Revision THR What all does this involve?

[Angie68]

@Josephine
Honestly he may have just said he would replace the cup. I was reeling from the news & wasn't absorbing very well. I heard ball but he may have just been saying something in reference to it.

My OS was totally blowing this off as no big deal. Just a minor set back. He acted as if I would be good to go once we get this over with. I'm not feeling so confident & am not looking forward to being scared to death of this hip for the rest of my life.

 

[Josephine]

Well don't be scared of it, certainly not for the rest of your life. I'm sure once it's fixed it will be okay.

 

[Angie68]

@Josephine

Went in for my possible closed/open reduction yesterday. It ended up being a revision & I'm okay with that. Dr said that this was the best path for long term success. He saw how this happened & it was a rotation of my foot. The new cup has a lip on it & he did his best to make it come out & it wouldn't. I have been up & done some walking on it & it feels good & is even. Dr said that I do not have any hip restrictions other than not to rotate my foot. If I have anymore problems I will def get a 2nd & 3rd opinion.

 

[Jaycey]

@Angie68 so glad you had a proper revision. One less thing to worry about. Please keep us updated!

 

[Plum Perfect]

@Angie68 I'm happy to hear you are doing so well, keep up the healing. Best wishes for a speedy recovery.

 

[Josephine]

That's excellent. I'm so pleased for you.

 

[Angie68]

@Josephine
I am 13 days post op from my second revision in 8 weeks. I had my staples removed 2 days ago and I am feeling great! I have no pain, no grinding, no slipping feeling in the joint. I feel like I have very little limp at all. My limp before was very, very severe. I swayed back & forth as if I was on a boat in a terrible storm! LOL! I was feeling so great after staples removed I had my daughter video me walking so I could see how awesome I look. I eagerly watched the video and my heart sank. Oh sweet baby Jesus its still bad. I walk like an obese penguin or as my loving husband & daughter says Cotton Hill from King of the Hill cartoon. All of my family & friends who have seen the video assure me that there really is improvement. I wish I had a before video. I honestly dont know how I walked before. I mean I know how I felt but not how it looked. I cant believe it was once worse than it is now. I don't just limp I sway very strangely. My husband told me that I have to understand that I have always walked wrong. Always! I don't have a clue how to walk correctly. He said I am using my upper body to move my legs because they are so weak. He thinks I should ask for PT to learn how to walk properly.

Now with the last revision 2 years ago PT set me back. My OS even said it was too much for me and we stopped it, However, OS has said that I was prob never right after that revision. I now have much better bone stock etc. I know it has been said that PT is not really needed for hips. But do ya'all think I might be an exception? With my CHD and never really walking properly would I possibly benefit from it? Of course I know I am early out from 2 revisions in the past 8 weeks. I am def waiting till my 6 week post op appt to ask about it. I just do not see this hot mess of a walk improving that much even with healing and time. I am not happy. I didnt come this far to walk like a freak....

 

[Jaycey]

I know it has been said that PT is not really needed for hips. But do ya'all think I might be an exception?

Yes hips don't really need PT. But those of us with other issues may indeed benefit. I have major spinal issues so needed PT post both THRs. I also have a gait problem since my RTHR so I hear your concern.

For 4 years I had a leg length difference. Now I don't - so my gait is really wrong. I am going to ask my OS about this next week. It's been a year since my RTHR but like you I don't like what I see.

What you will need is a good PT with special interest in gait improvement. Just giving you the general clam shells and bridges won't really address this. I would ask your OS for a recommendation.

 

[alexthecat]

After my THR, I had gait training from a PT so I could relearn to walk properly. I don't think you need to go to PT and do lots and lots of strength-building exercises. Especially not right now, when you are so early in recovery. However, you might benefit from a few sessions with a PT who is skilled in gait training. I know that I definitely did.

While you wait for that, you could practice walking toward a full-length mirror. It's not really a fun exercise, but it gives you a chance to match how you walk with how you want to walk. A minute or two of that once a day is enough. There's no need to push, because more isn't better with this sort of thing.

 

[Josephine]

I agree about the gait training. But you need to allow a good period of healing/recovery before you do that. Maybe 5-6 months at the earliest. If you've had this bad gait so long, it won't hurt to wait. You might want to see if you can find a PT place than uses these https://www.gaitsmart.com/ It's a UK invention so I'm not altogether sure it's available in the US yet But worth checking out.

 

[Angie68]

@Josephine
I went to see OS yesterday for 6 month follow up. X-rays looked good & examination went well. He said we finally have a stable joint. However, He wasn't really happy with how I am walking. (Neither am I) I have a severe walk, sway? Waddle? I don't even know what to call it. He said my muscles are terribly atrophied. He suggested a nerve study. He said we would test my nerves & muscles to pinpoint exactly which ones are damaged. If it's my nerves there's not much that can be done. There is some promising stem cell research that looks promising for the future. If it's muscles there are surgical options. I told him I wanted to do the study. I'm 47, active & hopefully have a lot of years ahead of me. If I can walk better I want to. I don't mind a slight limp but this is ridiculous.

Now I'm beating myself up cause I didn't ask enough questions. What would the surgical options be? How would it compare to joint surgery pain wise? Seems to me messing with muscle would hurt pretty darn bad. How long would this put me down? I keep kids. How long will I need to tell parents I will need to recuperate?

 

[Josephine]

I have a severe walk, sway? Waddle?

It's referred to as gait. If you do some hunting around, you might find a PT clinic that can assess your gait using a kind of GPS system. I think that will tell you more than nerve tests and such.

What would the surgical options be? How would it compare to joint surgery pain wise?

I have absolutely no idea!

Seems to me messing with muscle would hurt pretty darn bad.

I quite agree!

 

[C Mac]

We always think of a bunch of questions after the appointments, don't we @Angie68

How's it going now? Did you end up going with the nerve study or looking in to another PT assessment for your gait like Jo mentioned?

Try not to beat yourself up too much it sounds like your x-rays and exam for that 6 month check-up went well!

Take care,
Cardie

 

[Angie68]

Hello. I am back. I am 2 years out from my 3rd revision and I am having some problems with my left hip.

It started about a month ago with a pinching burning pain in my buttock and great soreness down the side. Now I can't stand to lay on that hip for more than a few minutes at night. The most troublesome, puzzling symptom is the entire leg aches a lot. It just feels like its loaded with arthritis all down it. What's strange is I get relief when I walk on it. But when I am just sitting or laying still it just aches something awful. It's keeping me awake at night and driving me nuts.

If I am sitting in a chair or driving my car I can move the leg and change position and it goes away for a few and then starts back up. Same thing when I'm in bed. Change position and it stops for a while.

Thoughts?
@Josephine

 

[alexthecat]

I was so pleased to see you back on the forum, but I'm sorry that you're have problems. I'm glad you tagged Jo. She's the best person to advise you. Are you taking any pain meds? What is your activity level like? Are you doing anything different lately?

Sent from my Venue 7 3730 using Tapatalk

 

[Angie68]

I'm taking 600 msg of ibuprofen that doesn't faze it. That's all. I'm doing nothing different. I am very active within my home. Babysit my grand baby but otherwise not extremely active. I don't walk a lot or anything. Just normal house wife stuff

 

[Josephine]

Hi Angie. What a shame for you! I'm going to ask you my questions

It would be very helpful if you would answer each one individually - numbered as I have done - in as much detail as you can then I'll come back as see where you are

1. what approach did you have for your surgery? Anterior, posterior, lateral? You can look here to see the various types THR approaches or incisions

2. what are your pain levels right now? (remember the 1-10 scale: 1 = no pain and 10 = the worst you can imagine. And don't forget to factor in other forms of pain such as soreness, burning, stabbing, throbbing, aching, swelling and stiffness).

3. what pain medications have you been prescribed, how much are you taking (in mg please) and how often?

4. are you icing your painful area at all? If so, how often and for how long?

5. are you elevating your leg. If so how often and for how long?

6. what is your activity level? What do you do in the way of housework, cooking, cleaning, shopping, etc., and

7. are you doing any exercises at home? If so what and how often?
This is the most crucial question so please help me by using the format I have left as an example
(which means please make a list and not an essay!)

Exercises done at home
- how many sessions you do each day
- enter exercise by name then number of repetitions of each
etc., etc.

Anything done at PT
- how many times a week
- enter exercise by name then number of repetitions of each
etc., etc.

 

[Angie68]

1. My scar is towards the back so I am guessing Posterier.

2. At this very moment and most of today no pain. I feel a tad bit sore on the side of that hip. That's all. This pain isn't constant. It might hurt something awful for 3 days in a row. I mean constant. Doesnt seem to correlate with activity. Seems to be no rhyme or reason to it acting up. Today I walked all over the grocery and have had no problems. The 3 days prior to today have been terrible. It has days and nights where it just wants to ache all down it. I can be driving my car and it will start. I shift and change my position a little and it totally leaves for a few minutes to only come right back. I shift my weight or my position again and it stops for a few min. Every now and then there will be the burning pinching pain in the buttock and side of hip. Otherwise it is mostly just the aching all down it.

3. I havent been prescribed anything. Like I said I am 2 years out and havent had pain since about 6 weeks out till now. I havent seen my Dr so I am on nothing. I will take 600 mgs of ibuprofen but Im stopping it because it doesnt help.

4. No I havent iced. Was waiting on advice here

5. Not elevating either.

6. I am pretty active at home. I am 49 years old and keep a lot of kids including my Grandkids. So I do a lot of cleaning, cooking etc. Nothing to crazy stressful

7. No exercises at this point. Like I said I've been fine at this point.

8. I am not doing any PT.

 

[Mojo333]

Ice ice for sure. It's a great pain reliever and anti-inflammatory.
Josephine is not a proponent of NSAIDS for pain relief. I'm guessing 1000 mg Tylenol on regular basis might be a suggestion.
Sorry you are still struggling.