Hi all, just reading some of your posts and replies. There are quite a few of you who have experienced hip dislocations. I am four weeks post surgery having had posterior surgery. Dislocation is my biggest fear at the moment. Can any of you tell me how and why this happens and how long after surgery the risk is lowered? Thanks for reading. x
I have made a 'risk graph' on my website - people usually seem to have the problem when they forget what they are doing, and do something silly (don't we all), trouble is you then have a very painful hip, which needs medical assistance to pop back in. Also .... it can affect holiday insurance later, I know my insurance company asked how many times I had dislocated.
Take care, try not to rush the recovery, and you should be fine.
the website 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
Graham - 🚀💃 🤸
Dear Cindy
In my case it seems to have been very partial but still very worrying.
I was simply sitting in my swivel office chair and reached to my right and picked up a 500ml plastic bottle of water, swung around in my chair and as I put it down slightly to my left I felt a sudden clunk in my hip together with some pain. The shock caused me to drop the bottle on the floor!
After this walking with the crutches was quite painful. I should just mention that on my way home from the hospital where I had my hip revision surgery I was thrown to the floor in the passenger ambulance which caused severe bruising on top of the bruising from the surgery so it seems likely to me that I had very reduced muscle tone to hold the joint in place which would have made dislocation more possible.
As a result of this and the possibility that I had a cracked pelvis my surgeon told me not to weight bear for five weeks. I've now been walking for just over four weeks without any aids and I doubt if anyone could tell that I've had hip surgery when I walk pass them in town. I certainly do not feel as if I have so I seem to have got away with it!
Hope that helps you.
Cheers Richard
Hi
Where is your graph? I dislocated my right hip 3 times :-(
Thx Vickie
it's on the 'Hospital recovery' page
I was extremely careful for the first 6 weeks. Also posterior approach. I was careful the following 6 weeks, and then never a problem. Recently involved in a Motorcycle accident and suffered a concussion, broken nose, 5 broken ribs and wrist. Scrapes all over, but hip still in the socket painfree. Sort of a miracle
Thank you Graham, this has been most helpful. I will take a look at the web pages I'm sure they will point me on the right road. xx
Oh my goodness, you have had a time of it. I'm so sorry to hear it and glad you are now well on your way. How long after your surgery did the incident with the swivel chair and water bottle happen?
Oh gosh, that's remarkable. I hope you are mending after your bike accident. Thank you so much for your input, it's most informative. x
Afternoon Cindybud from Texas 🤠I dislocated mine not sure when or how. By the time I saw my dr for follow up I was already 3 weeks in. It was a devastating blow as I had to have a total hip revision 2 days later after follow up. I had the anterior but my second was the posterior. I was walking and exercising on a dislocated hip. Remember no hip flexion past 90 degrees, no bending or twisting and crossing the operated leg opposite the other leg for at least 6 weeks. Unfortunately I can tell you how or when I dislocated it. I was not in that level 10 pain they tell you that you would be in if you dislocated it. I do remember my hip was higher than the other hip, and when I was lying in bed my foot was touching the ankle of good leg and my foot would fall to the outside also I remember twisting to get a shirt out of the drawer and closing it felt sharp pain in buttock and feeling pain for a day and a half. By the time dr did new surgery, hip joint was caught on back of cup. Dr was amazed that I was not in tremendous pain but living with pain so many years you get a very high tolerance to pain. Just be careful those first 6 weeks. No rush. Let the house go...one of my pet peeves in seeing dirty floors. Just rest and do the exercises that are permitted. Wishing you all the best for a speedy recovery and healing. Remember just be careful. We all heal at different levels. I'm still struggling with this hip suffering with femoral cutaneous nerve pain and sensitivity. It's been hard. Glad it's summer as I have to wear shorty shorts because everything that touches my thigh bothers me. Best of luck. Hugs 🤗 Linda
Dear Cindy
It happened about a week after the surgery. Yes I feel that I've been through the mill over the last couple of years but some have had to cope with far worse such as Dave on this forum.
Cheers Richard
Hi Cindy
I am just recovering from a dislocated hip. This happened 15 months after my hip replacement. I was in the garden bending over taking heads of the dandelions to stop them seeding. When I bent over once too much, I couldn't straighten up and the only thing I could do was go down on the lawn. I couldn't move, my husband found me in this position. The only thing he could do was ring for an ambulance. When it arrived they couldn't move me and managed to get me on a stretcher in two halfs. On the way to the hospital I had a full canister of gas and air to help with the short journey. That was Sunday evening. They took me to theatre on Tuesday and gave me a general anaesthetic to put it back in place and I spent 5 days in hospital.
That was nearly 3 months ago and I'm still using a crutch to walk and have to keep stopping. On a happier note I can drive my car but I'm suffering with damaged nerves in my foot and this holds me back.
My advice to you is to be careful and don't worry about dislocation because worry can hinder your recovery.
All the best for a quick recovery Brenda
Ouchhh - not good, I had something similar happen about 10 days after surgery, standing beside my bed and decided pillow needed adjusting, twisted from the waist, BAD BAD BAD, and NO NO, as I discovered.
Ended up lying face down across the bed screaming in pain, husband and son discovered me from the noise I was making.
Picked me up by shoulders and knees, with me screaming don't touch me, and do this and do that, managed to stretch me out as they adjusted me, and laid me down on my back, which in hindsite was exactly the right thing to do, and pain eased.
Spoke to Dr about what had happened and told I probably did dislocate or very close to it, and the stretch family subjected me to as they re-arranged me on the bed, put it back in.
Specialist told me I was very lucky.
Don;t worry I did not do any more pillow adjustments with a twist for some time.
From hind site it is the twist, which just comes so naturally that causes danger with dis-location, you must stay square to you feet at all times until your over stretched muscles in and around your pelvis get back to normal, then you risk seems to be much less, although a specialist told me it never completly goes away.
Thank you Brenda for sharing that with me. It
sounds like you had quite an ordeal. I hope things improve for you soon and I will take your advice on board.
All the very best
Cindy
Aw Linda thank you so much for sharing your story with me. You really have and are going through it. Can't believe you had a dislocation and didn't know but glad now that you are on the right side of it. Thanks for all the information. I will be very careful now I know the do's and don'ts. Like you I like a good house and floors are my thing. I live alone and my two Bichons are with friends as I can't walk two dogs on crutches so it's not too bad. I always got down on my hands and knees to do the floors, haha, that's just me. My daughter has just invested in a floor mop for me but wont give it to me yet. What ever are we like.
Very best wishes from North Wales UK xx
Sorry Linda I forgot to ask. How long did you sleep on your back for? They have told me to do it but not for how long. It's something I struggle with and can't wait to go on my side again but after four weeks from surgery I'm wondering if it's too soon. What are your thoughts please?
Dear Cindy
I've got my hospital notes in front of me now and this is what they say.
When your wound has settled and is less tender you can lie on your operated side with a pillow between your knees. After six weeks you can lie on your non operated side. You are able to lie on your tummy but this may take a couple of weeks before you are confident manoeuvring in bed to avoid twisting your hip.
Next section deals with sexual activity. Strange that this important topic has not been raised in the many months I've been on this forum!
Cheers. Richard
That's very interesting and many thanks for taking the time to get your hospital notes. 6 weeks seems to be the one that crops up the most although some are a soon as 2 weeks, I guess it all depends on our surgeons. As for the latter part of your notes, it's something I haven't even thought about. I live alone apart from my two Bichons and have other things on my mind at the moment. hahaha. Who knows, I may have to ask the question later down the line. hahaah.
Kind regards x
Lyn
I did that 6 times in 12 weeks. My orthopedic surgeon had to do revision and put in a retention cup/liner. It's calendar subluxation. It's a partial dislocatuon.
I had a hip tho shaped like a shepherd's crook due to 4 previous surgeries on the right hip & Legg Calves Perthes disease of the right hip. I now have borh hips replaced & doing quite well
That pain is unreal!!!
TC Vickie
Steve
Indeed a miracle. My horse knocked me down & slammed my right knee onto the hard ground but my hip replacement stayed put