Lower calf discomfort after THR
Posted , 18 users are following.
I am having significant discomfort in my lower calf. Mainly at night when i cant sleep. I sleep on my non op side with a pillow. Op was on 21/11/16
i can only describe the discomfort as muscle spasm. Pain killers do little for it.
is this something others have problems with ?
how do you cope with it.
Driving me mad so hope someone can advise. Thankyou.
0 likes, 21 replies
mimic sue96661
Posted
Hi Sue, I had my thr on the 7th November 2016 so I am just about two weeks ahead of you. I can tell you I had exactly the same problem, my calf was so sore I convinced myself that I had a blood clot,( I didn't by the way)
sometimes the pain in my leg was worse than the operation pain! Are you still doing your excersises and elevating your legs ? You should be due for your six weeks check up soon, if you haven't already had it tell your surgeon how you feel, I don't know where you are, I'm in Liverpool and my surgeon is fantastic and listened to me when I told him about my calf.
sue96661 mimic
Posted
Thanks for replying. Your right i have no pain from the op site at all.
i am actually in Australia. I couldent find any forum like this locally. Finding it so helpful.
i see my surgeon on 13/1 so will chat to him. I do my exercises regularly and walk as much as I can. Very hot here right now so walkings not easy..
so has the pain in your calf subsided ? 3.30 in the morning here and mine is bouncing right now 😔.
thanks heaps I feel much better knowing its "normal".
i had convinced myself about blood clots too. I
mimic sue96661
Posted
Hi, yes the pain in my calf is much improved, what I still have is a tightness of the skin which I don't like , it feels like a sausage skin, that if I pricked it with a fork it would burst😀 It must be very uncomfortable having to deal with the heat on top of going through such an operation, hope that you feel better in the coming weeks.
Saltspringer48 sue96661
Posted
olwen83027 sue96661
Posted
OzLO21 olwen83027
Posted
Is anyone still reading this forum? I am so happy to have found it - you all describe exactly my experience so I'm not alone! I plan to try a combination of everything, including magnesium, analgesic rub (my lovely partner applies it as a deep calf massage), tonic water, and if necessary a muscle relaxant.
Olwen83027, any chance of hearing more about the stretching exercises which you think helped most? When it really comes on in the wee hours I can't lie still anyway, so I'd love to know which stretches you think worked best.
Would also love to hear if any of you have now moved on past the calf pain, since for me everything else from my thr has progressed very well. Thanks, everyone.
judy74371 OzLO21
Posted
I had my hip replacement surgery 9 months ago. but since the surgery, i have so much pain in my calf, especially when going upstairs. i too, cannot sleep at night, as my knee and calf painfully throb all night. i have tried physical therapy for weeks, but i think it is making it worse.
sounds like it has been awhile back since you wrote this. did you ever find out the problem? i will be my regular doctor today to discuss. it is frustrating not to know the cause.
madla39168 sue96661
Posted
Hi Sue,
I had muscle spasm after hip replecement and Some time I still have some. I went to see my GPA and I got Antenex tablets to
take tham 3 times a day . I was told it's normal. Im 3 months
after hip replecement and I'm from Australia, Adelaide.
Good luck I hope this will help you.
Take care Hug Madla 💗
miele55255ch sue96661
Posted
I had "restless leg syndrome' in both legs after surgery for about a year. I had the need to keep moving my legs. I also had the same feeling in my arms.I would just get up and try to walk it off and if that didn't work I'd take a Vicodin
I only had those feeling for about six months after my surgery.
I still get a little lower calf swelling if I'm sitting too long or on my feet too long.
Good luck to you Sue!
renee01952 sue96661
Posted
warm welcome to this wonderful hippies forum and a happy new year ..
muscle spasms, cramps and discomfort in calf of operated leg sre quite normal ..annoying and sometimes very painful, but normal part of the healing process -
Drinking tonic water has helped me and I understand that you can get muscle relaxants prescribed -
Please come back and let us know how you are getting on otherwise, okay ...
big warm hug
renee
beth2509 sue96661
Posted
mimic beth2509
Posted
I have had restless leg syndrome for years and take amitriptyline to help, it doesn't seem as bad since I had my hip replacement so I shall keep taking the tablets as they say 😀I am in terrible pain today because I overdid things yesterday, I woke up feeling really good so tackled some of the Christmas clutter which involved many trips up and down the stairs! so I am taking things easy today.
Msky sue96661
Posted
m0rningangel1 sue96661
Posted
tim86121 sue96661
Posted
Hi Sue, My husband had his thr on July 15th. We will be 2 weeks post op tomorrow. His calf pain is terrible. How long did yours last? So glad I found this discussion board, was just getting ready to take him to the ER.
Thanks so much!!
ric22112 tim86121
Posted
any updates on this tight calf situation. I have the same 6 weeks post op.