10 weeks after hip surfacing surgery and the muscle around the scar is very tight and limiting movement and flexibility. Is anyone else experiencing the same and what can be done to relax the muscle?
I was told to swim as much as possible (especially breast stroke) from 6/52 onwards as that is when the new scar tissue/muscles has a tendency to contract if not used enough which can then cause stiffness, limited movement, also massage the area with something like bio oil
In addition to a stationery bicycle or perhaps an elliptical trainer (or swimming, if you kick a lot), you might ask your surgeon and your PT about massage of the area around the incision to break up scar tissue as well as the muscles around the hip. I found this to be tremendously helpful, although it's also painful.
A nurse told my wife to put vaseline on the scar and massage the area to help loosen it up because after 7 weeks I'm still pretty stiff. We've been doing it for a week and I've noticed the area has loosened but the scar hasn't changed. It'll probably take a little longer. I have to also admit that my wife has strong hands (Texas farm girl) so the first couple of days she did the massage it hurt so much I'm pretty sure I saw the face of God. I'm getting used to it now.
Remember that scar goes all the way to the bone! In my case the scars went all the way to the bone. My PT recommended deep massaging the scar which in my case felt great because my scars itched to the bone as they healed and massaging them scratched the itch. Even now at almost a year out when I do something new like ski race my scars start itching as the muscles heal.
What helped me was stretching to give me more range of motion and the work my PTs did to break loose by hip capsul. I don't think it was the scars holding me back as much as the healing muscles and tissue and the range of motion I lost over the years as the arthritis took over my hips. I have a long way to go but I've come a long way too.
Good Luck.
Ted Roberts, BHR Bi-Lat, Dr. Nelson, MPLS, MN 1-7-09
I have a huge lump of scar tissue around the outside of my left hip 1 year post-op. Also pain and stiffness around the site, especially when I try to externally rotate the hip. Also, when I bend over and then try to keep my leg straight as I stand up I feel this strange movement with slight pain round the outside of the hip joint. If you are standing there watching me, you can actually see the movement in the joint. It almost looks like the hip is dislocating slightly, but since the metal ball is on the inside of the hip, not the outside, this is not the case. But something is not moving properly over the outside hip bone.
My theory is that the lump of scar tissue is/has attached to that outside tendon perhaps and when I move in certain ways is pulling the tendon over the outside hip bone causing the weird sliding movement which in turn is causing inflammation in that outer tendon, which is causing me pain.
I am going to have an MRI of the area to try to see if I can get to the bottom of this and figure out what exactly is going on, to see if I can determine what is causing the pain and how can I alleviate it.
If anyone has had any similar issues or can offer suggestions I would love to hear them. lately I have been in a lot of pain, almost as much as before I had the resurfacing.
My scar does itch on occasion, so I bought some vitamin E oil from Ebay to rub into it.
I have only doing it for a few days, so I can't tell you whether it's making a huge difference.
It's also greasy!!!
can I ask why you bought vit E from ebay !!!! last place I'd buy anything like that, you can just go into any chemist, supermarket and get something, bio-oil really good.