What is normal pain, 11 days post op?

[nevinyoung]

Maybe I am being paranoid, this afternoon I bent over maybe a bit further than I should have and felt like a pulling or tearing feeling and a bit of an increase in pain around the operated area. I am figuring it is muscle/tendon injury being sensitive to too much motion? I am still able to walk quite well and it doesn't seem to have increased overall pain that much-- I am just worried all the time about injuring myself and needing a revision.

Any thoughts? Anyone else have this happen without anything to worry about?

[Jason0411]

I think at the early stages we all tend to worry about little things more. As long as there is no sudden pains and increase for a prolonged period I wouldn't worry. It is only if it gets worse of time not better. Normally if you overdo it a couple days later it will have settled down.

[hernanu]

Hey Nevin, Jason has it right - there's bound to be twinges and other issues. If it persists or you just get worried, get a hold of your surgeon's office and ask them.

I was quite the pest to mine, but I figured that was part of their duties, to talk me down when I was freaked.

[podgornymd]

Same here  nevi. early on i was worried about every little twinge but as long as it doesnt last for too long it is nothing to worry about. The main thing to worry about is falling and/or crossing midline at 90 degrees. I remember early on ,i think at 2 weeks i was trying to get my gas grill going and had to change out the gas tank and i squated down without thinnking and it hurt quite a bit for 2 dys but got better.   

[John C]

I think that paranoia about damaging our new hip comes with the territory for the first few weeks. I know I had my share. A about seven weeks out, I was balancing on the edge of the tub while changing out a light bulb when I slipped and landed on the edge of the toilet right on my new hip. I had to get up at about 2:00 AM that night and go walk for a few blocks to convince myself that there was no serious damage.
Always a good idea to check with your doctor if you think you might have done some damage, but being concerned early on about new pains and small slip-ups is very common.

[nevinyoung]

Thanks for the encouraging words everyone. I feel fine today, of course, relatively speaking-- I just keep wondering, when will that operated leg get stronger? I get around on one crutch pretty handily, just using it to keep a good bit of the weight off the operated leg. I am eager to get back to work and get off crutches-- it is just my personality, and that I have not ever needed to be on crutches before in my life. But for now, crutches it is.

[bestbob]

NevinY - I am 10 wks post-op come Tue, and my recovery was probably a little slower than most. I am glad now I didn't push all the time, and didn't return to work full time until week 6. However, at the time I was going thru weeks 1 thru 6 it was an emotional roller coaster. I started work 20 hrs a week from home week 4, and like others was tired, always sore, and had pains that couldn't be explained. I called the PA a couple of times, and even the on-call Ortho surgeon at the hospital, they all said it is my body adjusting to the prosthesis. I still have pain by my shin bone that has been going on for 4 weeks, it is less than it was last week and prior weeks, but it's still there. I didn't start walking without a crutch until week 6, and still have a very, very slight limp if I don't pay attention when walking.

Overall, I am very glad with the results and see progress as the weeks go by. I think I really started feeling better at week 7, meaning back to normal both emotionally and physically in week 8, and not tired after work like I use to be.

[Juno]

Nevin -- at 11 days post op I was having lots of weird twinges and mild to moderate aches and pains. I had to keep reminding myself that while the hip joint was very likely ok, the muscles, tendons and ligaments in my pelvis, glute, hip, and entire leg were still healing. Your leg was dislocated and contorted into a position you would never be able to get into unless under anesthesia --- it needs to now recover from that. As a RN I've treated severe hip dislocations and I can tell you they are painful and take 4-6 weeks to recover from.

I have found that now that I'm 6 weeks out I am finally starting to regain some basic strength. Definitely a slow process. The leg lifts that Dr. Gross prescribes after the 6 week check up are really helping. I can  finally just now roll over in bed and not think too much about it.

It gets better after 4 weeks!
Good luck

[Charvel101]

If it helps I am 7 days and I feel like the pain investigator on myself every single ache twinge pull so I analyse and consider even on my good hip I'm freaking ,,,, I think I'm probably sensitised  to it and focusing and comparing to how I felt pre op ..... When I am distracted I don't worry and get on with it that wasn't the case on my old hip , it distracted me regardless of what I was doing ,, so I am working on that basis if the pain is consuming and interrupts me consistently in a distracted state that is talking to friend or being engaged In a film or doing a task then i need to listen to it other than that its bound to hurt at the moment just hope as with others we haven't got really good and handling pain and i am being casual about it ....

I share your worry on this as we all do I guess post op ...