New year and hope all make good strides with their rehab.

 

[Krista]

@Fudge, I just saw your thread. After my THR I could not balance on my surgical leg. It gave way whenever I tried, and would not hold for even a fraction of a second. My original surgeon was unable to diagnose what was wrong with me, so I went for a second opinion, and that surgeon #2 gave me a diagnosis of torn gluteus medius and minimus tendons at 7 months post-THR. They are among the parts of our anatomy that are responsible for holding our hips steady while walking and allow us to balance on one leg. I had to have surgery to repair mine since the tears were too big to heal on their own. I had the repair surgery 15 months after my THR and I am a bit over one year post-op from that.

I wish you well on your journey to find a professional who is able to diagnose exactly what is wrong with you and to give you successful treatment.

 

[MammaT]

Sorry you don’t have movement back yet @Fudge. Feeling sorry for ourselves is normal at times. Being pain free is wonderful, but I am sure you miss the other stuff. Luckily I have a small SUV so it is much easier to get in and out of. I still don’t like low cars. Hope all goes well with physiology and you get some answers.

 

[Layla]

Good to hear you enjoyed Christmas with family.
I feel sorry for you, feeling sorry for yourself, so now you have company
It's no fun not feeling like our old selves, or feeling how we want to feel!
I've read several times that this recovery biz can take up to a year. I think doughie0216
has mentioned "two years" many times, as reminded by his OS.
So don't lose hope, I'll bet all slowly continues to improve. Rooting for you
@Fudge

 

[Fudge]

Well, new year and new determination ......
Thank you all for replying.....with words of encouragement and interest....its keeping me going through this incredibly frustrating time.....looked at moot picture of a skier.... I know I won't be doing that again as it was quite a few years ago but I am still going to push for wall climbing.
On the more practical front, I am seeing the surgeon tomorrow and I want a diagnostic procedure arranged or blood will be shed! His, not mine ofcourse....
Having read krista's experience, I am wondering if I have some glute tearing......
It patently is not right that from the start I have done exercising ,physio etc from the get go and there has not been any progress with the balancing, not one bit.
Anyway,looking forward to it and hopefully pushing the situation forward.....
On a lightly different note since the op I have now got excema on my feet, go reckons it stress from the procedure,incredibly itchy,had betnovate which has luckily stopped the itch but am looking skin in sheets,anyone got any ideas? Never had it before....

Hope everyone had a jolly New Year and let's hope w018 is the year when we can get out and do all the things we have been missing !

 

[Mojo333]

Fudge...I'm sorry you are still struggling. Glad hydrotherapy it's soothing.
You know, I can balance on one of my legs, as I had BTHR, But the other one not so much, definitely weaker.
The last days of my physio we tried to work on it some...and it caused some groin pain and outer thigh pain.
I started getting a little obsessed with it, tried it right before posting. Not really able to do for long.
But honestly, I don't balance on one leg for any length in my daily life.
I can walk wonderfully now, for most of my day involves alot of walking to different buildings often...
Still concentrating on good posture, holding up my core...and walking properly heel toe.
Don't think I will worry about trying to be a flamingo much right now. Not that neccesary for me.
Hope the new year brings you much healing and happiness!

 

[Jackie222]

I hope it goes well with your surgeon tomorrow and that you soon have an answer to your balance issues. I don’t have any experience of eczema apart from my youngest suffered when he was little. I found oliatum really helped. I’m sure others on this forum we’ll be able to give you better advise.
Wishing you a healthy and happy 2018

 

[Krista]

Good for you, @Fudge! The anatomy and physiology of what is required to hold our body steady while balancing on one leg have been known for a long time and should be known by any properly educated orthopedist. From my experience and research, it is not normal for a person to be completely unable to balance on the surgical leg when this far out from surgery. Usually they can do it soon afterwards. If he orders an MRI, ideally it should be a MARS MRI (Metal Artifact Reduction Sequence) to make the parts of the images around the implants less wavy. And please keep in mind that two radiologists and one orthopedic surgeon (my original surgeon) did not see anything wrong with my MARS MRI images. The orthopedist who did my gluteal tendon repair surgery DID see the problems. I, too, was able to see the problems in the images, after I got a program to read them on my computer and educated myself on how to read them.

Good luck with your continued quest to get to the bottom of this! Instead of just accepting what my original surgeon said (there is weakness, get more physical therapy, have injections), I got really serious about tracking down the solution to my inability to balance at around 5 months post-op, just like you.

 

[Fudge]

Hi all
Thanks for all your replies....... I am awake now at silly o clock in the morning....doing my usual thing of not sleeping as just not comfortable.
To reply to mojo 333, I get no pain from the operated leg and unless climbing I didn't often stand on one leg...like a flamingos! I like the analogy....but....to walk I have to be able to take weight on the leg....at present I fall over if I don't use the cane for balance or I limp very heavily putting extra strain on the knee joints and back. I had a very strong core prior to the op, I could plank for just under 5 minutes although undoubtably i couldn't and wouldn't do it now. But i appreciate your point...... and I do have to remember and concentrate on the heel toe element....my knee feels a lot better when I do that.
I will try the oliatum as I did see that being used to good effect when I was a community nurse, thanks for that Jackie 222....
Krista... also, thanks v much for the encouragement......more than useful as you certainly fought a great battle to get sorted out....incredibly well done!
Anyway am looking forward to see what the surgeon suggests. and am going to take a list of my gym,physio etc activities to give him so I won't get fobbed of with 'let's try some more Physio' ...hopefully...

Going to make a cup of tea now.... and see what the day brings.