8 days out - muscle pain side of quad

[new wheels]

Today is the 1 week anniversary for the 1st of 2 BHR surgeries (Left 06/10/2011, Right TBD). Very happy and satisfied w surgery.  Much improvement over last 7 days.  Still have swelling in hip/butt.  No pain at joint. For the last 2 days I have had extreme muscle tightness/pain on the side of my quad from right above the knee to mid quad. The muscle pain is keeping me from dropping down to 1 crutch and stand 100% weight on new resurface.
I have been religious with the few PT exercises given post op ...
-Quad / glute sets - tighten quad/glute hold for 5 sec relax
-heel slides
-hip abduction
-leg raise
-knee flexion
I also get up regularly move/walk around assisted w/ crutches, Ice a few times a day, elevate, etc.  I have been told to avoid movements that cross legs, or move operated foot past belly button.
Any suggestions or best practices anyone can share to aid with the muscle tightness would be greatly appreciated.

Male, 32
Left resurface 06-10-11
Right resurface - date TBD

[lori.36]

I think this is your IT band.  I had to get a massage to help me out.  Your PT or a really good deep tissue massage on the spot would help out.

I also used Begay on the spot, it was sore for two days and then went away. 

Best of luck.

[FlbrkMike]

I had that same IT band pain after both surgeries.  The best way I could describe it was that it felt like somebody had kicked me really hard about 12 times on the side of my thigh.  It really was the worst part of the post-surgical pain, and it went away after about a week. 

My physical therapist rolled it with a foam roller a few times, which was even more excruciatingly painful.  I'm not sure if it helped or not but I always felt a lot better when she stopped.   

[hernanu]

Agree with Mike and Lori. It's IT band pain, the best thing for me was massage, icing and then in about a month, start lightly stretching it (PT helped me to do this).

[new wheels]

Thanks for the feedback - I have been icing, elevating and minimal use.  I go back for 2 week check up & staple remove on Friday.  Hopefully it will be healed up by then.

[Denver_wrench]

I have a fairly sharp burny pain in my quad that I had assumed was where they dissected the muscle. It has gotten much better, especially with the quad exercises. What is the IT band? Is it a resurfacing issue specific to computer programmers?