THR 4 weeks post op

Bones, joints and muscles
1

Hi, I had my THR done 4 weeks ago and I have been left with a 7.5 cm difference in leg length. I'm in pain trying to stand as there is such a difference in my leg length. visited my doctor and she has said they will have to either re operate on me again, or make me shoes. I'm not keen on surgery yet again so soon as I am not in great health as it is, plus I'm still not recovered from this surgery and as I'm finding it hard to walk with the height difference I'm slower on recovery. I'm so upset about it all to be honest, and wondered has anyone else found themselves in this position.

Thanks

Kath

2

That is a huge leg length difference! Almost 3 inches!

How can that even be possible, since the surgeon is supposed to compare your two legs while you are still in surgery. It is common to have a small difference post op, and often leg length differential eases over the first few months of recovery, but that would not be possible with a 3 inch difference. 

I would go for a second opinion with a revision surgeon before making any decisions. It is extremely rare that surgery is done just for length difference. But your surgeon is suggesting that as a possibility, and I am sure it would be a serious surgery, a revision of your THR. Living with your situation would be very difficult.

Wishing you the best in getting this resolved. 

3

If you have definitely been left with that much difference it is just plain negligence. 

Personally I'd contact a solicitor specialising in medical claims.  Beware claims take a LONG time, mine has been going on for 25 months now.

I can totally understand your reluctance to have another operation, presumably with the same surgeon that has left you in this predicament. 

Revision is as unpleasant as the original THR, I had one just 10 weeks after my botched THR, and you have to go through the 6 weeks sleeping on your back again, and all the other unpleasant things too. So there is more physio, more blood thinners, compression stockings, painkillers .......... the whole lot all over again.

Best wishes to you

Graham

4

You are right there Annie, that's a huge difference.  It would suggest that the stem would need changing for a much shorter one.  I just know I wouldn't want the same surgeon doing that to me again.

Graham

5

Hi I to have a leg length difference but not as much I have found that having heel raisers in my shoes help so maybe try that to see if it takes up some os the difference hope this helps 

6

I agree, Graham!

7

Hi there I had a difference off approx one and half inch which I wasn't happy about as I'd walked around like ape woman in pain and limping for so long .

I'm now a year on and I have no leg difference it just take time to get there I did use heal raisers for awhile my GP said it would take time he was right.

I still can't cut

my toe nails one day maybe.

I wish you well your so early in your recovery ,you will get there truly you will. Regards Ana

8

Hi, Clare thanks for your reply. Im unfortunately way out on a riser because of the size, It looks like I need a specialist to be honest, but thank you for your suggestion.

K

9

Hi Annie, thank you for your reply, Yes it is a huge difference, and it's making quite an impact now. Im in pain in my lower back when I try to straighten the leg and walk. It's a mess, to be honest, and Im feeling very very depressed by it all. Its all of the aftercare and the pain and the operation and the fear of it all being done before, only now to come through it all, and be in a situation somewhat worse than before.

Thank you for your reply.

K

10

Dear Rocketman, thank you for taking time to reply to me. Im feeling pretty numb by it all now, to be honest. I was told that it would sort its self out, yet when my doctor saw me and measured the difference he was baffled at what a mess it was. Im just in complete and utter shock, to be frank, now I've seen my doctor and he's confirmed the next step or choices. I've been told its a referral back to the surgeon or boots that are higher! I just don't want to think about it, it's actually reducing me to tears every day when I should be happy.

Thank you

K

11

Katleen - are you sure you mean 7.5cm, that's 3inches or do you mean 7.5mm, if so you can adjust to the MM difference, but you cannot walk with a 7.5cm difference, you are going to damage discs in your back, and you don't want to be doing that, believe me, it is extremely painful. 

​How do I know this, I have a 22mm or 2.2cm difference, that's about 3/4 inch, added to my left hip, and the hospital did not want to know, firstly they denied I had an issue, and when finally I was able to prove I had an issue, at my own expense, it seemed it was my fault for not telling them I already had a longer leg between the knee and heel that I was unaware of, had grown with it my entire life and never caused me any trouble, but it did explain why I was told I always ran like a duck.

​My best advice came from a physio, very senior physio, who measured my legs correctly, and came up with almost exactly what a later LONG-LEG-XRAY confirmed, I had 22mm in total, 10mm naturally, and 12mm added  by the surgeon.

​In the meantime I had been attempting to walk as I was, and ruptured S1-L5, bulging L5-L4, and bulging L4-L3, causing me immense pain sciatica, I still have it I'm afraid the damage is done, hospital also denied there was a link between LLD and back problems.

​Can I suggest to you get that measurement done ASAP, with a physio, and or shoe fitting specialist, rather expensive, for a start, then find a heeled shoe that lifts your foot at the heel and lifts you the amount of the discrepancy, as in normal walking it is your heel you put down first, that at least will even you up, and hopefully avoid the back problems I have. 

​I have a shoe lift that fits in most of my shoes, and for around the house, barefeet, I walk on my toes, on my right side, now the shorter side, but every night I make a point of stretching my Achilles tendon to make sure I am not shortening that tendon and creating more problems for myself long term.

​Oh my god I cannot believe they have got it that wrong, get a lawyer and start legal procedings especially if it is 3 inches, not acceptable even if they can fix it.