Exhausted with Cane Walking

Posted , 5 users are following.

I have put my walker up and am purely cane walking but it hurts and is exhausting.I was supposed to go back to work st 6 weeks but just was not ready.I am doing all came walking to help my body get used to it .It is really slow going.im going back at half days got up to 4 weeks on 1/2 days.Yesterday stunk.I had intended to get all kind of work done but it did not happen and I ended up taking something for pain.Does anyone else feel a band of I think it may be muscle along their lower back that just feels like a pulling pressure that hurts?Feeling discouraged and a little afraid as I prepare to go back to work .

1 like, 12 replies

12 Replies

  • Posted

    Hi Msky,  you should allow at least 8-10 weeks post op before trying to go back to work.  Also, you should be on prescription pain meds to help you cope with the pain during the first couple of months!!  The pain meds will help you do all of the PT that is required to get your muscles tighened back up again.  My goodness!! 

    Your physical therapist should be showing you how to strengthen.  If you don't do these exercises daily, you will be in for a painful and long recovery. 

     

    • Posted

      I'm going back at 8 weeks but I walk quit a bit in my job so I will only go back for 4 hour shifts . I'm trying to be consistently progressing.I just know that progress is slowed due to the femur fracture and fibrous union on my right side . They usually give 12 weeks but with having taken 12 weeks off only 18 months ago and then another 8 weeks 6 months ago in today's hospital employment

    • Posted

      Oops sorry - I am guarding my position .Thats why I am trying to just cane walk . .Did a lot of walking at the mall today.Took frequent breaks as needed but really have to practice doing a parking lot to the building and around the building to simulate work scenarios .Drove the Crossover today.I am 4 11 so had to practice getting into the vehicle . I did it though and cleaned the rug in my bedroom . I have to do all kinds of paperwork ,like goals and self evaluation . I must admit I feel pretty stressed as I'm afraid of being judged harshly due to the hip . Argh!!

  • Posted

    Me too! So bad the palms are bruised and wrists sprained wear wrist braces and gloves now. It's a pain in the *ss. No doubt. I Had nasty metal on metal hip implant caused issues so just had it removed called revision. The greater trochanter top of femur had a hair line fracture surgeon added a steel wire to hold fracture and implant together. It will take longer on walker and cane to heal with a 13" femur implant to replace the old one. Approx. 3-6 months. I think I'm going to look for some soft pipe covering material to put on canes. Hard on shoulder too!

    Its only for for a few weeks and quite irritating yet part of the process to regain a better quality of life.

    Patience is not one of my virtues as I get bored squickly. Been thru 2 weeks rehab after 4 days in the hospital. Next the wire has to be removed in 6 months.

    I am in good shape keeping up with routine bed and walking exercises. Taking it slowly. I know by summer we will be both ready for a vaca.

    If your not ready for work ask you employer to assist you with lighter job or start back part time. 🤔

    You will be walking without a cane by the next week or two. Keep walking and follow exercises strengthen muscles etc.theres lot of easy stuff on You Tube-exercises. 🤞

     Many healing blessings sent your way and don't forget those glute squeezes.😀

     

    • Posted

      I really think that because of the femur fracture and it not healing it's causing me trouble.I only had 1 PT visit before my femur fractured with my first hip . I then had to use a walker until I had this hip done . Essentially I used a walker for a year and still only have a fibrous union on the left hip . Legs just feel weak . I'm working on it .Just gets me more tired then anticipated . Guess I should not be surprised . Doing exercises bed and standing .

    • Posted

      Where is the fracture?  if ok to Ask? That must be so hard to cope with. Sometimes they can use a bone grafts to help the bone knit and heal usually from the bone removed for the implant components. If there was only fibrosis union on left hip then revision is probably needed to eliminate pain or risk of further damage. 

      I used a cane for 5 years until finally received revision. During the surgery the fracture in the greater trochanter was found. Never showed up in MRI or X-ray for five years after THR. All my sever pain complaints were always ignored. It can take bone longer time to heal.  During revision a cable was placed around the femur it to hold implant and fracture together. 

      I hope you can can get the strength back in your legs soon. We seem to be in the same healing quandary just trying to get past this soon.

      many healing blessings sent your way. 

       

    • Posted

      The OS has been keeping tract of the femur fracture and said that treatment would be symptom based .I definitely feel increased pressure on that
    • Posted

      Sorry got disconnected .I was saying my left hip and lower back now hurt w,especially with prolonged walking. I have backed off on walking entirely with my cane .In talking with the PT she said pain is my body rebelling from being overworked . I had a meeting with my Dept Director yesterday and she was really sweet .She is also having challenges with slow healing and was empathetic . The new rules from HR state if you go back to work with restrictions you have to meet with HR .

      Will see them Monday.Supposed to go back to work Tuesday so cutting it close . I am doing ok but that muscle in the back of my thigh going to my knee is still painful . PT said to use the walker more frequently to allow those muscles to rest . One step forward,2 steps back but this to shall pass 🙂🌻

  • Posted

    Tiredness is your body telling you that you are trying a bit too hard. Exhaustion is it telling you to pack it in. And fear is ?common sense?! In other words, you are trying too hard here. If you need your walker, then that is what you need. If you are not ready to go back to work yet, or need more adjustments to do so, then that is what you need. I do appreciate the worry about how employers take sick leave, even employers who should know better, but what about you going back to work before you are ready, screwing things up and needing even more time off sick because you have? Or, doing some serious damage to yourself?

    ?Everyone starts off from a different started point, has a differnt journet and takes differnt amounts of time to recover. You can exercise as much as you want, but overdoing it does not make you recover faster! If you aren't ready, then you aren't ready.

    ?And whilst muscle pain is far from uncommon in this recovery journey, you know what else causes it, especially in the back? Tension and stress. As in, getting yourself worked up over stuff you cannot control.

    ?Give yourself a break. There may be a miraculous break through in the next two weeks, but you cannot depend on that, and certainly not if you keep pushing when your body is telling you to quit doing that!

    ?You may recall that I had a marvellous hip surgery, no problems at all. And I'm not so much a slacker either. But have these ankle problems? Well I didn't go back to work until 9 weeks. I can do my hours whenever I want, I can work from home pretty much whenever I want, I don't have a lot of walking to do and my employer hires a taxi to take me anywhere I need to go. I can take a days leave at the drop of a hat if I need to as well. And you know what - I am usually tired at the end of the day. And on a few occasions I have been just totally wiped out! So you aren't "letting the side down" by not being ready yet. You aren't cookie dough, with a precise baking time.

    ?So if it takes another two weeks, or four, or six, then that is what you need to take off. If you need a job that involves everyone else walking and not you, then that is what you need. You can't tell your body to behave and do what you want it to do - one way or another, it will have it's own way.

  • Posted

    Hi Msky ,

    I went back to work after 14 weeks and i fin it hard to stay on feet for 6

    hours a day. I work in health care . I cut my hours on half now im doing 4 hours and still feel tired some time. Im still coing some hydro therapy and slow6 gett9 better. If you can stay home litle bit lo ger till you feel ok.

    The muscles need to be strong. Good luck i hope you will feel better soon.

    Hug Madla💗

    • Posted

      I round on on Mother Baby and the NICU.We also go to the Peds,Picu ,ER and Surgical units so it can really be aa long walk ..get up to 12 weeks,I just spoke with my new boss,who used to be my old boss as the head of my Dept just left and we just got taken over by this one.How is health care in your neck of the woods? It is scary here.Tax revenues went down but demand of health care went up .They micromanage nursing hours since that is such a big budget.I live in New Mexico and it's a poor state so our not for profit hospital which is about 70% Medicaid is justgetting killed . We will have to see what happens with Pres Trump . I may ask for more time off as my muscles are very sore to this point .Thank you for your feedback😉

    • Posted

      Hi Msky, i live in Australia and we do more work for sama an

      amount of hours. When i went back to work i started with my normal hours and after week i cut hours . My muscles were so sore

      my operated hip hurt and I was so tired i was ready to quit work .

      I talk to my boss and sne was happy to started with only 4 hours

      a day till i will feel better. From this Monday i will try do 5 hours.

      For me its little bit hard now because my oposite hip hip need to be done as well and getting worse plus they make my left leg litle bit longer and i have to pput insole in my right shoe. Hopefully

      when they do my right hip they will sort out leg lengths discrepancy. Try talk to your boss if you can started with shorter hours

      till you feel better. You will find the muscles very sore when you are back to work specialy muscles you did not use for a while.

      I have an appointment 16 of March and i will k ow more when will be my hip done. Good .uck and take care hug Madla💗

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