3 Weeks Post Op Swelling

[nicole]

Hi,
I just had hip resurfacing almost three weeks ago. I am doing well and have gone to two PT sessions. My PT has had me on a pilates machine, a recumbant bike and an eliptiglider.  I think you would do really well on an eliptiglider - you might try that instead of squats.  Like you, I am really anxious to get back to working out. I tried to get on my bike that I set up on a trainer but couldn't figure out how to get up that high without hurting myself!  One thing I am worried about is the swelling at the incision site. I am very thin and it is really prodruding.. It is not infected and just barely bruised. I am worried that it is scar tissue. What is your experience at this stage with swelling at the incision site?
Thanks!
Nicole

[Pat Walter]

Hi Nicole

Welcome to Hip Talk and congratulations on your new hip. I gave your post a new topic of it's own.

If you are having swelling, you might want to be icing the area.  A lot of times swelling occurs because you are doing too much.  Have you talk to your PT about it?

I would try ice. You incision will stay tender for a long time.  Mine seem to have adhesions and even 5 months post when I would walk and then try to sit down - it was like the area under my incision was pulling apart.  It was a strange sensation.  It really hurt - but then would stretch out after a few minutes.

My incision itched for a long time.  I am not 1 1/2 years post op and still have itching near my butt.  It takes the surgery a really long time to heal. You are fine and nothing hurts, but I still had the itching.  My skin scars strangely.  I only had stitches and had a very clean incision and scar.

You might also just give your doctors office a call and ask about the swelling - if ice is a good solution. I imagine as long as there is reddness or infection - you might just be doing too much.  3 weeks post op is still pretty early in the game to be very active.

Good Luck and keep in touch.  If you want to write a story about your surgery, I would be happy to post it or put it on a blog so you can add to it.

Pat

[Lucia]

Nicole,

I am almost 4 weeks out, and I had a mild swelling at three weeks...a swelling only I would notice.  The area around the scar was hard, and some areas compressed.  This is my third hip surgery on this hip, so by comparison, this scar is doing great.  The others were as bad or worse at this stage and have resolved.  My PT mobes this scar regulary (very gently) to reduce adhesions under the skin.  What once was hard last week now has softened and flattened.  One side of the scar is "stuck down" more than the other, so we are working on that.  She has shown me how to do it myself.  I also use liquid vitamin e as I mobilize it.  What felt like a large splinter last week feels great now.