At the 4 week mark

Bones, joints and muscles
1

Hi to all again,

Today marks 4 weeks since my Right hip replacement.  I think I'm doing okay, though impatient to be back to normal!  Had the staples removed(OUCH) 2 weeks ago, the incision is looking and feeling better, though still some numbness and topical soreness near it.  My concern is that, according to an in-home PT, my right leg is about 1/2" longer than the left, causing a slight limp.  I e-mailed the surgeon right away, saying this was a "big concern"!  His medical assistant said he reviewed the x-rays taken during surgery and didn't see a difference.  He suggested putting heel cusions in my left shoes and will take a close look at my x-rays and talk with me at the 6 week check-up.  Is this something that is expected?  Will continued therapy (now outpatient) correct this as the healing continues?  Anyone else experience this situation?  Did it improve?  Thank you!  Jean

2

Hi nhquilta-

...according to an in-home PT, my right leg is about 1/2" longer than the left,...

...Is this something that is expected?

Yes, typically the surgeon stretches out the operated side a tad. The thinking is to put some tension on the muscles, hold the joint together in those critical early weeks post-op.

... Will continued therapy (now outpatient) correct this

Maybe. You are early yet in the healing process. Hip, sacroilac, opposite knee, have all been compensating for your deteriorating hip joint. Things will realign as your body gets used to the new and improved joint.

... Anyone else experience this situation?

Nobody's leg lengths are perfectly equal--even pre-op. Post-op, most patients feel that the operated side is longer. And frequently, it is.

... Did it improve?

Can't speak for others. My case is more involved than most. My operated side is shorter, about a half-inch. And no, it did not improve. I went to a local shoemaker, had him build up the sole on a couple of my favorite walking shoes.

As for your physical therapist and surgeon disagreeing on your condition, I can't say why.

Hope this helps.

3

Thanks for the words of encouragement!  Time is the important factor here, so will keep a positive attitude.  I went grocery shopping yesterday, using the grocery cart for support, but could feel a slight limp while shopping.  Somewhat discouraged, so contacted this forum today.  Thanks again!  As for the therapist vs. surgeon, I want to go with the surgeon!  

4

Hi there, well done for getting this far - but recovery is a LONG journey withmany up's and down's.

Scar tenderness is fairly normal - I treated mine with a good quality oil rubbed in2 or 3 times a day - the rubbing reduces the sensitivity.

The feeling of length difference is common too - I had it, but it had subsided by about 10 weeks, unfortunately I had to have revision at10 weeks .... but that's another story.   The problem apparently stems from swelling in the pelvic area where they attach the 'socket' part of the joint to the pelvis, once the swelling subsides, the problem just goes away.

See my website for top tips from hippies on this forum, the address is in my personal info here ...

   http://patient.info/forums/profiles/rocketman-sg6uk-907025

and at the bottom of the moderator's "useful resources" page at

   http://patient.info/forums/discuss/thr-useful-resources-487147

Best wishes for your recovery

Graham - 🚀💃 🤸

THR Oct 2015, Revision Jan 2016.

5

Thanks Rocketman for your input!  I know this is early in my recovery and will continue exercising, going to therapy and just being careful!  I DO NOT want to have to have further surgery!  I've thought about treating my incision with lotions, oils, etc., but it's still half covered by the steri-strips added after removing the stables.  They are supposed to fall off on their own, but still pretty stuck!  I was told not to peel them off!  I have a feeling the surgeon will be removing them when I go for my 6 week follow-up!  Thanks for your website!  

6

Sorry to hear you're having problems.  I had exactly the opposite situation in that my right leg was already 1/2" longer than my left and according to a physio I saw years ago this was a factor in the back problems I've had for years.  I was very worried that the right hip replacement would make the problem even worse and voiced my concerns to a number of people none of whom seemed to be at all interested.  However the first thing I saw when I came round after my op was the smiling face of my surgeon informing me that both my legs were exactly the same length - so somebody was listening to me after all!  I'm hoping that this will help my back when I start normal activities again, but if I have to have the left hip replaced at some point in the future (which is a possibility) the problem will probably recur!  I don't know if physio will help with this, but all I can say is that I never walked with a limp before my op even though my legs weren't the same length so perhaps you'll find that you eventually adjust to the difference.  Hope it works out for you.

7

A fully qualified physio  with the right equipment, a proper physio's bench should be able to diagnose a leg lengh discrepancy, they did for me, rather than a muscle issue which feels just like a leg length discrepancy, but with help does clear up.

My physio said to me you have a lower length below knee discrepancy and a femur or upper length discrepancy of totalling 3/4 inch, or thereabouts.

He suggested to me I get a long leg x-ray, where they x-ray you from the floor to your waist, and then measure each bone that makes up your leg, that then clears up what has happened.

The physio was right I have 10mm below my knee, and 12mm above my knee, surgeon denied I had a problem, but I did, could not walk, the more I walked the more pain it caused me, until I worked out that a shoe insert, helped big time, even though the surgeon did not want me to use shoe insert, he said I would get used to the leg length difference with time.

Problem is I have spinal stenosis, ruputered disc S1-L5, bulging disc L5-L4, and lessor bulging disc L4-L3. I believe the disc problems were caused by my trying to walk without the shoe lift, as I cannot prove I had no spinal problems prior to my surgery, no pain, no discomfort, other than spinal stenosis, but we all have that in our 60's to some extent or other.

Shoe life and physio in the local heated swimming pool, non-weight bearing, 3 times a week for 3/4 hour at a time, had to build up to that time, finally solved the problem with pain, took a very long time, as my inabitily to walk only weakened more already weak muscles caused by the surgery.

2 years on I am back to normal but for the shoe lift, or should I saw heel lift, and or local shoe makers adjustment to my shoes, 12mm only, as I don't have to adjust for what is normal for me the 10mm below my knee, I grew with that, and had it my entire life.

Very frustrating that I had to do most of the working out of my problems myself, physio some help, surgeon's team worse than useless.