Stiff

Bones, joints and muscles
1

Hi all,

I am now nearly 5 weeks post off and all is fine other than swelling and a lot off stiffness first thing in the morning and late at night. It takes an hour or two in the morning for this to subside. I was hoping to be back at work by 6 weeks (office work) but at the moment this isn't looking likely and is frustrating.

Was wondering if anyone else feels like this?

Thank you,

Fiona

Xx

2

Hi there

im in exactly the same boat. I'm just over 5 wks. I don't have much swelling but the stiffness is always bad on a night and in a morning. I have to take an ibuprofen to get me moving. Night times are rotten - no pain just stiffness so constantly moving all night to relieve it. I'm sure we will get improvement soon xx

3

Thanks Gilly,

It's a nuisance eh? I'm thankful not to have pain, it's just frustrating not to be able to get back to work just yet.

Hope we 'loosen up 😊' soon.

Fiona

4

It does improve, I am now 13 months since right done and 7 months since left the and I am still stiff morning and night sometimes and especially if I have sat in one position for about 2 hours, I didn't go back to work for nearly 10 weeks with first op but I am now retired.

5

Hi Fiona, I was 5 wks yesterday. I'm same with stiffness & swelling. Finding it hard to get shoes/sandals on that are comfortable in this hot weather. I take painkillers half hr before I get up. I still try and rest mid afternoon, if no visitors are here. Think we just have wait till our own bodies recover. I've got another 6 wks off work too.

Keep moving

Brenda xx

6

Thanks Brenda,

I think I may have set unrealistic targets for myself such as getting back to work at 6 weeks.

Suns out here too so I'm going to ready soon and go for my first lap of the block (half a mile) of the day.

I shall also thrash my shoes with the grabber a few times in frustration at how long it takes to get them on 😂.

Take care,

Fiona

7

Yes you are right - pain is minimal now and horrid arthritis pain is gone but it's the stiffness and somewhat lack of movement - I'm wondering if I will ever be able to put socks on normally again. I'm planning on being back at work in 5 weeks as I'm a nurse so need to be able to squat down and bend fully - I hope this movement will improve sometime soon xx

8

I'm just over 5 weeks post op and still quite reliant on my two paracetamol at breakfast time to get me going. If I linger a bit to get them into my system, I can then attack my first set of exercises for the day before going upstairs to get showered etc. This all takes time and I would hate to have to rush it in order to leave for work. Any chance you can extend your leave for another couple of weeks? If you think how far we have come in the last two weeks, you might just find a bit of extra time off to be invaluable. Enjoy the sun, loved your comment about getting your shoes on - I know just how you feel!

Steph x

9

Like everything you do, it takes twice as long. Very frustrating at times. But, we are better than 5 wks ago

Brenda xx

10

Sounds like we are all the same at 5 weeks. Yes I agree that we have come far in the past 2 weeks as I feel the first 2-3 weeks were pretty much a right off.

Those damn shoes ........ That comment made me chuckle too ..... Will we ever be able to put our shoes and socks on normally again?

11

Hi I'm 12 weeks post op and still stiff on a morning. I managed to return to work at 7 weeks. I'm still not able to put socks on without a grabber not sure what the time span is for this. I've just posted a discussion on here about this. I do think we set unrealistic targets sometimes.

The plus side is I'm pain free and can walk without a limp.

Wishing you all the best

Sue x

12

I'm coming up to 5 weeks also , I have the same problem with the swelling and stiffness, I've heard it can take up to 8 weeks for this to go down , I can see me being off work the full 12 weeks😢

13

Hi Fiona, we are about the same time, I will be five weeks on Wednesday. I plan on going back to work next Monday st 6 weeks as well. My swelling has subsided and I am a little stiff but not much. Maybe you need to elevate and ice your legs more... Just a suggestion. Hope it all works out for you!!!

Best,

Erika

14

5 week club!!! hope your swelling and stiffness go down soon

Erika

15

hey fiona and all of you  here, 

yeah .... it sucks and takes forever - you'd better exercise your patience muscle as it might take a bit longer - used sock aid for I don't know how long - shoes were sort of okay as long as I could just step in them and of course use long shoe horn - 

I am 14 months post op - 1st THR in March 2015, 2nd one in September 2015 - and live alone - it gets easier, really it does ---It still takes a bit longer for me to get dressed than, well, before all this - but I am retired also ... 

stiff  muscles after long sitting or after having done house cleaning etc ...

considering what has been done to our body, the abuse we put upon her by ignoring the pain (I was in denial for so long) and perhaps waiting too long , we are ahead and moving forward, albeit with stiffness and some discomfort ...

6 weeks returning to work might be a bit ambitious  ... will you be able to get a phased return schedule?

I put heat on the stiff muscles and also rub some of that athlete muscle ointment on it - 

embracing you all

renee

 

16

I found work in the office a bit hit-and-miss.

My main office had a chair with slight incline to the side pads, which was great pre-op, but opst-op was quite painful after an hour or so.

Contrast my secondary office (I work there 1 or 2 days a week), had very flat seat cushions, and has been much more comfortable to sit in.

Stiffness also sets in at night - i have no idea what positions I get into at night, I'm a real 'roller' when it comes to sleeping.

Graham

17

Hi , im in same boat as Sue , cant do socks , my partner puts them on for me . I was back at work at six weeks - just got up half an hour earlier so could take pain relief which was working by time i got in to work . Not taking anything now but can still be a bit stiff and sore first thing , it wears off once i get going.exactly the sane after my previous two ops and took quite a few months to get back to normality in terms of leaping out of bed in the mornngs . I guess , if you can, its better to take longer off . Wasnt  really an option for me because of nature of my job and also financially , plus tbh i was desperate to get back xxx

18

Hi Fiona.  Yes I am also 5 weeks post op and I have just noticed feeling very sore particularly down the femur in back of thigh. Also very stiff if in bed for too long. I attribute it to healing actually. I think as tissue and nerve endings begin growing back, we feel the growing pains! It is uncomfortable . Hang in there. Cindy

19

Hi Fiona, 

Mornings have always been still and sore for me. I got into the habit of doing my exercises first thing while still in bed (bridge, hip lifts, leg lifts, clam shells, etc) and this really helped me.  

L

20

Hi Fiona,

That'll be me 5 weeks tomorrow and I still have a lot of stiffness and a bit of pain around the joint. Also, I'm supposed to be able to stop using my crutch next week and I really cant see that happening.  So I dont think I am going to be able to go back to my office job either.  I just dont feel mobile or stable enough.  If I'm being honest, I think it could be the end of the month (8 weeks) which is what the consultant suggested as a target when I first went down this road. 

Like you, I'm feeling frustrated about it and also somewhat guilty.  Ive ended up getting them to send me some work home which I'll try to fit in around my exercises, keeping mobile etc....... 

David.