Sciatica after THR?

Hello Stella,

Maybe now it is not sciatica.. I have no back pain etc.. As for walking.. after op I was walking 3 miles a day no problems... Now I canot walk along my local High Street without aches etc. even with a crutch.  Shall see what Consultant says Jan 5th.   I didn't have "pain issues" before, so why now.... GP very puzzled thinks it may not be hip related as I can rotate my leg etc , but just to make sure and also at urging of my prvvate physio.. back to consultant to "check".   I am wondering if a cortisone injection would assist to (a) reduce swelling - as there wasn't any previously (b) reduce inflammation in tendons of abductor muscles... so that I can move more freely  If muscles continue to tighten like this with slight exercise they will affect the joint position.  I sometimes feel I might get better teatment from my equine vet!

Thank you for this encouragement. I do get downhearted but try to approach life one day at a time. Pain just makes it more of a challenge to do this. I'm hoping the myelogram I'm getting on the 30th will help sort out the pain on my other side so I have a clearer picture of what next year holds in store. My fervent wish is to have more good days than bad.👍

right now my docs say I can do some stretches but no real exertion; they say the bad hip could cause my second knee replacement to fail. So I'm trying to play it cool.

hope you do well in the following Christmas holidays😊

Hi Stella

It is hard to get a happy medioum isnt it? Sit too long and we get sore or walk too far and we get sore.....

Saying that.....walking around for  hours is a fantasic achievement

You mention walking, going to the gym and wrapping presents

I find that standing is sorest thing.....{wrapping presents}  Walking not bad {not as far as that  } the gym in moderation is OK but standing...even for a short time is dreadful

Have a Happy Christmas

Love

Eileen     UK

I know, and I am the sort of person who will overdo it because I need to prove to myself that I can do something!  Today I've been to the gym and done all my upper and lower body exercises - I was shaking by the time I'd finished so from now on I will do either upper or lower body and not both on the same day! 

Hope you have a good Christmas too and a happy and painfree new year!

Love,

Stella x

Hello Lee,    Yes the piriformis muscle was considered as being an issue, buwhen PT is done on it, there are no knots or spasms .. plus I have a lot of swelling/inflammation at fron top of thigh, which I didnot have after the op but do now....which is why Doc and my physio are "puzzled"... Movt's I can do:leg to back, leg to side, but not straight and forward.  Also walking any reasonable distance it aches and gets tighter and tighter and previously I could walk 3 miles. ALso any incline makes it tighter.  In fact this morning I thought buger it will try and do exercises that I used to do, all OK till good leg flat and lift op leg.. no chance!  BUT I could do so before.   See physio on Tues andwill again look at piriformis again....Many thanks and have a good Xmas...

Hello Hermione and I guess Happy Xmas!  I was also on norflex but it had no effect!  That was 2 weeks meds.. how long were you on it?  The annoying part I wake in morning and feel resonably "loose" and think OH you are a sham.. but if I walk anywhere, even just along our local High Street which is slightly on a slope.. I am hobbling again.  I am/was a fit person, riding daily and doing endurance riding too.... It seems that has a ?? now - endurance I mean... I was expecting to be back on my horse in Nov 3 months post op... as it  is she is still out "at rest" getting fatter, going feral and more unfit! Oh won't that be "fun" when we start again!!  I see consultant 5th Jan, and it will be first time since the op.. I amconcerned I will be dismissed as wasting time and be told am fussing over nothing....but my physio and Doc are wondering why I went backwards and if there is some underlying reason....

Merry Christmas to you, too!

The norflex was on-and-off about two weeks  (as needed). Getting into the pool helped, too. I also took some mobic/meloxicam on and off in that timespan. At three months I thought I'd be all done regaining flexibility an strength, based on how well I was doing. But now at 4 months post op, I am really starting to move into the full range of motion and strength before my hips went south! I've read it can take 6 months to a year to recover completely from THR, and I had both hips done at the same time. So glad that I didn't have to do them one at a time!  I also had some cramping when pulling my foot back towards my back and had to take some more norflex to make that go away (my doctor told me to start taking magnesium to help with that).  

If you walk on level ground do you have the same problem? Or is it when you get on an incline? Can you do any squatting? One of the hardest things for me still is getting up off of the floor, but at least now I CAN get up off of the floor. I've been using the stairs a lot (because I CAN!), and I think that is helping me regain strength in my glutes and thighs. What else are you doing for exercise? Do you swim?

p.s. I get regular chiropractic treatments. My hips aren't the problem anymore, but my SI joint can cause me some real problems. When it's out of place, one leg is shorter than the other. That makes walking much more difficult and brings on some of those scary aches and pains (sciatica, piroformis, etc.). When you picked up that suitcase, you may have skewed your pelvis. Have you been adjusted?

Hello again!  I do not think I have one leg shorter... I ws going great guns until 17th Nov and that *** suitcase... at least that is what I think caused the problems I now have.... I was expecting to start riding again mid Nov.  You just don't think... so used to lifting heavy loads etc 23Kg is nothing.. Oh Yeah!!   My physio told me to start using crutch again.....Walking on flat ..start OK but no distance...say 1 km..BUT if there is an incline immediately I start short striding...  in fact just now arrived back home after physio.  My muscles at back of leg IT band etc all knotted.. then round to front, not so bad, but top of groin tendons very tender and my lower leg and toes began to tib=ngle, she says probably as femoral nerve no room "to play".. Still swelling at top of groin - Bog Texture..   But I can move leg straight back and ot to side, but very tight to do so forwrad esp if straight.. easier if bent like when climbing stairs, but to push down ..again tight.   Have not tried squats.. Yes getting off floor ..very ungainly...  so I don't!  Glutes and thighs before 17th Nov, good strength..now..... Grhh Have to start again!  But will wait and see what consultant says on 5th Jan.   Again I think cortisone would help to reduce inflammation relax the muscles and allow healing to commence again!  I will mention also about possible skewing of SI joint..my horse had that! BUT ---  I DO NOT want what her osteopath did to correct to do to me!  Altho it did work!

Hi, gilEE: I sure hope you are able to figure out what the problem is. I'm glad to know that will see the consultant in January.

FYI: When my SI joint is out of alignment, my legs can be up to 1/2-inch different and I can get tingling in my feet. (I can't see when they are out of alignment myself.) When the SI joint is back in place, both legs are the same length. I don't know what your osteopath did to correct your SI joint, all I know is that the chiropractic move isn't problematic. Good luck! 

 

I was having groin/hip/leg pain and went to a physical therapist who has worked with SI joints for 30 years. She has written several books and one details her SI joint protocol, which is what I did for six weeks. Got where I could do the exercises and self correct the joint, usually did them daily. 

It helped certain parts of the pain but not all so mabe have hip , knee or back involvement. If you want I can get the name of the therapist and her book to you. She sees patients from all over the world so you likely can access the book. 

Sure hope you do feel better soon. I had horseshoe over 30 yrs, did a lot with Quarter horses and Appaloosas while my daughter did Eventing. Sure do miss it after back surgeries and knee replacements made me retire.

Have a good Christmas and New Year.

Hello Lee,  I assume you are in USA???  Yes I would like the name for the therapist and the book..   I was up my yard this morning and mentioned the SI issue and one of the other liveries said.. that's my problem.. So described the pain/symptoms and DITTO....  so will def mention this to my consultant 5th Jan appt.  Anyway, come what may I have HAD IT.. after 5th I will def get back on horse again, altho  it will be a quiet "veteran" Arab mare...get my seat and contact back before tackling my mare!

The name of the therapist is Vicky Simms, and the book is called " The Secret Cause of Low Back Pain".  The title is misleading in that low back pain is only one of the main symtoms caused by SI joint dysfunction. She goes into the pelvic rotations and other causes  of  this dysfunction. My neurosurgeon actually was the one who recommended her to me, saying many of his patients have benefitted greatly and often have avoided surgery and ended years of pain. I think this is a great book for almost anyone with undiagnosed pain in the hip, thigh and groin areas. I don't think you will have any trouble finding info on Vicky Simms . If you do I can send you my book.😊

I misspelled her name- it ends with an i not a y, so it is Vicki; didn't want you to have trouble finding her with misspelled name😉. 

I do hope you are able to return to riding and enjoying your horses. I'm glad you have a bomb proof mare to start with. I had friends who did competive distance rides with their Arabs and I thought they were great horses - with the prettiest heads too😊.

Hello Lee,  many thanks for that will search it out...   Come what may I WILL ride again.. maybe not endurance distance.  If not.. then concentrate more on dressage...nothing like our GB celebrants - I have a pic of me with Valegro and Carl Hester at his yard as my desktop!- but very much French and Portuguese school.  NATURAL and self carriage.

Happy Xmas and let's all hope for a much improved and pain free 2015 for ALL THR's.

I applaud your determination to continue riding👍 my daughter and I did jump judging at the Pan American Games try outs and she she did 3 phase eventing too so I know how addictive the equine way of life is.

wishing you and yours the best in the coming year. 

I hope that my THR next month will reduce a lot of my pain and I can post how great the surgery  & recovery.😊❤️

Hi Lee,   Oh judging indeed...   Addictive... when I was 4 I was asked by my Mother ballet or horse riding.. I was doing both....  Ballet was cissy - I was a real tom boy - of course I relied.... horses.. well ponies...  My Mother rued the day she posed that question!  If I can just now get a "handle" on this groin and buttock/thigh pain.... off we go again.. Whee.. About time I grew up.. 61, but mind def only 25!!  Enjoy rest of festive season....