i have posted before about post THR complications. I have had 5 times physio usual for sny post surgery patient. GP helpess. physios frustrated and another consultant now invokved treating my other hip for labral tear and early OA. Am at 2 separate consultant clinic reviews in Dec and am thinking about trying to get the dots joined up by asking for a multi disciplinary case conference rather than having one consultant and physio working isolated ftom each other on one hip snd snother consultant working away on ghe non operated hip?
Needless to say the THR pain us much worse than the labral tear non replaced hip.
Any experience out there of getting a holidtic approach?
Holistic care and treatment? Because of the nature of ever increasing specialisation I think it is very doubtful. Which is unfortunate, as often a problem in one area of the body can affect another as the body tries to "compensate". If you do not regain the strength inthe operated side, the other side will often compensate, hence "the waddle walk". You complain about joints you will see an orthopaedic man, when maybe you need only to see an osteopath or maybe it is your feet and that affects your knees/hips etc., so shld visit an orthotics practioner. It seems you get on "the conveyor belt" and if you ask for a review get sent back to the begining again and miss your place in the queue! All very frustrating.
Can you describe the kind of pain you have? I just had both hips replaced in August using the anterior approach. From the first moment I stood up after surgery, the arthritic pain was gone. The only discomfort has been from the supporting muscles that were disturbed from the surgery, not the joint itself. I understand with the posterior approach, muscles and tendons must be detatched from the bone and then reattached after the prosthetic is put in place and that means much more pain during recovery. If you have pain in the joint itself. Even without any problems, my surgeon x-rayed my hips after two weeks to make sure everything had stayed in place.
Do you know if your legs are the same length? If the THR leg is shorter or longer than your leg with the repaired labral tear, that can make walking evenly problematic. You may need an insert in your shorter leg to even things up. My SI joint tends to go out, so my right leg is sometimes shorter than my left. A heal cushion helps stem the tendency to waddle/wobble. In other cases, you must get a specially crafted insert made.
Perhaps an orthopaedic professional should assess your situation to make sure your skeletal and soft-tissue infrastructure will permit your walk to smooth out. The pain from surgery should disappear as the muscles and tendons heal and settle down. In my case, the surgical bruising was gone 4-5 weeks post op. Good luck.
Hi Gill - I am 10 months post op ( 51 at the time and fit) and had a poor 6 week review by registrar who got it all wrong and his clinic letter with all the errors took nearly 4 months to get out. My consultant v apologetic by time he saw mw and gave me manipulation under anaesthesia in May - seems to have loosened me in some but not all directions and given me more pain. I do wonder if my probs had been properly assessed at 6 weeks the course of my treatment would be different. 3/4 inch leg length difference is v frustrating as my legs were same length and pelvis straight before the op. My osteo sorted out all the superficial soft tissue secondary pain post op and is convinced there is impingement and it wont loosen off. He has stood himself down. I do physio at the hospital 2 days a week and go to the gym 4 times a week on a bicycle and core strengthening. But am stuck with a hip that wont let me work due to sitting and meds, or do bending housework or walk up slopes, carry heavy bags etc. Dreading other hip giving out....
Will keep everyone updated as I am determined to make the NHS system work for me - even if it has to go "out of process". #DeterminedWoman
Hermionie109,
When I had my first THR, both legs were the same length after surgery. But I have had pain on going since day one. And now having to have the other hip replaced. I'm compensating on my new hip. And for the past four weeks I've been experiencing lower back pain. Along with the excruciating pain from the hip I'm to have replaced in November.
My surgeries are being done by the VA. And if you're not dying from anything, they don't offer any solutions. Don't get me wrong, I am very appreciative of their care. But unfortunately their answer is medication not rehabilitation.
Since the Anterior Approach is so much less intrusive. I'm curious as to why they didn't do it for my first THR. And of course no one can answer that question for me.
I am so looking forward to getting better and having a quicker recovery time. But I still have deep concern as to the function ability of my other leg. I have been diagnosed to have a 28% Partial Permanent Disability. I hope and pray that doesn't occur again on my right leg.
It only makes sense that I am experiencing possible nerve damage. Simply because of so much pain and body compensation. I guess time will tell.
roadglide1959
So sorry you are having so many issues with your hips. It can suck the life out of you, can't it?
The anterior approach is patient centered. It is more likely to be performed by trauma surgeons. It is a little harder to do, and it requires a special table so that the leg can be dropped to expose the top of the femur. But, yes, it's a much easier, quicker recovery. No 90-degree limitations. It's not a cakewalk, but it is worth doing the effort. Only 20% of THR surgeries in the U.S. use the anterior approach. Doctors do what doctors know how to do. It isn't offered in my hometown. Had I gone to an orthopaedic surgeon locally, the anterior approach would not have been offered to me. Fortunately, I went to a surgeon at a hospital with a trauma center.
So glad you will have an anterior approach on your second hip. I will be interested to hear how your surgical experiences compare.
hi Hermione
My legs are now different lengths - by 3/4 inch. Was rather pleased with them before the op but not now as the operated leg is too long so i balance on the short leg with labral tear and OA.
As its 10 months since my operation I suspect that settling down may not happen as my physio says she can only keep the hip mobile with physio and cannot get it working into a functional hip ie even with all my exercise and physio I cannot bend and lift, walk upstairs or slopes.
I have got a heel raise - they originally made it for the wrong leg ;0 thats how unlucky I have been.
Surgeon now thinks it could take 1-2 years for it to settle down in terms of pain - but my stiffness in hip joint remains disabling. Rock climber, skier, hill walker etc reduced to pottering around the house - when I was out of bed and walking round the ward 2 hours after my op little did i think I would be unable to make the stairs. After the op the leg length difference was so great that when I stood on my operated leg I could swing my other leg forwards and backwards with lots of space underneah
Hi, Christine2107:
Wow! You have been unlucky! So sorry to hear that your legs are 3/4-inch different in length! It must be awful being dependent on your leg with a labral tear! And then to learn that your heal raise was crafted for the wrong leg! I hope you have one for the correct leg now!
I am six weeks out and still feel that I need to regain strength and stamina in my leg muscles, but they do allow me to climb stairs, slopes, bend and lift. For you, who has such an active outdoors history, you must be going crazy! I had only a short time to feel that one leg was shorter than the other--like you standing on one leg and being able to swivel the other. When my SI joint is out of place, my right leg is a bit shorter than the left. But it is hardly noticeable to me. No more wobbling. Before my surgery, I was either prone in bed or swimming. Do you have access to a pool? It is a supportive environment where you can move your legs in ways you just can’t on land. Once I was allowed to get in the pool, I made greater progress in regaining flexibility. I do squats on the stairs changing the depth of the water. Once I was released by my surgeon, I did overdo it. I decided I’d work on those tight hamstrings--I aggravated my sciatica. Now I’m really taking my time and trying hard to walk in a relaxed manner and be patient. I believe I will regain much more strength over time, but it will, unfortunately, take time.
May I ask where you had your surgery done and which type of hip replacement you had?