I am 6 weeks post op from total hip replacement ! I still have a lot of if tightness in the back of my leg and thigh is this normal ? I am exercising and walking but still having a lot of pain?
Hi there senora. I'm coming up to 5 weeks post op and also still have a lot of tightness in the back of my leg (hamstrings) as well as quite a bit of pain around the knee. I'm pretty sure from what everyoner has told me that this type of thing is quite normal and to be expected - even if the pains and aches manifest themselves in different ways from one person to another. We were really pulled about during the op and there's a lot of stuff in there that has to work its way slowly back to normal. if you're really worried, it's obviously best to contact your surgical team - but I'm pretty sure they'll tell you it's all ok and to be patient :-) Good luck with the rest of the recovery, Mark
Thank you Mark😊I know I'm a worrier and I know it had been a lot of trama to that area I'm walking pretty good maybe over doing .
Hi, I am now 14 months post op and I am still experiencing (minor) improvments. I made a very swift recovery then encounterd a few pains and setbacks along the way but would say that in the last 6 weeks am now approaching full fitness whereby the operated hip feels very close to being the same as the good hip. At around 10 to 12 months I started to get pain when walking but the 12 month check up xray showed nothing untoward and a few weeks later the pain went and I am now moving very well. The day to day improvements become less dramatic with time but in my experience I think it takes a good 12 months to reach 95% plus fitness and strength in the operated hip. Andy
Thank you Andy so glad you're finally doing so well. I've been told everyone is different and heal at a different pace. I have good days and bad so it gets frustrating ! My PT is making meferllike this is it normal and I think it is going to confirm with Surgeon I'm sure she never had a THR
The exercising and walking may be causing the tightness and excessive pain. I'd recommend rest (no exercise and only walking only as much as you are required to), lots of icing and elevating for awhile to see if it gets better. It certainly can't hurt and may help.
Thank you your probably right I have been trying to get better so fast that I am probably aggravating it. I've been told I should take it easy and I really haven't been doing that much I'm sweeping the floor washing clothes because if I don't do
It it doesn't get done
What a great account to read. Thank you, Andy.
Hola, Senora! I am seven weeks post-op, also walking as much as I can and continuing PT exercises (not every day as I should, though) and the tightness in the side and back of my thigh (and sometimes lower buttock) hasn't really left in seven weeks. It has certainly decreased, though! I found out that my muscles were neither cut nor stretched - they were split - all of which I imagine takes an emormous amount of energy and healing over the next year. If I find that one of my walks has really taken a swipe out of me, I skip it the next day. It's not like we're not constantly in action, right? So I guess I push it a little, then rest as needed...never pushing too much. Hopefully I'll continue healing and recovering and will be right where I need to be by the end of a year. Wishing you well!
Thank you so much. I keep pushing the walks instead of us listening to my body . I am in panic mode right now worrying about what is normal and what is not you are all letting me know that everyone is going to heal at there own pace and there is no set rules for everyone. I am not s real patient person and I just want to get better . Are you still in pain meds? I waited so long to have the surgery and finally did when I finally accepted it was only going to get worse so I've been on so much pain meds and looking forward to not having to take them. I also realize what a nightmare of a surgery this was and a lot of muscles and everything that are not going to he in six weeks . Ty for being there😊
I think we all push (guilty!); but also being able to give in to perceived "weakness," e.g. sitting down, lying down, taking a nap - for no other reason that gosh darn it...our body really feels like it needs it...is the listening that personally I think we really need to do. And, boy, after six weeks on this forum, you are SO right about every-body having their own pace of recovery! Back to the muscles...yes, they've been really, really traumatized. Can't emphasize that enough. But they heal! yay!
: ) I can't comment on the pain meds, because I'm the health freak (every family has one) who avoids them, but do I still hurt seven weeks later? Sometimes, like last night (pushed the walk and stood for too long in my son's school gym), I almost cry. But those are more and more rare. We'll get there...you included!!!
Andy, could I please ask - 12-14 months post-op, are there any things that you avoid doing, e.g internally rotating the operated leg/hip, knees to chest?
Senora, I found that it helped to look at it in the opposite way, that if you DO do it (the laundry, floor washing, etc.), your recovery won't get done! See if you can get more help from able-bodied other people. If not, then try to get along without doing those chores as long as possible. And if you are doing other PT-type exercises, you can stop those. Good luck!
I appreciated this reply too Andy. I am 10 weeks post first THR and it is good to undertake the full recovery curve -esp as I hope to have the 2nd one done in August.
Thanks very much for the excellent explanation on trajectory and best wishes for all the future activities you contemplate.
Linda
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Hi Senora,
I have been bedevilled by knee tightness and swelling throughout (I am 10 weeks). However my PT started me working to loosen and strengthen my IT band and hamstrings and this has really helped (simple exercises and rolling pin to work out the tightness; not hard but needs lots of regular repetition).
It may well be that you have been overdoing (not sure any of us has missed pushing it just 'that much too far' sometime in their recovery. We are all anxious to get back to normal life and INDEPENDENCE! But ... it us really hard to do it successfully if you don't also pace yourself and rest the bod.
I urge you strongly to talk to your physiotherapist about your knee to ensure nothing else serious is going on and to get advice on how to manage this problem.
I hope it is an easy fix, and that your recovery goes smothly after.
Cheers and don't let this get you down.
Thankyou Hun I know I need to take care of me right now so I am going to stop worrying about the dishes, clothes and worth about me. I'm in pain mode right is I called dr office just for them to tell me that it isnirmal for front and back if thigh to still be tight and stiff or that maybe I over did with the walki hand they set me up with an appointment for Thursday am so now I'm wondering if he thinks somethings not right😥
Thank you Hun so glad I joined this it helps to know your not alone and to have people to talk to who understand what your going through and do t just think your crazy 😊
Thank you Linda going to surgeon Thursday am really worried all I did was call to see if it was normal for the tightness in the thigh which so many others have had a c they called me back to come in. Keep fingers crossed . I wil let everyone know what I find out
Hi senora
I have tightness in the back of my leg and I'm 14 weeks post op. I just think it's because you are working our muscles to try to get them back to normal.
Keep up the exercising and walking and try massaging the tight muscles. I find this helps.
Brenda x
That's possible - I know I overdo it at times as I get impatient to get back to normal... then have to call a rest day! :-)