THR Worried

[Kenny3]

Thanks for all these replies. Really useful

 

[Spex10]

I'm in the UK. No physio at all. In fact the local hospital where I had my hip and knees replaced has closed the dept and made them all redundant. I'm 13weeks out and am thrilled by how 'normal' my new hip feels. Walking is the way ahead after hip replacement.

 

[wessexmario]

My occupational health nurse recommended that all my seats, chairs, and toilet seat should be raised by about 4". She'll scream at this but I found all that completely unworkable. After half a day I went back to all the seat heights that I was used to.

I'm naturally very self-conscious of my balance and centre of gravity, especially when lifting things or changing position. I never sit with my lower legs vertical, when my thighs are horizontal my feet are either angled forwards, or tucked back. When getting up from a lowish seat I slide to the front of the seat and tuck my feet under my hips, for a controlled vertical lift.
Having seats raised so that the height of the seat was the same as my foot to knee length meant I was far too high to be able to tuck my feet under me! It also felt like I was straining my back to get up, as I was having to deadlift my hips by straightening my knees with vertical lower legs, rather than having my hips above my feet positioning my centre of gravity more naturally vertically above my feet.

It may or may not work for you, but you could try sitting in the unadjusted seats that were most comfortable for you before the op. Your body is used to them, trying to sit and get up from something unfamiliar may be creating more harm than helping.

 

[Kenny3]

Thanks. Lots of good ideas.

 

[spongemum]

In the Pre op assessment I've always had my leg measured to dictate the best height for toilet, bed and chairs.

 

[Kenny3]

I also have a stairs problem. Going down stairs is no problem but coming up still hurts the operated side leg. This after 6 weeks. Is this normal?

 

[Going4fun]

Just a check: are you going upstairs leading with your "other leg" first, the one not operated on?

Going up you lead with the non-operated-on leg ... and you use that leg to pull up the operarated-on leg.

Going down is the opposite. You lead with the operated-on leg.

 

[Kenny3]

Yep. Doing that. Just hoped the weak leg would be stronger than it is. Still hurts when I get up from sitting or get out of bed. I know it’s only 6 weeks but I expected so much better, given some of the responses on this site.

 

[Kenny3]

Still worried. Seeing the surgeon this week (7 weeks) and still very sore around the new hip and groin. Still difficult putting socks, trousers etc on and raising leg. is this unusual or is there a problem

 

[Spex10]

Maybe expecting too much too soon? I've only just stopped using my sock puller oners device. I'm at about 14 weeks so far. The pain developed standing up has gone. I think it must have been tendonitis.
You'll get there. In time...

 

[Spex10]

Re stairs: remember up to heaven (non operated leg first) and down to hell (operated leg first)!

 

[Eman85]

Still worried. Seeing the surgeon this week (7 weeks) and still very sore around the new hip and groin. Still difficult putting socks, trousers etc on and raising leg. is this unusual or is there a problem

I highly doubt there is any problems. I know it's hard to believe but the recovery from this voluntary trauma takes months. Keep in mind that you were disassembled then reassembled with metal pounded into and screwed into you.

 

[Spex10]

My surgeon told me that he'd committed grievous bodily harm to me!

 

[Kenny3]

Thanks Eman and Spex. Makes me feel better

 

[Coddfish]

It’s definitely worth remembering that everyone recovers at their own rate. You will hear recovery stories where you think “how did they do that” and others where you think “thank goodness that didn’t happen to me”. There are so many variables - age, health and fitness, body size and geometry, what the surgeon did and how they did it, how your own body heals, reacts to pain etc.

Try to look at it in weekly chunks and I am sure you will recognise you are making progress. If the surgeon doesn’t think there’s a problem there probably isn’t a problem.

 

[Kenny3]

Thanks

 

[Kenny3]

Saw my surgeon last night and told him about the pain when getting up from chair and the buttock pain after walking. I also mentioned the nighttime ache. He suggested I‘d been going at it too much and have tried to rush recovery. He said the problem is a common one for people who try to rush recovery as the soft tissue is not given enough time to heal, hence the pain. He said I need to go back a few weeks and start again slowly. Anyone else experienced this? I’d convinced myself the new hip was damaged through being overactive.

 

[Jaycey]

Anyone else experienced this?

Nearly everyone has experienced this. And no matter how many times we tell our members to slow down and decrease their activity - it seems many have to learn the hard way.

You just can not rush this recovery. The hip is in charge. Give it time to heal. Seven weeks out is very early days.

 

[Layla]

He said the problem is a common one for people who try to rush recovery as the soft tissue is not given enough time to heal, hence the pain.

You‘re in the ODIC…kind of like the dog house for the overly ambitious. Actually it stands for Over Did It Club and you’re now a member. Many pass through, some stay longer than others. No one likes it. The quicker you behave, the sooner you’ll recover. Ice and rest are the best medicine. Wishing you comfort and a relaxing weekend of restorative rest. I hope you feel better soon!

 

[Eman85]

Anyone else experienced this? I’d convinced myself the new hip was damaged through being overactive.

I think I remember a few of us experiencing something like that! I can remember sitting in the chair with ice and concentrating on what hurts and how it hurts and trying to decide if I damaged the implant. The being overactive is interesting as it usually doesn't hurt when you do it but later that day or the next day we really pay the price. The soft tissue has been traumatized and does not respond well to over doing.