THR Nutcase's recovery journey

[Nutcase]

Time flies. Past 11 weeks and time for update and some questions

Over all, progress is continuing, but slooow. No major heaps.
Golfing is all fine. My muscle memory keeps protecting my hip from before surgery, but no pain. Just have to give my body time to realize that.
The pain in and around my incision has improved a lot, thankfully!

I'm still swollen over my upper thigh and still stiff in the flexors, guessing iliopsoas. I feel like this is affecting my gait. Not that I limp, but it feels like I'm not swinging my OP leg the same way I do my not OP leg. How long will I keep experience this swelling and stiffness? How was it for you guys (with the lateral approach)?

I'm also still not comfortable sleeping on my OP side. It's OK for a couple of minutes, then a pain comes creeping making me switch position. Any timeline on that one?
I know everyone is different in their recovery, but a ball park figure would be helpful

Beautiful day here today, so I think I will do my exercise and stretch outside today

 

[myglasshalffull]

Nice update, took me awhile to sleep on either side, good thing I could sleep ok on my back. My issue was bursitis off & on.
I'd say maybe 6 month mark for me, but we are all different as you already know.
Recently I was laying on my belly to talk baby talk to a dog & I realized, "hey, when was last time I laid on my belly!"

 

[benne68]

How long will I keep experience this swelling and stiffness? How was it for you guys (with the lateral approach)?

I had a lateral and can reassure you that it took months for all of that swelling and stiffness to resolve. I didn't keep a detailed diary (the way I did with my knees) but I'm pretty sure it was the 5 or 6 month mark before my gait seemed "normal" again.

It just takes a lot of time for all the nerves and soft tissue to recover. Plus, we need to un-learn the bad habits of how we held our bodies pre-surgery!
Just keep moving -- things will continue to improve slowly.

 

[Nutcase]

Thank you so much for sharing your experiences. I know everyone heals at different speed but it’s nice to feel ‘normal’ in my somewhat meandering recovery journey.
Thank you

 

[benne68]

You are very welcome, @Nutcase!

Have faith that you will get there -- with time. One day in a few months, you will be walking through a shop, or climbing a flight of stairs and you will suddenly realize "I didn't think about my hip at all today!"