THR Nutcase's recovery journey

[Nini]

@benne68 oh my goodness! Weeks not months! Glad you caught that! I’m sorry!

 

[benne68]

Don't worry @Nini! I'll edit it for you. Just wanted to be sure we didn't leave out a surgery!

Sometimes if just FEELS like it's been 13 months!

 

[Nutcase]

9 week (-ish) update

So, finally started to wean off singel crutch walking outside. It's a slow process but makes me feel I'm finally getting back to normal. So far I've managed to walk in the city (with my man really close by ;)) and have successfully walked about 750 meters without limping. Yeay!

Still intermittent groin pain, especially when I try to lengthen my steps, but it never lingers. As soon as I rest, it stops hurting. Also still swollen/stiff in my upper thigh affecting my range of motion.
My outer thigh muscle is still very 'flat' but hopefully this will resolve over time. To be honest, it might not have been in the greatest of shapes before the surgery...

There is a couple of things I'm still wondering about.
I get this pain/crampy feeling in my shin? It's alos intermittent but I haven't been able to find any pattern of when the discomfort appears.
There is also an achy feeling around my incision area (direct lateral) and right below it. The wound looks fine though.
Lastly regarding range of motion. It doesn't seems to increase. I think I'm about 110 degrees, but it's been that way for quite som weeks now. I can put my socks on standing on one leg, but it's a stretch.

Other than then, keeping up with my rehab program, riding a stationary bike (with no pain what so ever) and walking outside with walking poles.
...and getting back to the gym with very easy exercises from my physio

 

[myglasshalffull]

I found other body parts to be sore (like my knee) after surgery.
I think a lot has to do with the way they twist & turn you during surgery.
And I think it's quite normal for your surgery incision to feel a little sore.
Nice update!

 

[Nini]

@Nutcase sounds like a positive update and you are ‘moving’ in the right direction! When you say range of motion do you mean bending over? Are you putting your socks on standing up?

 

[Nini]

@Nutcase sounds like a positive update and you are ‘moving’ in the right direction! When you say range of motion do you mean bending over? Are you putting your socks on standing up?

 

[Nutcase]

@Nini Sorry, I wasn’t really clear on that one, but yes, I’m talking about lifting my knee straight up when standing up or lifting the knee towards my chest lying down, without forcing any movement.
Yup, putting on socks standing up. Too lazy to sit down

 

[Sohowarrior]

I'm trying to stand on one leg and also some light strength training for the glutes.

This is not the time to do any strength training. You are not in training, you are healing. No exercise is needed except gentle stretches and walking.

The admins here know I love PT but even I think you are pushing the envelope. Standing on one leg? I’d skip that for sure.

 

[Nutcase]

Standing on one leg? I’d skip that for sure.

Oh, is that too much? I’ve been practicing standing on one leg, for short periods, for a couple of weeks now, since my balance is completely off. It doesn’t hurt but I can feel some tension in both glutes, thigh and shin.

 

[Jamie]

@Nutcase When it’s comfortable for you (even at 1 month out when you first posted about this), it’s okay to practice standing on one leg (operated leg or the “good” leg) as long as you do this at a location where you can easily hold on to or grab something if needed. Using a counter or back of a sturdy chair is good. That exercise does tend to work the glutes and leg muscles, which is beneficial. There should never be any pain. It most certainly okay now that you are 2 months out. Hopefully by now your balance is better than a month ago.

 

[Eman85]

Standing on one leg and putting your sock on is pretty amazing, I'm happy if I can put my underwear on and not hold onto something. That's how I judge how my leg is doing as far as strength goes in my leg.

 

[Nutcase]

@Jamie Thank you for the clarification.
I always have support near by, so I won’t loose balance and I’m always mindful about pain. If it hurts, I stop.
It’s a fine line between challenging ourself and pushing it too far, but you all have taught me to listen to the body and let it decide

 

[Jamie]

You are a wise woman!!!! And you’re doing just fine. Remember that recovery is a process and you’re just at the beginning. You’ll get there.

 

[Nutcase]

Today I can check off another thing on the recovery bucket list.... squatting down
All tribute should go to my reptile brain, I had absolutely nothing to do with the decision

Anyhow, so far so good. No aches or pain, just got a bit spooked

 

[djklaugh]

@Nutcase So your recovery is progressing well and your brain temporarily forgot you have a new hip ... and you just did what action was needed for the situation? Excellent! That is the way things work sometimes

 

[Nutcase]

So.... I have a new pain that I wanted to ask you all about.
For a couple of days now, my incision area have started to complain. I get like an aching sensation from out of nowhere every now and then. It's soar to the touch, but if i keep stroking the area the pain quickly subsides.

Yesterday however, it got way worse as the day progressed. By late evening the upper part of the incision really hurt (just the upper 1/2 inch) and I felt a small hard lump under the skin. I hurt if I touched it, it hurt if I moved so the muscles around moved, it basically hurt whenever something touched or moved the painful part. It's also itching a lot. A bit better this morning, but far from fine.
Started to wonder if it might be the suture. I have a sub-cutane dissolving suture so nothing is visible on the outside. Could it still be residues left, poking from the inside?
I don't think it's an infection (no excessive swelling or redness).
I have just started using silicone tape instead of paper tape, but if it was a reaction to the tape the whole incision would have been affected.
Have anyone experienced increased pain and a hard itching lump in the incision area 10 weeks post-op?

Have a nice weekend, all hippies out there

 

[myglasshalffull]

I have no experience with something like this. Have you iced the area? Might help.
Also gentle massage the area?
When I get bursitis flare up I find massage works quite well.

 

[Nini]

@Nutcase you mention the tape you are using? Are you still covering your incision? The end of my incision has been one of my lingering pains at 14 weeks. Not near as sore as yours sounds though! I also wondered about an underlying suture. If I were you I would put a call into the nurse at your OS office and you can go from there. And like @myglasshalffull said I also massaged it. It was tender but like I said yours sounds more painful!!

 

[Nutcase]

Thank you @myglasshalffull & @Nini for your input! I will try gentle massage and also call a nurse next week. The intensity of the pain varies, so massage during ‘better times’ sounds like a plan.

And yes, I’m still covering my scar by my self with tape, nothing else.

 

[Nutcase]

Time for the 10 week-ish diary update

Progress is ongoing - yeay!
I have walked about 2 km unaided twice now, where one of the walks was in the woods over tree trunks and stones. No problem, just have to mind my steps, but it felt great being able to walk again. No limping but the gait feels a bit different then before surgery. Might be due the remaining swelling and, to be honest, not having full strength in my thigh yet.

Regarding the swelling... My upper thigh is still swollen. Guessing it's mild to moderate but looking in the mirror I feel like I'm Kim Kardashian on the operated side and my own skinny me on the other. Quite amusing but i REALLY like for it to subside. How long can one be swollen?

Groin pain is getting better since I started hitting the gym again. No stiffness at mornings but is comes creeping up on me during the day, mainly in my hip flexors. Don't seem to get increased swelling during the day though.
I also have this swollen part, about 8 cm down from where the thigh meets the pelvis and horizontally from the lateral incision, reaching right over my upper thigh. No pain what so ever but it's rock hard and the feeling is that it obstructs moving normal. Hard to describe. I did have a sub-cutane bleeding in that area 2 days after surgery. Don't know if that is related. Anyone who have experienced a smiliar swelling?

Have been able to lay on my operated side at night. Not as comfortable as I would have hoped, but that will come. I also have increased soarness/pain (moves between aching and pain) on and around my incision and some faint redness, probably due to the paper tape I've been using up until a couple of days ago. Got som great advice on that yesterday though

Next week the spring is about to hit the north and I have been cleared to start swinging the golf clubs gently. Sooo looking forward to it
BTW, we really need a golf emoji

Have a great Sunday all brilliant hippies!