Can't lift op leg more than half inch when lying down

Bones, joints and muscles
1

No ongoing physio here. I can only lift my op leg slightly off bed and wonder if it should be better at day 10. I find the pressing thigh into bed exercise is sore.

2

I had the same problem. The Physo gave me exercises to do, they were agony and made me feel sick when trying, and failing to do them. So I stopped trying and at about 7 weeks suddenly found I could raise the leg higher than the un-operated one. If it is causing you pain, don't do it, it's the body's way of saying stop it. Rest the leg and try again in a few weeks. It will come as the body heals. Hope this helps.

3

It's shocking that you don't have ongoing physio! It's such an important part of the recovery process.

Anyway, this was something I worked on with my physio at 2 weeks post op, as I was having the same problem. I'll try to explain what we did:

My physio would raise and lower my leg for me and said that I should carry on when he stopped. Very simple but it worked! Then he would hold his hand at the point he wanted me to raise my leg to gradually increasing the height. I was then tasked with incorporating this exercise into my daily regime & completing 5x reps of 10. I could do this with ease after a couple of days.

I was amazed at how easy it became - my physio said that the body goes into protective mode and sometimes our bodies need a gentle reminder.

Hope that makes sense. If it feels too much now try again in a few days.

4

I struggled to lift leg straight up but consultant then said he wanted me to practice bending my knee and then straightening leg and lowering it.  Initially I just bent, straightened, bent, lowered and then built up to lowering it straight. 

5

Hi attractac

I had this too, it's like trying to lift a dead weight, but I promise with each week that goes by you will be lifting it higher, it's just your muscles healing, don't expect too much too soon, you'll get there.

Lynne.

6

Thanks Lynn.

7

Aye that's exactly how it feels. Good to know that others have hadcsame problem.

8

Thanks Laura.

9

Thanks hipster. I have made appt with gp for next week so that I can ask to be referred for physio. If i do get referred I will have to make my way to health centre for this. Meantime I will try getting daughter to lift leg as you describe.

10

Ah great to hear that. It's hard to know what to expect and medical don't tell us much.

11

Hi Attractac, we are on the same timescale as this is my day 10; I have my first physio appt next monday. The discharge letter to your GP should have had referral info for physiotherapy as the op on its own won't do the trick! I have been trying the same exercise and boy does it hurt; lie flat and lift just as much as you can using thigh muscles. It varies from person to person as we all have different muscle damage and pain thresholds but if you do it religously even a centimeter at a time it will improve I promise you. Good luck.

12

Hope you get to see one soon. Physios sometimes get bad press but mine has been great. It's not all about exercises either, I've had soft tissue massage on tight muscles/ligaments which has helped.

I have to travel to physio too which takes some planning. Another hospital under the same trust provides home visits - yet another example of how practices differ even within a region!

13

I only saw a phisioterapist on week two and she made me do movements which were sooooo painful, I simply refused to do them. Then starting at week three all  these movements were suddeny easy to do, I was actually moving my leg in bed naturally, when I was trying to turn around. I am due to go to hospital on Thursday for the six weeks check, I am curious to see what she is going to say to me...I'll post here on Thursday!

14

Hi Hipster

I am having the same problem as you, and this week too my physio is doing the same excersises with me, I can't lift my leg sideways either. Alan is helping now we are at home.

15

Hi attrac,

Like you I have not had PT after. Not so much because of not being able to get it, more because I refuse to accept the reasoning that my insurance company has by telling me they will only start paying after 21 sessions. At 40-50 euros each session, that would cost me dearly, so I went with the app and did it myself.

Golden rule I lived by though: If it hurts.... Don't do it. Try later. 

As long as you keep that rule in place, you'll set your own recovery pace and be a lot happier. They may know the excercises, you know your body. So guess who wins out in that battle? 😉

I'm at 8 weeks now, and indeed the operated leg goes up easily past the 90 degrees when lifting it. Not much mind you, but beyond. The unoperated leg however I can lift without manually helping it enough to walk stairs...

It sorely needs doing. 

16

Hi Gill,

I hope the exercises work as well for you as they did for me. I had my hubby help me although it went to his head a bit and he started giving trying to instruct me on all my exercises which I didn't appreciate as much 😂

17

Thanks so much. I too could go back to private Hosp 30 killed away for physio at £40'sterling. No insurance but when I was leaving physio there said just keep walking and doing exercises in booklet. It would just be good to have some info on problems as described above.

18

Thanks howeller. That was me day 2 in Hosp --- a howler. First time since I was a child that I actually shed tears with pain.

19

Thanks briskwalk.

20

Same here, physio asked me to do a straight leg raise and I couldn't. Then she said that she didn't expect me to be able to at this stage (day 10). She gave me exercises lying down that involve bending my knee to my chest, this is easier. She said to do reps of 10 but if at any time the exercises became painful to stop. She said to go with the pain, it's normal to feel some discomfort but not necessary to force things to the point of agony.

I also have squats, marching, lifting my legs straight when sitting. All reps of 10, 3x a day. I must say I've been a bit slack because I've been doing big walks and also things around the house so figure this also counts!!

Remember that prior to surgery you might have had difficulty due to the hip problem. I couldn't do half of these prior to surgery because my hip was so bad, so I'm doing a lot of catch up.

good luck in your rehabilitation 🏃🚴💌