Derailment! First setback and update

[keepmovin]

I'm putting this post here since it's a recovery issue.

I guess it crossed my mind a few times that a minor setback would eventually strike, but I think this is a bit more than just minor!

As I sit here icing my hip, I really don’t know where I went wrong quite frankly.  The only thing I can think of is by increasing my exercising I stressed some key muscles, then made a movement that compromised muscles that haven’t been active for many weeks.  The area is strained, bruised, tight. This all began yesterday morning and then was compromised further by a long car ride.  Pain was pretty much around total hip area, inner thigh (where most of the pain is), side hip and slightly around back.  Exercise has been increased in these areas so I can only imagine I angered these muscle groups.  I pulled up an anatomy chart of the hip and thigh muscle groups to further isolate and identify the offended muscles – so many large and small muscles that probably were weaken and in resting stage until I made them work again!

I’m really discouraged by this set back but it is what it is and will spend the next couple of days using my crutch, icing, resting, and take advil!  Any other advice would be appreciated if there’s something else I should be doing!

Thanks all!

[obxpelican]

Ice, rest and advil was a staple for me when I pushed it too much.

Your doctor is one of the best so I doubt it's anything to worry about, although if the pain does not ease after a week or so, call Dr. Su, maybe get an x-ray to make sure everything is working properly.


Chuck

[sharleen]

This seems to be the order of the day. 2 steps forward one step back. Just when you think that you're doing really well you inadvertently do something to set you back. I found that I was continually doing this for the first 5 months. Now I think (fingers heavily crossed) that as I approach month 6 I seem to be on the straight and narrow and feeling virtually completely back to normal. I think that you are doing the right thing. You certainly don't want to anger those muscles any more than they already seem to be. Everything will settle down again! I, like you tried to work out on an anatomy chart which muscles I had offended but there seem to be so many that it was very hard to try and pinpoint which ones they were. it seems that if you can actually "touch" where it hurts then it is muscular. it's the deep inside pain that one needs to be concerned about.

[oldsoccerplayer]

Keepmovin, you're only 2 months out which isn't much. Don't overdo it. Take it one step at a time 
Aren't you glad you got that icing machine?

[keepmovin]

oldsoccerplayer - I didn't think I was overdoing it - just listening to my body but I guess not very closely.   Yes, I do have the icing machine but I did pack it away thinking I didn't need it anymore - just using ice packs now, if no improvement, I'll pull it out! 

I'm 2 months out but feel like 1 month.  When I heal, I go back much slower.

Sharleen - kind of comforting to know that you did go through this for a few months.  I can't say I can put a finger on it, but have been massaging all areas that feel tight.  Glad I still have my crutches handy, they have helped.

obxpelican - I don't think, I hope, its not the implant.  When I lie down and move the leg around, It moves in smooth motion and and ROM isn't that bad. Of course, will give him a call if things don't improve - don't want to think about that right now!

[obxpelican]

FWIW we probably have a 100 posts where people thought they had issues with their implant and it turned out to be nothing.

Chuck

[whyme]

Hi, you're only 2 months out, very early days. I've improved a lot after that (3.5 months now) and expect it will continue for quite a while.
I guess we 'hippies' tend to over analyze, this is a byproduct of what typically we've been through: years passed until a proper diagnostic was reached, and lack of empathy from the people around us, so even minor setbacks set us on full alert.
Take it easy for a couple of days and see how things go...
Keepmovin, but slowin a little bit :-)

[chuckm]

Keepmovin, if the pain isn't really sharp and intense, it isn't the implant. Sounds more like "new range of motion-itis". It's probably new range of motion the hip hasn't seen in years from OA. If it is a main muscle then all the other have to readjust to its new motion and they all get cranky together.

Use the ice, use the roller, use the ibuprofen.

Chuckm

[dhasty4126]

I had my resurfacing on Nov. 4 and my lower back hurts today for the first time since the surgery. Fortunately, I'm scheduled for a followup X-Ray on my hip this afternoon. I agree, recovery issues can be scary. I thought I was home free!

[keepmovin]

I haven’t posted in a while so thought I’d give all an update on the progress of my setback.
Things have settled considerably but it took a lot of work to get where I am today.  Through a little self-diagnosis, I believe I must have suffered a rapid onset of bursitis.  At first my whole leg was in pain – groin, thigh, gluts, back and side legs.  I remained on crutches for about a week, iced, rest and stretched as gently as I could.  When the acute pain settled, what I could feel, and still have a little of, was intense tenderness, like touching a nerve, at the area where one would feel for bursitis.  I do have occasional flare ups on my left and I would have to work through it, but never had it on the right hip.

What this has done is set me back perhaps 6 weeks whereas now I’m at 9 weeks.  One exercise my Dr. suggested for bursitis is the “figure 4 crossing of legs” which is to sit in a sitting position, place your operated foot over the unoperated knee and gently press on the knee downward to flatten the leg.  This is great to help with rotation and to relieve stiffness.  At first I couldn’t even get my leg up, now I have it to the point where I’m working on flattening the leg to make the “4” shape.

Another helpful suggestion was the foam roller, which many of you have mentioned on this site.  It’s extremely painful, and quite difficult to maneuver onto, but on the days I can manage it, I do feel some relief!

As I mentioned, I spent a lot of moments thinking of the moment that I moved the wrong way to cause all this.  When my daughters where in for the holidays, I had a lot of help which I thankfully needed but they also pointed out a possible cause.  The day this all happened, I started the elliptical bike I have in the basement – it’s old and wobbly and the movement isn’t what it should be.  Both my daughters work out in high performance gyms and know the difference between a good machine  and bad machine .  They said my machine is a bad machine and gave me all the professional reasons why.  They said they could feel pain and stress on the sides of their legs as well and couldn’t imagine me using this in my condition!  I believe I must have pulled something which set this into motion!

So, lesson learned!  My old elliptical machine heads for the trash!  I hope this helps someone make good choices when it comes to using quality machines!  I will begin outpatient PT in January for a few weeks to get this sorted out and then start in on strengthening exercises.
Wish you all a Happy, healthy New Year!

PS dhasty - Any improvement on your lower back?  I suffer from low pain issues as well but it's worse when I let up on exercise and stretching.  I think some of us have a weakness in the lower back after surgery due to lack of movement and strengthening.  Hope your improving!