7 Weeks Post Op Today

[gibbcutter]

I am now completely off all meds.  Still doing PT including  band exercises and walking.  I have added a daily dose of weight training which includes knee flexion and extension and several upper body excercises.  I ride an exercise bike daily.

Have started some serious stretching. I am going slow here....slow static stretching.  The range of motion is very, very slowly coming back.

I walk with a slight limp.  When I first get up in the morning, it's excessive.

There is still pain, especially when I bring the knee up.  I am disappointed that I am not pain free but when I see where I was several weeks ago, I really can't complain.  I am looking forward to being completely pain free.

I am no longer using the cane.

[hernanu]

Good news, Gibb - is that a leg press you're doing? I started those at about seven weeks. I'd recommend a roller to work out the IT band tightness, it did wonders for me.

Make sure when you stretch that you've done warmup exercises beforehand. Being a wrestler, you probably know that, just emphasizing it, since the muscles are probably partly atrophied like mine were. The ROM comes back, just patience with it, you'll be surprised.

A limp is usual around this time, just make sure you've got support when you need it, don't want your body to learn to live with it.

The pain you feel, is it around the incision? I had issues with scar tissue there, worked it out with stretching and massage from the PT and later a massage therapist. You'll feel twitches for a while, and some pain from your body getting back to normal; remember that it took a while to get to where you were, it's not so bad to take less time to right it.

Take care, and congrats on no meds. Sounds like you're doing good things.

[ScubaDuck]

Gibbs-

Sounds like you are progressing nicely.  Is the pain muscle pain or is it due to swelling and inflammation not associated with the muscles you are working.

I am at 3 weeks and pain free except for the muscles I am stretching and working.  The funny thing is the pain moves around.  It started mostly on the outside of the quadriceps, moved to the knee, and now is worse in the groin and adductor.

The stretching should do wonders but create some pain in the short term.  And I would definitely take it easy on the weight training.

I agree with Hernanu on avoiding the limp.  I notice that I tried to graduate to the single crutch and then to the cane too quickly.  Without adequate support I had a big limp.  I added back support until the limp was barely noticeable.  I don't want to create muscle memory for a limp.  Especially since I had an unconscious limp before surgery that I need to untrain.

Best wishes as your rehab continues.

Dan

[Anniee]

Gibb, sounds like you're doing really well!  Don't worry about not being totally pain free.  My doctor told me it takes between 6 and 12 months to heal completely from the surgery, and pains here and there are to be expected.  I'm just about 4 months post-op, and I still have pain in one area when I do one of my PT exercises.  I have no pain any more in that hip from "normal" activities, like walking (or sitting, which sometimes hurt badly before surgery).  I have been doing weight training since about the 6th week, but I am taking it very easy on anything that involves the muscles in the hip area - I definitely pay the next day if I do a little too much!

[Luann]

Hey Gibb,
 Everyone here is correct, I am at 14 months and am still not "pain free". Today I rode a horse for 3 1/2 hours and took 2 Advil to help. Towards the end of the ride, I had a little stiffness, soreness. The key words are "a little". Very managable, on a scale of 1-10 just a 1. Compared to before my HR... NO comparison!!
  When I was at your stage of recovery, I was still really sore. It was a different kind of pain, however, than before surgery. Keep the faith, we are happy to hear you are doing as well as you are. I am extremely happy with my HR.    Lu

[John C]

Having been there once, I know that it is not easy to hear that seven weeks is still very early into the recovery. At three years, I am still making noticeable improvements from where I was at one year in terms of the level of intensity in sports that I can do without feeling the hip at all.
Looking back at it, if you had a recovery scale of 1 to 10, seven weeks is only about a 3 along the way. You have a lot of improvement to look forward to.

[fenceman]

Pain free usually means there is no pain in the joint because your joint is gone.  Everything else hurts until it is healed and that takes time.  I am a couple weeks behind John C in surgery time and I have also noticed continued improvements. 

[Tin Soldier]

Agreed.  Don't get yourself down about the pain.  There is a lot going on around the joint and down the leg.  Some of the tissue takes months to stretch.  Keep up the good work.   

[hipnhop]

In 8 weeks you will feel better, at 9 even more.....

It only gets better.  at 3 months I competed in an AquaVelo. At 2 months I wouldn't even think about it.

[RJKELLY]

Couldn't agree more with the posts here.  I'm at 4 weeks post surgery and able to walk without a cane but I have to ice to bring down the swelling afterwards.  I also have IT band soreness which has been on/off since surgery.  If you have access to an elliptical try using that on a low incline settling which works the area very well with limited swelling issues.  Every day a little better....I can't wait to tie my own shoes !

[mslendzion]

Any thoughts on a seated elipitical for recovery?

[curt]

At five weeks and did the recumbant bike yesterday, but watched (against my will sometimes) the people in front using the elipticals.  I cannot see any reason that they would not be ok to use standing up.  The knee bend appeared to be minimal and replicates walking for the most part.  I'm going to try that and see what muscles I can find beneath the flab.  Curt

[23109VC]

You shouldn't be pain free at 7 weeks so don't worry.

I'm at 8 months post op and sometimes have twinges or weird pains here and there.  When I was at your stage in recovery , the little pains worried
Me.  Now I have learned that as I am healing, and based on
My activity .. Some days I am pain free, sometimes not.. It is an up and down process.  There were a few points where I pushed too hard in recovery and it was sore for two weeks... It always goes away.

Follow dr gross's exercise regimen.  I have found that if I slack off on the exercises I am more likely to feel twigged.  The exercises help a lot.  Be consistent with them.

Be patient.  Youcant rush the healing process.  You will get better.  Today I was at the park with my kids and ran around with my 4 year old son.. No pain.  It was great. 

[Anniee]

Curt, I think Dr. Gross will release you to use the elliptical after 6 weeks - at least that is what happened to me after my first surgery.  I'm not sure why he does not want you to go on it during the first 6 weeks.  Maybe because it might be a little tricky to get on and off?  I intend to ask him when I go for my post-op visit.

[curt]

They were tricky to  get on or off BEFORE my surgery.  I'll see him on NOv 10th.  Cheers.  Curt

[RJKELLY]

Currently @ 6 weeks now and virtually pain free! Physical therapy has had tremendous results with my piriformis and IT band soreness (now gone).  Able to do weight-free squats with full range.   Got the ok to start increasing my weights on leg press, extensions and hamstring curls...did I forget to say no pain!  Walking is now a pleasure rather than a chore. Kudos to Dr. Mayman @ HSS.  Great surgeon.

[hernanu]

Congrats, RJ - I'm still seeing improvements at 12 / 15 months. I expect to see them for a while yet, but am doing some foolish things that I couldn't have expected at a couple of months:

I've started juggling to exercise the smaller muscles, trying on one leg now. I've been doing a slide board for side to side strength. Will eventually try out for the Bruins if I can just learn to shoot the puck.