I'm back in the office today, 13 days after RBHR and 41 days after LBHR.  I actually started working full time from my home office on Monday.

I had a posterior approach, but the incision is on the side.  Most of the pain due to surgery has resolved, but still a sort of painful knot under the incision.  Muscle pain increasing in the quads and IT band after a week and a half or so, similar to my first procedure, but this may be due to PT exercises for strength and ROM(?).  And my whole leg gets sore if I keep it in one position for too long and then try to move it.

The thing that's different from my first procedure it this.  After sitting in my desk chair for half the day or so (I do get up and walk around occasionally) my butt (gluteus maximus?) gets really sore like I've been sitting on a cement bench for a couple of days.  This started at home yesterday, and putting a soft pillow on the chair sort of helped, but what I really had to do is lie down on the bed for a while.  Can't do that here at the office.

I'm wondering if this is some consequence of the surgery, or maybe just from not sitting a lot for a few weeks.  Anybody else here experience soreness in the glutes developing after a week or two?

Wow - trying to sit all day 13 days post op sounds tough.  I would never had been able to do that.  I think you are expecting too much too soon.  I could only sit an hour or two at a time comfortable at the computer at that time.  I am surprised you are not getting swelling in your hip and/or leg.  I don't think there is any solution to your problem except to stop doing it until your hip heals more.  You had major surgery and I am surprised your surgeon would let you try to work that quickly. 

I don't have any suggestion for you except to get up every hour and walk.  Ice it at work and keep your leg propped up on a chair.  You can't push your body to heal by willing it to heal - it has it's own timeline.

Good Luck.

Pat

Having that pain in your butt can last a while, I've had that off and on for over 2 years... I actually do better being up than sitting down.  That's about the only time I know I had the surgery.

BTW-- 2 weeks post op and you are back to work?  You are doing really well.  I like Pat was still wiped out @2 weeks.

Good job, don't worry bout the pain in your butt, it's merely just a pain in the butt  ;D


Chuck

I was advised not to sit for more than 20 minutes at a time for the first 6 weeks, also to lie flat for 20 minutes twice a day to stretch out the scar tissue. I would get up and do some ROM exercises or walk about a bit. I did this even after I returned to work, I would even stop the car after 20 minutes and stretch my legs. All the restrictions became irrelevant at 6 1/2 weeks so the advice was spot on. If you want a quick recovery you need to devote yourself to the rehab and just fit everything else round it. Pain in the first 6 weeks is nothing to worry about anyway.

None of these limitations when done with an anterior / lateral approach! There is also little to no concern with dislocation. 

I had the posterior approach on both sides and the only dislocation restrictions I was given were 120 degrees flexion (not likely to go there anyway) and inward rotation.  Also to put a pillow between my knees when sleeping on my side (I was doing this before the surgery).

I was sitting for extended periods in the second week after both procedures with no real problems.  I do get up and walk around occasionally and also do some of my standing PT exercises.  Swelling in the area of the incision was gone within a a week after surgery.  The only other swelling I had was behind and just above the knee if sitting in a chair or standing too long.  This would go away within 30 minutes by lying down with ice, and was no longer a problem at all after about day 10.  

I did get a little tired yesterday, and went home early at about 3:00 p.m. and am working from home today.  This also is just like my first procedure experience, where I got tired the first day at the office, but was back full time in week 3.  Luckily for me, my wonderful wife works in the same office as I do and is a great driver.

You are still doing well to be able to go back to work.... 2 weeks post op I was sleeping in till 10 and napping in the afternoon.


Chuck

Quote from: obxpelican on March 25, 2011, 11:25:51 AM
You are still doing well to be able to go back to work.... 2 weeks post op I was sleeping in till 10 and napping in the afternoon.


Chuck

I would love to do that, but can't really afford the time off. 

I guess I must be a fast healer, but I think it also says a lot about the skill of Dr. Ball and this team.

I jabe that pain in my butt too!  I get a weird feeling deep in my butt...the first time imfelt it was a couple weeks into recovery...don't remember feeling it right after the surgery.  I seems to come and go and I'm not sure what triggers it.  Maybe sitting too long?  It isn't really a pain as much as a slight tight feeling or a pulling feeling?  Hard to describe.  So I might have it for years?  I hope it goes away!

At least I know it's normal....the first time I felt it I was worried it was one of the implants ..... Moving or coming loose... But I quickly figured it was just one of those weird healing things....

If the worst thing I have when I am healed is a minor butt ache...I'll consider myself healed!!  Right before my surgery, even walking up my slightly incli Ed driveway hurt like nuts...today I walked up the driveway on no cane, no nothing, and I felt perfect!  Amazing!

Is the butt pain from a muscle being cut?  Moved? A nerve? Is it the tissues touching the implant?  Just curious what it is?

Whatever you are doing, keep doing it.  You are only going to get stronger as the weeks go on.


Chuck

Quote from: FlbrkMike on March 25, 2011, 11:58:58 AM

Quote from: obxpelican on March 25, 2011, 11:25:51 AM
You are still doing well to be able to go back to work.... 2 weeks post op I was sleeping in till 10 and napping in the afternoon.


Chuck

I would love to do that, but can't really afford the time off. 

I guess I must be a fast healer, but I think it also says a lot about the skill of Dr. Ball and this team.

I believe in the posterior approach they release the gluteus maximus tendon and re-attach it (can someone put me straight if I've got this wrong). In the anterior approach the gluteus medius is cut, I never fancied that much.

Before surgery I used to work on my glutes with the handle of a screwdriver! I now have a plastic massage tool which is very effective.

I am definitely no more of an expert than you are, but I think that it is in the antero-lateral (which is sometimes confused with the direct anterior) approach in which the medius is cut. Many surgeons do not like to use the antero-lateral approach because of concerns with this sometimes causing a permanent limp if the medius does not heal properly. I am pretty sure that the direct anterior approach will not involve the medius at all.

Yes it was the antero-lateral approach referred to by resurface1 above. Mr Latham described his approach as postero-lateral.

Mike I got the same pain. It feels like a baseball in my butt. My Girlfriend says I am a pain in the A#$ so I just took it literally (just kidding). I think the Butt pain is part of the course. It hurts more than my hip.

The butt squeezes help out a little. I think we need some Butt massages. I will try to sell this one to my GF this weekend when she comes over.

I added some kick backs to my PT and they feel ok.  Our glutes were poked, prodded and now they are plump. Just keep squeezing those cheeks.

I just read Pat's post. I don't think we should be sitting so much. I have a fluffy pillow under my chair but I know I am overdoing it.  I just sit here and read everthing, play scrabble and Red ALert (Real Time Strategy Game). I walked a mile today with a cane and felt good to get off my butt.  I just have to travel to Cali (I live in the DC area) for business on the 11th. My doc said it was ok and just to walk around the plane. I am stopping in Denver so I can get some movement. I just want to get the muscles ready for this task. For now - 1,2,3, squeeze.

 ;D

I'm doing a lot of those butt squeezes too.  I wish I could do some more walking but my doc has me on restricted weight bearing until my follow-up next Wednesday, so I'm on two crutches.  I'll have to admit, though, I've cheated a few times around the house and I can walk fine on both hips -- which makes the crutches all the more frustrating! 

Our office manager bought me a memory foam seat pad for my office chair yesterday, and it seems to help.  I think the butt massage sounds like a good idea, and I will probably make that suggestion to my wife.  She works in the same office that I work in, but I may have a hard time convincing her to accommodate me during work hours.

My PT massaged my butt a few times at week 2.5 and I think it helped.  He also had some students from the local college in there watching, it was sort of weird but kinda funny. 

Mike - I really think the sitting thing is gonna be tough for awhile.  I guess I'm sitting fine now (at 5 weeks post op) for long periods and that was only one side.  My problem is the stiffness in the new joint if I don't get off my duff and move a little.  Maybe with bi-lat in a 5 week span, your left glut is still a little tender?  and it's now taking all the weight, or most of it?  At 13 days, I was often sitting more on my non-surgical side.  It took about 3 weeks or more before it was comfortable to sit squarely and evenly.   

Hey my GF couldn't make it over this weekend so no butt massage.  I wonder if Massage Envy would ave any objections? It might be the best 45 I ever spent.

she's coming over in a few - wish me luck

So, how'd it go?

I'm gonna have to really start complaining about butt pain and see if the OL wil get interested.

she wanted to go the movies instead.... I going to by a hand held massager.