4 weeks in and I am having a lot of pain in my lower leg. Shin bone hurts. Ice helps, but it is all the time. Having trouble sleeping. Also I am just beginning to walk with one crutch. Should i be further along?
Hello Nancy,
I used to get a throb in my shin before my hip op, it was the one thing which stopped me from sleeping. I have had it a couple of times since but only a couple of times. I think your on target if there is a target for recovery. There are no medals for rushing recovery and sometimes you can do more damage by doing just that, do things as and when they feel comfortable for you. I used one crutch for walking outside until week 12 because the thigh bone where the stem was implanted into the bone was slightly uncomfortable and I limped more without it.
Good luck with the rest of your recovery.
I’m seven months out from my second hip replacement surgery and I still get shin pain whenever I go walking. It has taken me a long time to be almost pain free from the first hip replacement over a year ago. So I anticipate that eventually the shin pain will cease.
thanks
Lower leg and knee pain in particularly is perfectly normal, right down to and including the ankle. I am 12 weeks post of and all OK now but I did have pain around the knee and down my shin for a while. Just think about what has gone of at the top end of your thigh bone. All that trauma ends up in the knee and it, not surprisingly, complains. We all seem to progress in recovery at a different pace but the one thing we all have in common is this type of pain/discomfort for the first few weeks. Mine doesn’t hurt anymore but my knee still has a tender spot at the side if I press it gently. Don’t worry. You’ll be fine.
Well, that about says it from me - we all recover at a different rate, and at 4 weeks we should expect some level of pain, swelling etc.
Keep using the crutches/sticks until the limp goes.
Best wishes
Graham
thanks