Leg Pain at Seven Weeks Post-Op

[tennisgirl]

Hi All,

It's been just over seven weeks since my surgery, and I still have pain at the top of my leg and some pain in my buttock area.  My thigh on the operated side is still somewhat achy too.  Is this normal at this stage?  I've been given exercises that include straight leg lifts, but it is painful at this point and I've stopped doing them to see if the pain calms down.  I do not have pain walking.

Mindi

[Luanna]

Hi tennisgirl,
Sounds completely normal to me. Straight up leg lifts at 7 weeks sounds pretty aggressive. You are asking your entire leg to lift up without any support. I was only able to add those into my exercise routine in the last couple of weeks. I'm at 17 weeks now but I'm slow to recover compared to many people on this site who seem superhuman. :)

It sounds to me like your hip capsule is tight and that takes time to stretch out. I still have some discomfort in my butt because my gluteus medius has atrophied and will take time to strengthen. That's pretty common.

Everything you describe sounds like a normal part of the recovery process.
Luanna

[Dan L]

Mindi

When did you get off crutches etc?  I was allowed off at 6 weeks, so at week 7, I was new to walking and having similar pain as you describe.  The first few weeks of no crutches did have some more pain, from full weight bearing I think.

The incredibe folks here helped set my expectations that pain in that area, in the stage I was in then, was normal/expected.

Thx

[ScubaDuck]

That is certainly the same pain that I experienced at that point.  I was exercising regularly at that point. I was still icing a lot and occasionally taking acetaminophen.

Completely normal as far as I am concerned.

I still experience minor pain around the hip capsule and occasionally on the outside of the thigh.  This is definitely true after doing the exercises my PT has me do to specifically work that area.

Best wishes.

Dan

[tennisgirl]

Hi guys,

I was walking around with a cane at 2 12/2 weeks and was walking without one at about 3 1/2 weeks.  I did a lot of pre-hab before surgery, so I've been walking well pretty fast.  I think I'll just work on the stretching exercises I've been given and continue to ice so the leg calms down.

Thanks for the gut check, everyone!

Mindi

[Aerial]

Hi Mindi- Are talking about pain when you do the leg lift laying on your back.  If so, bend your knee, maybe even a lot at first.  This shortens the axis of rotation and should be easier to lift the leg.  Gradually work toward a straight leg.  I'm dying to know, when can you/we get back to tennis?

[tennisgirl]

I asked Dr. Gross and Lee Webb when I could go back to tennis, and both said at six months.  Dr. Gross advised me to ease my way back into the game, and start out playing matches for fun so I could stop if I needed.

I qualified for two state of Georgia USTA tournaments in May, which is at my sixth month mark.  I really want to play, but will see how I'm doing as May gets closer.  I just joined a gym so I can build up endurance slowly and be strong.  But I won't play in the tournaments if I'm not ready...don't want to rush things and hurt myself. 

I even had a dream the other night that I was playing tennis.  In the dream, I whacked the ball for a really solid return, and then realized I wasn't supposed to be playing tennis so soon!  Well, you can see I still have tennis on the brain...

Thanks for the suggestions on the leg lifts.  I think my leg may also be hurting from the two blood patches I recently had...I tensed up pretty hard both times, and the nerves in my leg went crazy during the injection.  Something you really don't want to do, but I felt I had to try just in case I did have a cerebral spinal fluid leak.

[hernanu]

Just saw this Mindi - definitely do the leg lifts with the off side knee bent for support. Much better than trying to do it flat. Also don't lift the leg past parallel with the other leg.

[PistolPete]

I"m 9 weeks post op and I'm experiencing the same discomfort that you describe.  I'm thinking it's because we're doing more and more each day/week that things are just sore.

[tennisgirl]

I am really, really sore and achy at 9 1/2 weeks.  I did stay off the elliptical this week, tried the treadmill (walking slowly) once last Tuesday instead, and I think it was a mistake.  I've been trying to ice with my machine several times a day, but am worried I've hurt myself.  I hurt all the way around starting at my groin, top of my thigh, at the incision, and at the bottom of my buttock.

Any advice, folks?...the pain is not pleasant.  Is this normal at this stage?  Do I need to be more patient?

[Luanna]

Hi tennisgirl,
It's normal most likely but really frustrating and can lead you to worrying about the implants etc. I went that route and it turned out to be over exertion and a muscle pull. Lasted 6 weeks....sigh... You're in excellent shape so you'll recup much quicker.

Be sure you rest, ice, elevate, and take it really easy for a while. You'll be fine. How are the headaches. Any relief yet?

Luanna

[Woodstock Hippy]

I think you are right to lay off the leg lifts right now and let things settle down.  You do need to do them though..  When you start up again bend your other leg and have someone help you raise the straight leg.  It won't take long to build the strength back up and you won't need the help for long.  My PT's had me doing leg lifts on day 11 with help on the right and no problem on the left.  By the end of the next week I was lifting the right just fine and lifting the left with weight.  When I finished up with them this week at 8 weeks, I was lifting 5 lb left and 4 lb right.

Don't give up on this, just back up and start over.

[tennisgirl]

Thanks...I am going to wait this out.  I was able to lift my leg pretty easily at around six weeks, but between that exercise and the elliptical, I've aggravated something.  It's just a double whammy to have an aching leg and aching head at the same time. 

Headaches are still there...

[ScubaDuck]

I still get some aches and pains at 5.5 weeks.  Definitely normal to overdue it.  The thing is to recognize bad pain and good pain.  Take it easy for awhile but stretch.

Best wishes.

Dan

[hernanu]

Hi Mindi - I still had pain from overdoing it a month or two ago. It happened when I overdid it on the treadmill followed by leg presses. It was around the same area you describe - it happened a couple of times and the pain lasted a week or so.

I had had plenty of different pains along the way, so I waited it out, no exercising, back to ice and elevate, etc. I now can do the same workout without any pain, so I think the muscles have gotten stronger so that is not an issue, but there may be other muscles, as much as I try to strengthen them that will be stressed as I do more and more. I'll just be ready to go through the recuperation.

Most likely, you pushed it and it's pushing back. Hope the headaches go away - are you taking multivitamins? My surgeon prescribed them for the duration to provide extra oomph for my body.

[mslendzion]

Hi TennisGirl,
Sorry about the headaches.  I was hoping they would have gone away.  Any luck in figuring this out or getting some releif? 

[tennisgirl]

Hey Hernan,

I am taking a multivitamin along with calcium/vitamin d supplements per Dr. Gross' recommendations.  Today my leg pain was just awful and I ended up taking some short acting Nascent (I had not taken but one pill after surgery) and it really helped take the edge off, so I decided to take another at bedtime.  I'm currently icing as I type.  I really hope it's just pain from overdoing it at the gym.  I haven't fallen or done any type of leg pounding activity since surgery.  I guess I'm just worried since this pain is really worse than the initial post operative pain.

Headaches are still there 24/7...I've learned that the type of headache I have can be caused by stress, and my only guess is my body reacted to the surgery negatively (did I internalize something????) and I have a call into my neurologist who deals with headaches to possibly try another medication as the first one made me feel not like myself.   It's just so weird as I rarely get headaches.  I don't do well with meds in general so hopefully there is something else out there to give me relief.  I am also looking into massage, acupuncture, acupressure, biofeedback, possible counseling, hell, I'll do anything to get rid of the headache.

Thanks for letting me rant about a non-hip subject. 

Mindi (watching the Australian Open, which is a wonderful diversion right now)

[hernanu]

Well Mindi - it was a thought, nothing ventured and all that. Hope you find a solution soon, must be a real pain.

I think it's pain from overdoing it, but if you're still concerned in a few days, call them up. Nothing to be gained by being worried over more than this. Having said that, I think you'll find yourself doing this every now and then until you're fully bionic, not just hips but mind also  8)

[tennisgirl]

Thanks Hernan...I just read my response earlier and don't know what happened during spell check, but I am taking Nucynta for pain, and it seems to be helping a little.  I've decided to contact Dr. Gross' office tomorrow morning for a gut check, as you said, it will probably eliminate worry, which I don't need right now!

[Luanna]

Hi Mindi,
When you check in with your neuro next ask him if what you are experiencing might be neuropathic headache pain. There should be other meds other than antidepressants to try.

Here's one you might want to ask about:
"Gabapentin/Neurontin has been shown in at least one double blinded placebo study to reduce headaches days in patients with chronic daily headache. The effect was relatively small but interesting the headaches also tended to last fewer hours as well. The medication has gained widespread use because of its tremendous safety profile and relative lack of significant serious side effects."

Luanna