Moving leg towards the chest

[Mickg]

I had a BHR 12 weeks ago and am having problems with mobility and flexibility. When lying on my back it is impossible to move my leg towards my chest more than 80 - 90 degrees. It feels like it reaches a point beyond which it is impossible to move, even when I am pulling my leg towards me.  I can't put on a sock or shoe on my operated side without a real struggle and having to really twist my body. I have seen 3 different physiotherapists who have tried moving my leg past 90 degrees without success. I have been given a huge variety of different stretches and Pilates exercises which I have done religiously for 6 weeks and none have increased flexibility or mobility. When further movement is tried
the whole pelvis tilts rather than the hip rotating as it should and I experience very sharp pain at the point of the incision.
Has anyone else experienced this problem?
My current Physio says he has seen hundreds of patients with BHRs and never come across this before. I am seeing my surgeon about it next week.
Thanks.

[Spanielsal]

Dear Mick, I have that problem but I think you still have time to solve it. I really let my excercises slide at about your point in recovery because we moved house and I suddenly had my crawling baby and a cross toddler to deal with all by myself with no friends or family around. I think persevering with your flex excercises you could get there eventually. Mine goes to 90 but no further, getting socks and lace up shoes on can be a struggle but i grab the leg of my jeans and hoist the leg up that way, but if that is my only issue I'm prepared to live with it. I just view it as a perfect excuse for a pedicure! Do keep trying, it s early days and sticking with the excercises should give you improvement. I hope you get there, Sal x

[Pat Walter]

I don't have any exercises for you, but I will suggest that you don't force your leg to your chest too hard.  There have been several that tried that and dislocated their hip.  Maybe you just need to give yourself a little more time.  You are still only 3 months post op.  There are people that took a year to 2 years to get back to normal.  Hopefully, things are still healing and need more time.

Pat

[Jason0411]

I think you may be trying a bit too hard too soon. How about swimming to loosen your joint off. It worked well for me.

Jas

[Mickg]

Thanks for your responses. I'm just finding it incredibly frustrating at the minute. Before the op I had relatively good mobility in my hip. I am a 49 year old and very keen on rock climbing which, even before the op, I could do to a good standard. To go from this, to not being able to lace my shoes doesn't feel right.
Sal, has anyone given you an explanation as to why you are unable to go past 90 degrees?
I also appreciate that I may be becoming impatient and that everyone responds to surgery differently and heals at different rates.
I was advised by my Physio to stop cardio re: swimming, cycling etc. until the root cause of the problem was diagnosed and just to walk and stretch. Previously my surgeon had told me to to do everything  but running and jumping. This is where it also gets very confusing.
Many thanks to all who have responded. I'll post again after seeing my surgeon again next week.

Mick

[Dannywayoflife]

Mick,
       You are still very very early on. ROM is the last thing to return and aparently can improve out to 2 years or so.
It sounds to me like your physio is a bit clueless. I would listen to your surgeon! McMinn says in interview he likes non impact loading from I think 6 weeks. This is xtrainer, stationary bike, swimming etc this will help keep your hip from stiffening and improve your ROM.

[mike1966]

Hi Mick,

I'm a week past 4 months and I have had to work through similar range of motion problems. Kind of felt like a wedge to the front and side of my hip at about 90 degrees. I was also having problems with the IT band. My physio recommended a remedial massage therapist and I have steadily improved ever since. I have also gained great benefit from walking, swimming and exercising in the warm programs pool at my local swimming centre. Everyone is different I guess but this has really helped me with problems similar to the ones you describe.

All the best,

Mike

[hernanu]

Hey Mick, I'd be patient with that and definitely not force anything. I wasn't very flexible at that time, I've been doing martial arts for a long time, so flexibility was something I really wanted.

The point now is to let things heal, flexibility will come, but remember that flexibility really requires that your muscles recover properly and carefully. When I taught martial arts, one of the main thing for newcomers is to acquire the flexibility to do the techniques. Beginners would always be frustrated (and some would quit) because improvement in flexibility would come at such a glacial pace (to them). I always told them to plan on a good six months before they were flexible enough to do the most basic of moves without their tighter muscles fighting them.

That seemed to be a good rule of thumb for real flexibility for someone who is basically healthy and is just trying to improve. In our case, no matter what condition you were in before, the muscles have been cut / expanded / thoroughly insulted. For a great cause and I am a great fan, but really were abused. I placed the same constraints on myself as I did on any beginner in martial arts, since I thought that at the least that would be the time to get me to be reasonably loose.

One experience that I had may be closer (although less serious) to the point: I was doing a kick in a workout ant thoroughly pulled my hamstring muscle (I think I tore it partially). It took me a good 4 1/2 months to get back to normal walking, running, etc. and probably about 5-6 months before I could take part in full martial arts workouts.

[morph]

Hi Mick, I am 9 weeks post op and going through the same. The first few weeks is great because of the lack of OA pain and it still is, but now I have reached that frustrating stage. The hip is so much better, but I am still struggling to do simple things like putting my socks on. Leg flexion also stops at about 80-90deg ATM. I also still have a small limp when walking. Although both of these has greatly improved to what it was like with OA. The limp is weird, it does not hurt or anyhting but it is just there slightly. I don't know if it is because the mind has forgotton how to walk or the pelvis and back have not corrected yet.

I have been reassured by people I know who have had THR's that this will return, even with just walking and it is good to read the comments on here from people who have been through the same. I would be happy with just being able to put my socks on easily and to be able to pick things up without using my back. I thought it might be because of my large femur neck size, having a large head is good but maybe there are trade offs. I have researched this quite a bit and I have convinced myself it is just patience that is required, best not to overdo it.

[Spanielsal]

Hi Mick, I never got any explanation but I was a rubbish patient and never came back for my 1yr check. Being an army family we moved so much, I think we were in Northern Ireland then and my husband was away so much that I decided not to come to Cambridge, life was good and I was normal again. I guess I just accepted it. To me, losing the pain was a miracle and I had another chance at life. Perhaps that was a lazy attitude because I never got over the 90 but just worked around it and enjoyed the pedicure. I'm sure with some massage, stretches and continued work over a few months you will be well past 90. Like Hernanu says, your body has been through a lot, healing is a long process and flexibility will return. Work at it more than I did though! Hope you get it sorted, Sal x

[Tin Soldier]

I remember being in that same position at that period of time.  Yes it is frustrating.  It should only be soft tissue that is decreasing the ROM.  A little more detail on Hern's post about the slow return to flexibility.  The hip capsule gets cut and then sewn back up during surgery.  I read somewhere and my PT mentioned this to me also, that the hip capsule tissue regenerates at a glacial pace, about every 300 to 500 days.  The ROM that you want could take more than a year to achieve.  The best way to do it, is constant mild streching.  For example, at about 3 months, I could not cross my legs, I slowly, every so many days at my desk, would work on crossing my legs, bit by bit.  Now at 1.5 and 1 year, I can cross both legs and it's pretty comfortable on both sides (left over right is a little difficult still).  It takes time.   

[bilateralbliss]

I also think your`e trying too much to soon. Gentle stretching and walking are the main basics.
Massage is great if you can afford it! Without thinking about what you can or can`t do too much, suddenly one day you realise you can. Hernanu and others who know far more than I do, their comments make so much sense.
Guess I`m more like Sal with this, including the pedicure:)
Seem to recall reading somewhere after a year however much physio etc people do, we all end up at roughly the same stage. So, once again. patience, which we `ve all strugglled with at times pays off.
Slowly does it, the most important thing to keep in mind is not to damage anything, it will come in time. Just enjoy what you can do and look forward. Yes I`m obviously a tortoise lol and a little lazy x

[teaching tennis]

I am 10 weeks out and have full ROM.  I credit it mostly to my surgeon, Dr. Brooks, but also to the stationary bike.  I started with
the seat set as high as possible then started working it down to eventually get to the lowest point. I spent sometimes 2 hours on
the bike in 20 min - 30 min sessions, each day.  I was real bored, but the kids are grown, and my wife was at work, nothing else to do.
Good luck.

[Mickg]

Hi to everyone who responded to my original post.
I went to see my surgeon today, who didn't happen to be there, but I did get to see another doctor who looked at my case. Two x-rays were taken and they appeared to be good (the doc was happy with them).
He said that all looked normal and tested the range of movement of my hip which he agreed was very limited. I expressed my concerns but he pretty much reiterated what had already been said in your posts - time, exercise, stretching etc. However, he did say that he wants to see me in 6 weeks and if it is no better I will have to have some form of manipulation under anaesthatic to free the soft tissue/ muscles.
So, I went straight to the gym to do some pedalling, swimming and stretching. Hopefully, if I keep this up, all will be well.
It's great to have the support of others who have been in the same situation. Thanks, it's much appreciated.
I'll keep you informed of any progress.
Thanks again, Mick.

[bilateralbliss]

Thanks for the update Mick

[Jason0411]

Sounds good Mick.

[Spanielsal]

Sounds great, let us know how you get on