Post op. groin pain
Posted , 5 users are following.
Had a half hip replacement after a fall two months ago. Recovering really well until 2 weeks ago when my groin became painful. It wakes me up every hour or so at night and it's very painful trying to straighten my leg out. I get some respite during the day but will cry out in pain sometimes when I yawn or stretch or even laugh! Getting out of bed or off chair is now very painful. Didn't need painkillers when I got out of hospital but take ibuprofen now. Feels like it's deep in my groin but stretching exercises arn't helping. I've always done my excercises but am pretty sure I haven't overdone it as I also have M S so I'm not running marathons. Don't know if I should rest it, do more on treadmill or less. Nothing seems to be helping. Getting really worried I'm going to be stuck with it for good. I'd be grateful to hear from anyone else who suffered from this and can give some advice. I'm still waiting to see a physio but beginning to wonder if they're ever going to turn up.
0 likes, 18 replies
linda81469 carol19895
Posted
Afternoon Carol. The groin pain can be hard. Have u tried icing the area? Heat too is good. Mine lasted several months but I had 2 hip replacements on same hip. Dislocated first one and had to have total hip revision. It felt like a band was wrapped tightly around my upper thigh. I find massaging it too helps. I don't recall having it as bad as yours tho. Try ice, heat and massages. And if not helping contact the doctor. Wishing you all the best for a speedy recovery. LD
carol19895 linda81469
Posted
Thanks for replying. When you say you had a revision after dislocation (that must have been awful) was that what cured the groin pain? I could cope if I thought it was just going to stop at some point. I'm trying not to google too much but am worried that another surgery might be necessary as worst scenario. My doctor was going to give me an MRI but he's been over ruled as the implant might make it too hard to read the scan. I was to get an ultrasound but beginning to think they've forgotten about me. I'll try icing it tonight.
linda81469 carol19895
Posted
Unfortunately for me after 3 weeks I find out I had dislocated my hip. 2 days later I'm having revision. So I'm not able to say wether or not I would of gotten groin pain. My first surgery was anterior. 2nd he went in the side and had to lift butt muscle off. So what did they replace on you? I know a lot of people do get this after hip surgeries. It's like one of the things we hippies have to endure. But I know icing really helps. And moving your leg especially working on the adductors. I say I was like that for several months. On top of revision I had to be non weight bearing for six weeks. Along with no hip flexion past 80 degrees and no hip exercises. That hindered my recovery I'm sure. You may not experience the groin pain for long.
AnnieK carol19895
Posted
Carol, it could be either problems with your implant/bone, in which case that would show up on x-ray. Or it could be a soft tissue, ie. muscle/connective tissue problem. If the x-ray of the bone/implants looks fine, then they usually will want to wait awhile to see if any soft tissue injury heals on its own. If not, then they may be able to diagnose with musculoskeletal ultrasound coupled with physical exam. You say they were going to schedule an ultrasound for you, so why not bug them about it?
Also, MRI can be used to diagnose soft tissue problems in people who have implanted prostheses, but it has to be a MARS MRI (Metal Artifact Reduction Sequence). A hip MARS MRI is how how I got diagnosed with gluteal tendon tears after my THR. There still is some waviness in the scans in the areas around the implants, but less than with regular MRI, and they absolutely CAN be used for diagnosis of areas near implants.
Regarding exercise, if it were me, I would stop ALL exercise, and only walk around as necessary. It is possible you are aggravating an injury with exercise. It won't hurt to take it easy for awhile, and it may help!
carol19895 AnnieK
Posted
Thank you. I am such an amateur at this as in spite of having MS I was very healthy and hardly needed to see a doctor for years. My recent experience of NHS hasn't been great for different reasons the latest being they've lost all my notes and have no record of my operation! If I don't hear by end of this week about ultrasound I will agitate and if it doesn't show anything up I will ask for an MRI. I'm almost scared to ask but is there anything that can be done about tendon tears? Do they heal themselves? I'm praying they do!
Regarding exercise, my MS means I have to use a wheelchair so I'm only doing 15 mins. a day on treadmill and I've cut my exercises down to 3 sets of standing on operated leg for 30 seconds 5 times, squats and standing on tip toes. Not doing any stretching ones. Is that still too much?
thanks for info. re scans. Think it might be very useful.
AnnieK carol19895
Posted
Most soft tissue problems heal on their own, given time and rest. Some require surgery, it just depends on the extent of the tear or injury. My torn gluteal tendons did require surgery. I wouldn't do any exercise at all, if I were having the kind of pain you are having. For muscle/tendon type of pain, it is often suggested that the sufferer rest, elevate and ice as much as possible for a few weeks. It would be best if you could ask a medical professional about this, and I hope you get a proper diagnosis, treatment and relief soon, Carol!
carol19895 AnnieK
Posted
just one quick question as I don't know if this forum is international. You mention MARS MRI. I'm in Scotland. Did you deal with our underfunded NHS as I don't want to ask for something they don't have!
AnnieK carol19895
Posted
I am in the U.S. and have excellent private insurance. MARS MRI is known throughout the world. Whether or not NHS does them, I don't know, but they should! And it can't hurt to ask.
carol19895 AnnieK
Posted
Hi Annie, sorry to bother you again but you mentioned when you replied a few days ago that you had torn gluteal tendons which caused you groin pain. I'm hoping I'm going to get a scan soon to find the source of this groin pain and I am taking it easy as you suggested but wondered if your groin was tender to the touch? I can press into my groin as hard as I like anywhere along that line and I feel no pain at all. Would that be the case if it was muscular? I'm taking Ibuprofen but they're making no difference. Are groin muscles "deeper" so you don't feel surface pain.
AnnieK carol19895
Posted
Carol, I did not have groin pain. I had gluteal pain (in my buttock) caused by the torn gluteal tendons. I also had, and still have, some pain in the greater trochanter and then going up and down on the outside of my thigh, probably IT(iliotibial) band issues from overwork of other muscles due to weakness in the gluteus medius/minimus.
Groin pain is incredibly common after THR, and there are usually a couple of threads about it on any given day. I don't know much about that, but a google search tell you which muscles/connective tissues can cause it.
Good luck!
carol19895 AnnieK
Posted
carol19895 AnnieK
Posted
MRI showing tears in acetabular labrum. That's what is causing groin pain. I'm seeing surgeon on Tuesday. Any suggestions as to what I should ask? Is surgery best answer? Maybe should have made this a new post but you seem very clued up. Perhaps someone on forum has has an operation to repair tear and could tell me more.
AnnieK carol19895
Posted
Carol, it is good that you have a diagnosis. What I would do if I were you would be to google the heck out of the subject. I just did a search for "hip labral tear" and ended up on the Mayo Clinic dot org's site, and their excellent article says "Treatment choices will depend on the severity of your symptoms. Some people recover with conservative treatments in a few weeks, while others may require arthroscopic surgery to repair or remove the torn portion of the labrum."
Googling will help you come up with the questions you want answers for. That Mayo Clinic article suggests the following:
"You may want to write a list that includes:
Detailed descriptions of your symptoms
Information about medical problems you've had
Information about the medical problems of your parents or siblings
All the medications and dietary supplements you take
Questions you want to ask the doctor
Your doctor may ask:
Where exactly does it hurt?
When did the pain start?
Did anything precipitate it?
Does any activity make the pain better or worse?"
I am sure that people on this forum have had the surgical repair for this condition, so I would start a new thread to see if any currently posting members can help you!
renee01952 carol19895
Posted
warm welcome to this forum of hippies ... I found this forum when I had pain in groin about 3 weeks post-op - did not have a clue ...
AnnieK response is right on point (in my humble opinion) -
You mention that you are in a wheel chair - sitting might keep the muscle short and I think gentle stretching exercises might help , with a physical therapist making sure you do it right ... My PT also massaged (very painful) the area -
Maybe you can call and call and call to get an appointment with PT ...
What might also help is to do butt clenches - you can do them while sitting too - just make sure you use buttock muscles - be aware of your posture as well -
be gentle with yourself and please come back here and let us know how you are doing, okay ....
big warm hug
renee
carol19895 renee01952
Posted
Morning Rene,
Finding this forum very helpful. It's comforting to know others have had problems and I'm not alone. Didn't know I was now a "hippie!"
I thought Annie sounded like she knew what she was talking about too. I do lots of butt clenches and walk very slowly on treadmill so will keep doing that. Makes sense that sitting upright in wheelchair might keep tendon short. You mentioned massage on painful area. Did you have pain on surface area as I can prod, press and poke and I feel no pain. It's only when I move that it hurts.
So annoyed that I was absent minded and lost my balance to fall awkwardly in my living room. I'm 54 and there was nothing wrong with my hips! Now this new one is causing more problems than 17 years of MS which I cope with fine.
Regarding physio, I certainly have phoned. I was 11th on waiting list for home visit 3 weeks ago. I live in Scotland. Maybe it's better where you are but I will go private if I still haven't seen one after ultra sound.
Had a slightly better night so am staying positive that this will get better.
judith12644 carol19895
Posted
Hi Carol,
My heart goes out to you. What bad luck falling and damaging your hip, and I can't believe they have lost your notes. I really hope that you can get some help, and that you make steady progress. Wishing you all the best, Judith x
carol19895 judith12644
Posted
Thank you. I couldn't believe it either. The doctor I had seen that afternoon in the clinic at the hospital where I had the surgery phoned in the evening to ask which hospital I had the operation in as they "had no record of me". For a moment I thought it was a hoax. Unfortunately I'm pretty sure I didn't imagine the whole thing! Hoping they've found them by now. Thanks for your message. Feeling okay and going out for lunch today so keeping busy.
renee01952 carol19895
Posted
At pre-op I already had to give the name of the Physical therapist who was going to work with me so hospital PT could transfer notes ...
I lived and also worked for 33 years in Los Angeles - for a short but sweet time I worked for a Home Health Agency and know that PT will come to your house for 6 sessions post op THR ... OS can order further PT sessions, usuall continued out patient ... well, this was the case where I worked at that time -
Have a wonderful afternoon ... you can stop beating your self up for the fall, darling ... really ...
angel blessings