4 year post-op problem

[livendive]

My right hip turned 4 a couple of weeks ago and my left hip will reach the same milestone in early March. I've been happy with the outcome, resuming almost all of my pre-OA activities, including hiking, skydiving, snowboarding, etc.  My only limitations have been running (left hip seizes up after a half mile or so) and external rotation (it's remained weak even with PT, so I generally use my hands to assist for things like crossing legs, or a variety of moves in PiYo class).  That said, 10 days ago I was snowboarding with my wife and developed some sort of problem.  We were on the chair, with my right foot strapped to my board and left foot not...that's uncomfortable, so I generally rest the back of the board on the toes of my left foot to "balance the load" so to speak...a normal part of every chair ride.  Getting the board there requires lifting the right leg a bit, quickly rotating externally to swing the back of the board forward, then slipping left foot under it as it falls back down.  In this instance, that caused a sharp pain somewhere in my right hip.  I didn't think much of it.  Then the next chair ride, my wife was a little clumsy with her ski poles, did something goofy to my board (not sure what), and there was another pain in my right hip, sharp enough to make me yelp.  Still, I finished out the day and went home mildly sore.  Over the next couple of days I was more muscle sore than expected and rather than just quads & calves, the right side had low back/glut and hip flexor area pain. On day 3 (a week ago) things seem to have fallen off a cliff.

There's quite a bit of pain in the SI joint area and in the front of my right hip and in the groin, and excruciating pain going down my right thigh. IT band has been tight as a drum, same with the tendons on the front of the hip and whatever that thing is that connects the quad muscle to the top of the knee.  The skin is 95+ percent numb along the lateral length of my thigh which is almost assuredly impingement of the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve (LFCN), but also down the front and extending to the inside of my thigh, which would seem to come from some nerve other than the LFC.  Sleeping is difficult and intimidating, as I know that waking up will be miserable...getting up to use the bathroom, or let the dogs out, or just make coffee in the morning sets off episodes of intolerable pain that I have difficulty working through. Like all my muscles are cramping up while also being on fire and the two joints are being sanded with 80 grit paper.  I went to my PCP the day this started, she sent me for a lumbar MRI which revealed severe compression of L5-S1 disc, but I think that's a red herring. She also sent me to an anesthesiologist, who I saw yesterday, and he agreed with me that the spine is not the source.  I begged him to give me a lidocaine+cortizone injection along the LFCN, and that does seem to have calmed the IT band a bit, but I'm still miserable. I scheduled an SI cortisone injection with him for Feb 7th, but I'm not hopeful that will resolve anything other than the SI joint pain.  I can't shake the feeling that the rest of this is a result of doing something bad to my hip.  Subluxation or acetabulum loosening seem like they could produce these symptoms, but also seem pretty unlikely given the simple onset motion.  I'm thinking of emailing my surgeon (Dr Pritchett), but 4 years later I doubt he'll even remember me, much less have any idea what's going on without an office visit, which would require insurance hoops and a long drive.

TLDR - Has anyone else here experienced sudden onset extreme pain this far out from an otherwise normal recovery?  If so, were you able to pinpoint a cause?

[MattJersey]

Perhaps X ray of hips is a priority and comparison to four years back might expose an obvious issue ... And maybe if sent to Dr P perhaps he might be able to reassure you that it is a muscle problem and you need to rest and then work on gradual rehab exercises.

Good luck, I hope it s not what you fear, and I'm staying optimistic. I imagine in your shoes I would be fearing the worst and I hope that is all it is: fear.

[jimbone]

As a Pritchett patient myself I would suggest his conscientious approach to outcome would include a concern that the problem be fully addressed and resolved.  The office will have your records available.  The pain sounds extreme and needs to be examined now, insurance hoops or not.

[Saddlepal3]

Definitely contact Dr. Pritchett. He’ll have your records. He advised me after 12 years had lapsed. He may want to see an MRI, but he’ll advise you what he needs. Good luck. Let us know what you learn.

[karlos.bell]

Hi Livendive.
My opioin is dont try and be your own specilist too much.
Server compression of the s1 - L5 disc can cause grion pain - numbness - weakness .
You could have 2 problems so always look out for more than 1 issue.
You could also have a hip issue. They go hand in hand together.
That is why I had 2 replaced disc's before I had hip surgery as I was hard on my back in my younger days. I am not now reliving my youth.
Snow boarding is massively hard on twisting your back I know due I use to snow board but know will only ski.
Good luck Cheers K