limp?

[podgornymd]

I am almost 3 weeks out and have been walking and doing PT but for some reason i cant seem to be able to walk without a limp. I am still using crutches but getting a little concerned that i cant walk. Is this common at 3 weeks or should i be worried. I was suposed to get back to work in 2 weeks and have to be able to walk at work. I started getting on the spin bike yesterday for 10 minutes. Any comments?

[trgcfrg]

Your experience sounds pretty similar to mine. I'm 5 weeks out now and it's just in the last few days I feel that I'm not limping. I was definitely limping at 3 weeks, and even at 4 weeks I had a little limp. I think the swelling in those first few weeks made my leg feel a little longer, plus it made it uncomfortable to put my full weight on that leg. It's only been the last week or so that I feel comfortable distributing my weight evenly across both legs when standing or putting all my weight on my operated leg.

When I talked to my physical therapist at the end of week 3 I said I was walking everywhere but work without a cane (I went back to work at 2.5 weeks out with a crutch, then moved to a cane at the beginning of week 3). I asked if I should keep using the cane at work. He watched me walk without a cane and said I still had a visible limp and that it would be better to wait until the limp went away to walk long distances without a cane. He just gave me the OK to ditch the cane at work last Friday, almost the end of week 4.

[maxx6789]

3 weeks is still very early so i would not be too concerned and i would not rush/force your recovery. are you going to a professional PT? if so, ask them. do you have a 3 week doctor check-up scheduled? if you have no pain and just a slight limp when walking without a crutch, i would say that is better normal and better good for 3 weeks.

for me, as per my doctor's protocol, i moved from 2 cruthes to 1 cane at 3 weeks. if i tried walking without the cane at 3 weeks, my PT said i had a "dippy pelvis" since the muscles were weak; this equalled a slight limp. after another 3 weeks (i.e., 6 weeks), i was off the cane and walking limp or pain free.

the amount of improvement i had between weeks 3 to 6 was huge ... going from walking with 2 crtuches to walking unassisted. hope you have similiar (or better) results!!

fyi: do you have to go back to work at 5 weeks? i went back to work at 7 weeks and that seemed like an ideal time for me.

[podgornymd]

thanks for the feedback. I jsut had my 3 week follow up and he said the xray was fine. He didnt say much about the limp other than call back in 2 weeks and let us know . You guys make me feel
 better about it but i am concerned because everything is improving but the walking. I am going to PT and doing ROM and exercises. I hope it improves in the next 2 weeks. thanks

[Dannywayoflife]

Everyone heals at different rates. I was a very slow starter but made it up in the end!

[obxpelican]

Walk with a cane or one crutch and work back into no device again, do some exercises to strengthen your hip muscles.  If your limp is severe you could have back issues soon if you are not careful.

What you are experiencing is quite normal.



Chuck

[chuckm]

I noticed that I had two sources causing my limp in the beginning.

One: my operated side simply had less muscle strength. I fixed that fairly quickly in a few weeks by concentrating on my first few steps after being seated or getting out of bed. I would remind myself before I took those steps that I would need more effort placed on the surgical side. As I took the first step I would really push back at the floor and make sure I stood fully straight. There was some discomfort at first doing that but it stopped when strength began to return.

Two: with hip resurfacing, full hip extension is disrupted (where your hip bends to allow your leg to go back behind you). After going through this and reading all the posts, it seems there is not a whole lot you can do to hasten regaining this range of motion, and doing so might actually worsen the symptoms by aggravating the hip capsule which is trying to heal. So patience is needed here.

Chuckm

[podgornymd]

Thanks for all the encouragement and great advice. I will try and be patient and continue with my exercises and walking. This web site provides an incredible support system. Glad i have some people whom i can bounce off some of my questions.thanks

ChuckM how long did you have the limp for?

[Pat Walter]

Hi
Limping is normal, some people have it a long time while others get back to a normal gait quicker.  Most surgeons advice is to use a cane or crutch as long as you limp. You use the cane or crutch on the opposite side.  If you don't use a walking device, your limp might not get better or take longer to heal.  Limping means your body is still healing or muscles are weak and you need to assist it awhile longer.  Also concentrate on a good step going from heal to toe.  Walk slower and concentrate on a proper step with the operated leg.

We all heal at different rates and can't compare ourselves with others.  Just keep positive and use a cane or crutch until the limp is gone.  Sometimes you won't limp early in the day, then will when you tire.  Just go with the flow and use help when you limp.  Pretty soon, you will be "off and running" and forget all about all this post op recovery stuff.

Good Luck.

Pat

[hernanu]

You've gotten a lot of good feeback. I had a limp on both sides until about five, maybe six weeks.

Then I got it back every time I did something new (after I did it). I think it's just part of getting your muscles back into the game. My PT folks devised all sorts of fun and interesting things to strengthen my small muscles.

I could see them giggling to each other as I walked in (I was their first HR patient, so a good lab rat); it was quite unnerving. Leg lifts, clamshells, etc. will get your hip muscles stronger, but it is an evolutionary thing, you have to respect the healing of the bone that is going on as you rebuild the muscles around the joint.

In due time, the limp will go, but you may get clunking of the joint, which I think is also associated with muscle strength of the minor muscles.

Patience goes a long way here, at three weeks you are very early in the game.

[chuckm]

My limp from muscle weakness lasted about four weeks. I remember going to a function and I could tell no one knew I had just had major hip surgery.
But, if I'm not paying attention, the limp from capsule and iliopsoas tightness is still present at almost six months. When I focus on my walking, bystanders don't see a limp. But if I forget about my hip (which is finally starting to happen) I might still limp a bit because that leg still has a shorter range of motion. The front of the hip is still "tight".

Chuckm