Glute pain/atrophy

[Shannon]

So I'm 5 years post-surgery and have struggled with glute pain ever since. My left butt cheek looks like someone took an ice cream scoop and carved out half of it. I'm wondering if anyone else has had this issue. I could care less what it looks like from an aesthetic view, but it seems that I cannot get my strength back and I still have pain, all things I was told would not be the case post-surgery. So I am wondering if something might have gone wrong with my surgery and I was never told. Perhaps a muscle was cut that shouldn't have been? Also, I was never given physical therapy. Is that normal?

[blinky]

Doesn't sound normal. I'd talk to my doctor first, then go see a PT---a good PT. It could be a very specific issue that targeted attention could help resolve if it is a muscle problem.

[jd]

Depending on the approach it's very normal for glutes to be cut in some manner, and a decent number of (but not all) surgeons do not routinely recommend physical therapy.


However, your symptoms don't seem like a normal recovery and I think you need help from a PT to target those muscles now.

[Shannon]

I have done PT. I started it about 2 years after the surgery. It has not seemed to help. Any other suggestions?

[djganz]

Have you talked with your surgeon?  What does he/she say?

[MattJersey]

Before my surgery with Mr McMinn I "accidentally" watched him doing the procedure on YouTube. In his commentary he notes that if something isn't done right (can't recall what exactly, obduraters, external rotators, or something) it does the patient no favours at all. I seem to recall those specific words, and associated it with a mental image of what you seem to describe below, wasted glutes.


Might be worth a watch for you, help find something to follow up on maybe?

[JHippy]

Doesn't sound right to me either, Shannon. I second consulting with your surgeon as well as getting some second opinions.

[karlos.bell]

Hi Shannon sorry to hear of your pain.... Was this for a THR or a HR??? Yes the gluts should not be cut to preserve the Gluts!!  My Piriformis was cut instead... Yes mine also looks like ice cream scoops but they are working. Dr De Smet does not cut the gluts for this factor. You need to find out if the Glut was cut with your operation report?? You need to find a PT specific with hip rehabilitation to find out what is crook. Need to find if it is Glut min, Glut max, Glut med and I am no physio. Start asking around come back to us, see what you can find out about your self.... Cheers K

[jd]

To be clear though, there are many glutes, and each approach (anterior, antero-lateral, posterior) affect different muscles.


For example, Dr Gross uses a posterior approach that splits the gluteus maximus, and also requires some of the external rotators to be detached from the bone then re-attached (which takes up to 6 weeks to heal). Nonetheless, most patients have excellent long-term results and no real hip muscle deficits.


Basically, it's a complicated question, but the approaches suggested above of following up seem like clearly a good idea.

[John C]

I am six years out, and very happy with the results. However, I continue to have some weakness on that side, particularly in the glutes, with some minor discomfort if I focus on them in doing something like one legged squats. For example, if I do one legged squats or step ups with hand weights where I could do 20 reps on my non-surgery side, I can usually only do 12 or 15 on the resurfaced side with lots of sensations around the glutes. I am not aware of this affecting me during most activities, but it is evident in the gym.

[Shannon]

I did go back after 2 years and explained it to the doctor. It was a very odd conversation. At the time, I just thought he was distracted. Now I'm wondering if he was hiding something. I kept telling him that I was having much pain and couldn't get my strength back. He just kept telling me it would always look like that. It wasn't until I very emphatically told him I didn't care what it looked like, that I hadn't driven 8 hours to chat about the aesthetics of my butt. That it HURT was why I was there. He then said that it may always hurt. This was not what I was told pre-surgery. I'm thinking about seeing another doctor who has experience in HR and see what they think.


Thanks for all the helpful suggestions!