RANGE OF MOVEMENT

[paul]

Hi all , i had my hip resurfaced 4 weeks ago . I don't have any more range in my joint movement than pre-op . How long before what you get is what you have ? thanks Paul

[sgoulet]

Hey Paul,

I am exactly one month post op.  I also have limited ROM in my hip area.  I can say that my hip area has a lot less pain than before.  For instance, I can cross my legs, sit in a half "indian style" with operated leg, with limited pain when it used to be very bad pain. 

In general, my groin is still very tight, my glutes and very tight and my thigh muscles are still very tender on the front and side of my thigh.  Worst pain is in the middle of the night when I have to get out of bed and in the morning when I wake up.  I get better progressively throughout the day.

I had the direct anterior approach with the incision being on the front of my thigh starting about 3" above groin level.

Since we are both 1 month post op, tell me about your recovery -- How are you walking?  Where is the pain?  Have you started PT or rehab on your own? 

Steve

[obxpelican]

Hi Paul,

My ROM was horrendous pre-op.... I could not put both legs together flat on the bed, I could not even put on a pair of socks pre-op.  When I awoke from my surgery and looked down under the covers my legs were both flat on the bed and together.  At 7 weeks I could put a pair of socks on, my range of motion is still not perfect but getting better all the time @ 5 months post-op.  At 7 weeks I played my first round of golf but my ROM then was not near to what it is now.

With that said.

WARNING Do not judge yourself by anyone else, everyone heals at a different rate, everyone rehabs at a different rate.  Just because your range of motion is not someone else's does not mean failure it just means that you are different, besides you did not start out the same as other people.  Also, don't listen to snake oil "patient advocates" who will tell you that Dr. X operated on athlete Y and that athlete ran a marathon @ 8 weeks.... that is not even close to the norm.

Relax for now, if at 8 weeks things are not better than what you are now, you might want to consider some PT... a lot of doctors don't want their patients doing much in the way of PT before 6 weeks anyhow.

Above all, listen to your doctor.


Chuck

[obxpelican]

Since we are both 1 month post op, tell me about your recovery -- How are you walking?  Where is the pain?  Have you started PT or rehab on your own? 

Steve

Those are really good points Steve, Paul, how are you progressing on those points?


Chuck

[Mudpro]

Hey Paul,

I am exactly one month post op.  I also have limited ROM in my hip area.  I can say that my hip area has a lot less pain than before.  For instance, I can cross my legs, sit in a half "indian style" with operated leg, with limited pain when it used to be very bad pain....

Steve

You are 4 weeks post-op and can cross your legs and sit indian style   

I'm 4 1/2 weeks and my ROM is getting better every day, but NOTHING like that.  I'm just now getting close to the 90 degree bend angle.

[John C]

From my experience, and what I have read, 4 weeks is way to early to have any concerns about range of motion. Prior to surgery, it had been at least 15 years since I could sit "indian style", cross one leg over the other to tie a shoe, flex my knee anywhere near my chest, or straighten my leg out if I was lying down. I actually passed out from the pain during an MRI before surgery, in which the tech insisted on tying my ankles together to align my legs. My surgeon discouraged any aggressive stretching for the first six weeks, so at four weeks the changes were not dramatic, though I could lie with my leg straight unlike before. After six weeks, I started seeing gradual changes as I increased the stretching. At seven months, I continue to see very slow,  but steady, progress. I do not know if I will ever be able to sit cross legged again, but I am 50% closer than I was at four weeks, and positive change continues.
One thing that I heard from my doctor and others, is that there is a very strong relationship between how long you lived with restricted ROM, and how fast and how much comes back. I am grateful for each little 1/8" that I gain.

[paul]

hi all , thanks for the advice . My resurfacing has left me with about a 9 inch scar down my buttocks . The surgeon explained that he severred 4 muscles at the hip joint that were later reattatched with a stitch . i am still mildly swollen in the buttocks . I feel my thigh muscle has less volume than pre-op but i may be imagining that . When will i have enough range to bring my knee up to my chest ? Also , can i take a flight overseas yet ? thanks