Swelling

[jwtoto]

Hi there,

I am at 24 days post op. Of course, there still is quite bit of swelling around the incision area and deep inside, I imagine. There may even been some swelling in my upper leg and knee, although it is minor.  How long was it until the last signs of swelling had gone down in your case? When the swelling had gone down did you notice an improvement in your range of motion and flexibility?

                                                Jerry

[resurface]

Jerry

I am 3 days post op.  I have swelling closest to the incision and down by my knee.  Same.  Nothing major.  I am doing 6 ROM and strength exercises 3x daily that seem to improve daily.  ROM should improve when swelling goes down. 

Todd

[jwtoto]

Hi Todd,

I am pretty sure that swelling is one of the biggest limitations to movement after this operation (that and having your muscles and tendons cut and reattached). Sometimes the swelling takes a while to go down with surgery (I have had other surgeries for other reasons and noticed this.) It will be interesting to get a reply from someone who is at a point where all the swelling has gone down. I have a feeling that for all the swelling to go away you have to wait about a year, but maybe I am wrong.

                    Jerry

[Jim1957]

I had a lot of swelling for the first month or so.  I'm 6 months post now and still have a very small amount but I have full motion.

[fenceman]

I believe Most of the swelling was gone by the 8 week mark.  My leg looked pretty normal by the 6 month mark except it was flat where the incision was located.  By a year that area has filled in.

My leg looked like a sausage for a while after surgery and was very difficult to move because of the swelling.
Bill

[jwtoto]

Hi Bill,

Did you, by any chance, feel that the back of your knee was swollen? I have that sensation. I am pretty sure that inside the joint there is swelling too. For example, the tissues that form the capsule and the cut tendons. According to my operative report they cut the gluteus maximus tendon, the periformis tendon and the conjoined tendons as well as the front and back capsule tissues. Quite a bit of cutting. Anyway, it all feels pretty swollen right now. I am icing multiple times each day.

                             Jerry

[resurface]

Yesterday the PT added an exercise that she said will help to reduce the swelling:  lying on my back: (1) pump / flex ankle and calf next (2) pump thigh then (3) pump glute.  About 20 contractions before moving to each stage.  This plus elevation.

Jerry - can't comment as my surgeon uses an anterior lateral incision and avoids the glutes. 

[jwtoto]

Hi Todd,

You are, what, 5 days post op now? How much are you moving around?

                            Jerry

[resurface]

Jerry

Hi.  I am all over my house.  Up and down stairs.  I use crutches whenever I am mobile. I am not driving yet.  I have no limitations.

How about yourself?

[jwtoto]

Well, today is day 27 post op for me. This morning I rode my mountain bike which I have on a trainer in the garage for 20 minutes. I'll do that again this evening. After each workout, I stretch with 5 basic stretches and then I ice for 20 minutes. I just got back from a 1 mile walk. I used a single crutch to take a bit of weight off during that. I'll do one more shorter walk later on. Also this afternoon I am going to do my upper body workout with light dumbbells. And tomorrow I'll do a bit of easy swimming for about 20 minutes. So far I am going real easy on the exercises but I am still doing something everyday. I live in a second story house so when I go upstairs I use the crutch and banister to help but moving around the kitchen and stuff I just walk unassisted. So far it still hurts in and around my hip, upper leg, and even a bit on my calf. I think my case is one of those unlike the ones where people have reported no pain just a few days after the surgery. This surgery really kicked my butt (literally).

                                           Jerry

[resurface]

Jerry

Seems like you are doing a lot and are highly driven.  Are you able to walk without any limp [even 50 yards]?  I am only a few days into this [and hardly an expert] but is it possible that you are pushing too hard?  DO you still see a professional PT person?

Todd

[jwtoto]

Hi,

Actually, my doctor has his patients hold off on PT until about week 5 or so. Although it may seem like I am really working out hard, I actually am not doing much. I ride the bike at low resistance and crank very slowly. When I walk I go easy and slow taking many rests. For me, I feel better if I move. The worst for me is sitting or lying down for extended periods. I tend to get stiff. That is why I raised the swelling issue. I think that by moving about the swelling doesn't build up so much. But, there is a point of diminishing returns and I have found that point several times in my recovery so far. That is when I adjust and go easier or rest. As a matter of fact I just adjusted a bit the last couple of days, so I'll see how this new level of activity works.

                    Jerry

[fenceman]

Yes, my leg including the back of my knee was swollen.  The next weird thing was to watch the bruise move down my leg until it was finally absorbed and healed.  The first 10 days I was given a few PT exercises like pull the knee up and squeeze the muscles in the leg.  After that I was told to walk and ride stationary bike but I  did not have any formal PT.  Absolutely no weight lifting with my leg for almost a year because of the chance to break my femur head.  My doctor had a patient that snapped his femur head around the 6 month point doing heavy leg presses (against his orders).  He said there was no pain to warn him until it snapped.

At 6 weeks I was told to do side leg lifts (abduction?) to strengthen by hip so I would not have any limp.  I thought it was funny I could do a 100 on my good side but could barely do 10 on the new hip and it hurt.  These exercises hid help fill in the muscles around the incision.

Remember everybody heals at different rates.  Listen to your body and don't overdue it.  A lot of active people (not everyone) have this procedure because they overdid it during their life and wore out their hip, I being one of them.
Bill

[jwtoto]

Hi Bill,

Thanks for the advice. I really like your common sense, cautious approach to healing from this surgery. Like you, I spent a lifetime destroying my hip, and I don't expect it to be all better overnight. I can wait a year or so to get back to what I'd like to do. There is no rush. In the meantime, I feel so fortunate not to have the restrictions that THR surgery imposes. 

About the swelling. I assume you are over a year post-op. Do you have any residual swelling now?

                                  Jerry

[fenceman]

I am 20 months out and doing very well.  There is no swelling and the incision area has filled in.  Except for the 8" scar you couldnt tell which leg I had done.  Even at this point I still notice improvement.  I got my one year clearance from the Dr. in August of last year and went slalom water skiing 1 week later.  I was worried I would crash and I would see my leg still sticking out of the waterski when I came up but its still attached.

I am 46 and still do moderate weight lifting 2 times a week to keep tone. I also coach soccer, cycle about once a week, and still do Chinese Martial arts although not like I use to. 

My other hip is showing signs of wear on the xrays but it feels good if I don't overdue it and the above activities do not bother it. 

[jwtoto]

Good for you, Bill

Sounds like you have a very successful recovery going. I be looking forward to the day that I can return to the things I like to do. What does your doctor say about the strength of you femoral neck at this stage in your recovery? Is it as strong as it was before the surgery?

                            Jerry

[fenceman]

At one year the Dr. Brooks removed all restrictions including weight lifting.  He explained to me that after the surgery and for sometime, the femoral neck was like the wire on a paper clip.  You can bend the paper clip only so many times and then it snaps.  The scary part is you may not feel major pain until this happens.  He said the strain of squats or leg presses puts this kind of pressure on the neck.   But, I have heard of some people doing weight lifting at 6 months without a problem.

[jay]

I am day 6. I did not have any swelling until day 4 and then it came on. My butt, hip and knee grew about 1 1/2 on day 6 I did my exercises and got in the car and went to shop and when I got back the swelling was down by half. Black and blue on inner thigh hip and butt.
I am lucky I have very little pain but am like a race horse I want to go. It is hard to hold myself down. Mental now!