pain to outside/lateral part of hip....8 weeks post op

[bayline8]

  hello   I am new to the board and 8 weeks post op....I am a 44 year old otherwise healthy fit male( at least pre-op) and have a question for the board....I have the normal startup stiffness... but when I walk for any length of time the lateral aspect of my hip feels painfull..not in the way of sore muscles or tendons... but the lateral part of the JOINT feels like it takes the brunt of my weight...its like the biomechanics have changed and I am edge loaded lateraly....has anyone had this same sensation post op....I apreciate any help...I realize I am early so I dont need that part of the answer so too speak but I am just fearfull this could be a biomechanics thing ..thanks in advance for any help

[bayline8]

 no one??

[Todd]

I've spent too much time during recovery wondering if everything was "normal".  There will continue to be pain and stiffness, and I'm told that the healing of the soft tissue will continue for 1 year.  At that point, any excessive pain and problems should be addressed, but my doctor was pretty clear that this is a long process of getting back to normal, and although some joint pain is gone, there may be other pain that takes it's place as our bodies recover.  Take your time and don't be in too big a hurry.  Take note of the improvements you have seen thus far and continue to build on them.  All that said, you know your body better than anyone else, so if you feel that something is truly wrong, get it checked out.  Good luck.

[John C]

I do not know if this is exactly what you are describing, but during the first six weeks, I had significant discomfort/pain over the greater trochanter when I was walking. (The greater trochanter is that bony bump that you feel on the outside of your hip, and is actually a few inches or more from the actual joint.) Mine started going away at about 6-8 weeks, and at 11 months, it is almost never an issue. If it is soft tissue, it might not hurt to consult a really good sports PT, to explore some exercises to help the process.

[kwarendorf]

I discovered that it was a good thing that I was consulting with someone who had actually gone to medical school, rather than relying on self diagnosis :) I'm not trying to be a smart ass. At one point I was convinced that my operated leg was now significantly longer than the non-operated leg. At another point I knew that the pain I was experiencing in my groin was caused by a mechanical problem with my new hip. In both cases my doctor was able to talk me back from the ledge.

I am at 12 + weeks and things have settled down. Now that I am less focused on each twinge I can start to understand the level of physical damage required to resurface a hip. I suspect that the strongest part of the anatomy, immediately post op, is the hip joint itself. I suspect that if anything were wrong with my joint, rather than the surrounding soft tissue, the pain would have been excruciating. I would check with your surgeon, but if you can walk for a distance before the onset of your symptoms I think you will be able to walk through them.

Just one non medically educated man's opinion.

[bayline8]

kwarendorf..thats so funny bec. I am convinced( and want nothing more than to be talked off of the ledge) that my operated leg is shorter and that my groin pain is mechanical....but unfortunatly I have had medical opinion that the cup and device are not placed optimaly..only another surface hippy can understand the concern/fear because so much is at stake....I would love nothing more than to be on the other end of this helping other people with their concerns