Hi hippies, I had total Hip replacement surgery (right Hip) exactly 4 weeks ago. I'm doing great with mobility, I'm driving and I'm walking fine without a walker l don't even use a cane any more, but l still have a lot of hardness and numbness l know this is to be expected, but does anyone know when the numbness will go away?
I've been using heat on my leg to try and get the hardness to soften, not sure if this is really helping, l don't need ice anymore as all the swelling has gone.
Has any one else used heat to help with this?
P. S for any one that has pain in the groin, and pain in knee l had this too but it's pretty much gone now, so it didn't take long to go away.
I do physical therapy by myself every day, marching on the spot has helped me a lot.
Hi Mary, I can only speak for myself as everyone heals differently and at their own pace. I had anterior approach approximately 10 months ago and I would say that the numbness is still present, I used to have really bad shooting nerve pains down into my knee but that has almost resolved itself. I have read and heard that it can take upwards to a year or more to be totally recovered and healed from surgery so I am still hopeful that it will all sort itself out...good luck to you, it can be a long road
Hi Mary, did you have anterior approach? The op can cause nerve problems such as numbness.
Hi, congrats on your recovery and mobility! I had anterior THR four and a half months. I still have very mild/partial numbness over the lateral trochanter area only. It has improved a lot. I remember my tissue felt very hard after my surgery and I talked with my physical therapist about it. He said that is normal. The hardness is gone, definitely gone by month three, although I can't remember exactly when. My best guess is two and a half to three months.
Hi yes l did have anterior surgery, and also had a spinal block instead of general anesthetic, l think the heat might be helping a little, I'm going to try using a ten's unit with heat to see if that will help break up the hardness. O
That you for your reply, and congrats on your speedy recovery, I'm just looking forward to the day I'm pain free, l know it's a long road but I'm sure is all worth it.
Hi Kelly, thank you for your reply it's good to talk to others that have went through the same thing, now l know what to expect, and as you say every one recovers differently.
Good luck on the road ahead.
Hi Mary.
I had my procedure just over 6 weeks ago and my leg was totally numb from the thigh down to the ankle. I had no foot drop and I could feel/still move my ankle. Likewise, I was still able to move and tense my thigh/knee but no feeling to touch. Given the difficulties I had during the procedure, I was told the nerves had not been severed but they needed to stretch them in order of stabilising the prostethetic.
As my leg started to heal, I started to suffer with horrific nerve pain. I've been put on Gabapentin and that has mostly resolved. Likewise, I can now feel the majority of the back of my leg and little of the front (still very numb on the thigh and knee). I was told to allow up to 2 years for recovery, although I am becoming a little more optimistic as I think the feeling is starting to slowly come back (difficult to actually say as it is a slow process).
I think anything up to two years is reasonable, although the majority resolves within the year.
Cat x