Superpath Hip Replacement 3 weeks post op
Posted , 21 users are following.
hello everyone
im nervous about posting on here as I never in my life thought I'd be on a forum for patients so in some ways it is good I've learnt some humility as always thought I was indestructible as I've always been very sporty playing a lot of tennis, football, rugby and cycling as well as regular gym sessions.
Im 42 and last year after persistent groin pain that wasn't overly painful but nonetheless noticeable and wasn't going away after about a year I had an MRI scan, the results of which showed a FAI and laberal tear. My consultant told me the space between the ball and socket at one point was about 0.5mm and therefore I was too far gone to even attempt keyhole surgery and that I needed a THR of right hip. Being the cautious sole I am I had a couple of other opinions by consultants all of whom said same thing.
I kind of didnt take it too seriously as i wasnt in great pain and was still very active, playing a lot of tennis running and cycling. The most noticeable thing was during sexual intercourse in missionary when I could feel a grinding sensation in the groin and clicking. Obviously that became somewhat of a passion killer.
As time went on the pain was pain was getting more noticeable during tennis and my consultant suggested cortisone injections and sinvisc plus. The cortisone injections did great but only lasted around 3 weeks per injection. I didn't notice any great difference with the sinvisc plus.
Still up to around april/may this year I was still playing a lot of sport and walking fine. But then in June during a very brutal game of tennis while hitting a running forehand I experienced an almighty crunch in the hip and a bit of pain, not too much as I'd only just had last cortisone shot. This was a Saturday when the crunch happened.
No problems on saturday evening or sunday Sunday but the Monday when at work after being seated when I went to get up I was in agony and couldn't move. Hip/groin locked.
Since then this sensation continually happened if I bent my leg then tried to straighten it. I had an injection into a tendon that my consultant said was getting trapped and that did work but only for two weeks. I was at the stage where getting off toilet was a massive challenge. Once unlocked it wasn't too bad. I could walk ok and pretty quick. I noticed if I did no sport (or sexual relations) the locking subsided but as soon as I was more active the issue came back. My consultant told me it was a very personal choice when to have a THR but my quality of life was being affected and the aim of a THR was to improve that quality. He then told me about the Superpath technique which I loved sound of and he was one of very few surgeons who did this. I elected to have the super path and it was done on September 15.
Im 19 days post op and can walk with one crutch pretty quick but when I try without a crutch I'm struggling as hip is stiff. I can bend leg upwards well and outwards and can squat. Obviously no locking now.
my concern is I've seen you tube videos of people able to cross their legs and walking with no aids at all and in no pain. I have no pain when lying down or sitting down save for a bit of soreness where the wound is but my main worry is I do get a lot of groin pain when exercising or trying to lift my leg keeping it straight. Also when I walk the groin hurts and while other pain seems to be getting better the groin doesn't at all.
I go for my first physio appointment in two days time and I'm worried that this groin pain means something isn't right. I've gone into so much detail as wanted to explain how I was before the operation. Has anyone had the superpath and if so what were your experiences at this stage. I've read somewhere that the illopsis tendon can be damaged and of course when I was locking up before the THR I wonder if that tendon took some damage.
sorry if this is really long winded but it's all very stressful as I've never so much had a filling in my teeth let alone major surgery so I'm not sure where I should be and what I should be doing.
Thanks in advance for any replies.
7 likes, 395 replies
gerriberri66 gary45745
Posted
Hi Everyone,
Thanks for the words of encouragement and support. It means so much..
Hi Richard...sorry to hear that you are dealing with back issues on top of knowing you need to deal with the ankle revision.
Judith..appreciate that you validating the grumpy 😡 moments we all go through during recovery. I’m going to wear my “grump” with pride. Lol. Amazing that you really didn’t do much PT. Lucky 🍀 you! How long were you in hospital after your surgery?
Gar.. glad to have you remind me again about the 1st couple of weeks. I don’t have any stitches. Dr Chow uses crazy glue...(haha..not really crazy glue). But they do use glue and my dressing was taken off last Tuesday. I still think you feel the incision healing..every now and then it itches or you feel a “stick”. Ice is my new best friend. 🤦??? I play different kinds of games..but I love gummy drop. Lol
Other than PT and meeting clients for late lunch, I am free as a bird tomorrow. Looking forward to a no work, no pressure kind of day.
Again, thank you my friends. I appreciate you all! Xoxo
RichardKen gerriberri66
Posted
Dear Gerry
Thanks. When I had my original ankle replacement five years ago I was booked into seeing my chiropractor but my car decided to breakdown. I could not get another appointment before the surgery so I went in with lower back pain and it was six weeks before I was able to drive to my chiropractor and it was a very painful five weeks! I rang the hospital yesterday to find out when I'm going to be called in but the person I need to speak to is on leave until December 27th. They had failed to return my phone calls over the previous ten days.
Cheers Richard
judith12644 gerriberri66
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gerriberri66 judith12644
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Good Morning Judith,
It's hard to believe Christmas is only a few days away and then a whole new year starts. Where does the time go??? What is NHS? Health care in UK seems quite different than here. You sound like me..except for the hip I am totally healthy.. Just relax and try to get through the next few days.. a good nap never hurt anyone! lol
Update: Went to 2nd PT yesterday. Was more comfortable with the therapist. 1st time you worry that they are going to hurt you when moving you in ways you forget you should be moving. Did normal recumbent bike (1st day used an elliptical type bike). Nervous about the actual movement on bike, but it was actually quite fine, once I got passed my own fear. Did a lot of hip abductor exercises, glute lifts and stretching leg while on my stomach, and then he manually stretched the leg in and out, some ice, and some electronic stimulation ( don't ask me if it helped or not). My quadricep was pretty sore last night...don't know if it was from laying on them or from whatever exercises I did. Will return to PT on Wed. I must say today after a good nights rest that my gait is definitely better ( getting ready to say good bye to the limp )... I also have to try to remember to start trying to bend normally rather than baby the right hip to encourage self flexibility ( I don't even think there is a real definition of that, but I think you know what I mean.).
?Here is what Dr Chow used for my hip, and Gar feel free to look it up and let me know your thoughts. Apparently these are the latest components in hip replacement and are from Microport, which Dr Chow is associated with. I also believe he might be instrumental is helping design them as well:
Procotyl Prime Biofoam Shell
?Procoptyl Prime A Class Polyliner w 15 degree lip
?Profemur Preserve Classic Stem size 6 straight
?Biolox Delta Femoral Head
?Wishing you all a most wonderful day. xoxoox
gary45745 gerriberri66
Posted
Yes the wound is the most restixtive thing as when u feel it pull u tjink its the hip itself and automatically try to compensate.
As well as you are doing, you are bound to get very tired at times forst 3 weeks. We all lose alot of blood obviously so remember that forst 3 weeks is allowing body to recover. So PT is obvioulsy important but at your stafe not a priority rest is.
Im now at stage where PT is main thing as im able to do dayvto day things with ease but csnt run yet or twist etc. That i tbink is as much mental as physical and its my next hurdle. Xx
judith12644 gerriberri66
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gerriberri66 judith12644
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judith12644 gerriberri66
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m05 gary45745
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Hi all, I am still in the land of the living, must admit having to cancel the surgery last week made me hit the ground with a rather large bump, I have felt quite deflated the past week had got everything in place for 14th bag nearly packed even paid the hospital then wham ! no one wants surgery but I just want to be able to start to put an end to this grinding bone on bone pain and the disability it is causing me, I am walking like a 90year old who has had an accident in his pants
The cold bug seems to have lifted now so I have taken myself back into work can't sit around the house watching daytime TV whilst the other half manically prepares for Christmas anyway just had phone call from accountant desperately needing me to give him figures for end of year accounts so at least I can keep busy. No date given for op yet obviously holidays will make this more difficult but hoping that it will be fairly early Jan. Have discovered that I can still use my spin bike ok so trying to get my cardio fitness up and keep a bit of leg muscle tone as I am sure this could help recovery I do ache a bit after a 30 min session but don't think it will do any more harm over the short term.
?Gerri I have been checking in to see how your recovery is going must say it is very inspiring you really do seem to be doing great hopefully before too long you will be back to normal and the hip thing will be history, I have heard quite a bit about this post op blues thing seems to affect a lot of people but passes keep up the good recovery.
?Gary hope you are doing ok did you go back and see Mr Cronin for as check ? Hope your plans for Christmas going ok sorry to hear about your snowman's eye !! bit beyond my scope that one
glad its all gone now we just can't seem to cope here .
?Thanks for your thoughts Judith hope you are going on well.
?Cheers Martin
gerriberri66 m05
Posted
Dear Martin,
I totally emphasize with what you are feeling. I’m so sorry that everything had to be put on hold..besides the physical issues you are dealing with, you get mentally set, wind down your business and are prepared to get it done, then pow 💥..it’s not happening. It’s discouragibg and depressing. Hopefully you can get rescheduled quickly. Definitely try to keep up whatever exercise you can do..I know all the prep I did prior is definitely helping me now. Just hang in there. We are all rooting for you. You can do this. Just a couple more weeks and you’ll be posting your post op experience for everyone to follow!
Xo
judith12644 m05
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gary45745 m05
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Saw Mr Cronin today and he sends his regards and wishes you a merry christmas.
You sound similar to how i was pre op perhaps a bit worse but the good news is you will be alot better within the next 8-10 weeks. Mr cronin said im doing well just need to get me running now. I tried treadmill today but hip hated it as i kept collapsing on it. I think i shall start runnimg outside on grass as its more natural than a treadmill style wise. Im not sure treadmills are healthy devices even for super fit kids as its an unnatural motion.
I still get pain in hip thata more a dull ache but mr cronin said 12 weeks is early days as its still major surgery but he is delighted with my range of movement.
The bad news is it looks like my left hip (non operated side is on way out). Mr cronin noticed it catching when he was comparing it to operated hip and i actually now have less range of movement sligjtly in the non operated hip. Thats a bit sobering at my age as the realissation is hitting me ill never again be that powerful fast lithe atletic guy i used to be. By that i mean while hips can be almost as good as they were with top surgeons like mr cronin its seems its one thing after the other in my case, i suspect years of pounding the body are now catching up. Found myself looking at young 20 somethimgs in leamington and feeling envious.
Anyway try and keep your spirits up. Atleast u wont be tored fkr christmas as had you had op on 14th u would have been very tired for christmas.
Gary
gerriberri66 gary45745
Posted
Evening everyone!
Gar...that’s pretty amazing that you are up to trying to run. It must have been scary though, wasn’t it? So sorry to hear that you will need to go through this with your left hip as well. At least you will totally know what to expect. Are you going to wait a while for full right hip recovery first? Please let Mr Cronin take Martin first. Lol. Don’t be jealous of the young guys. Even though you’ll have 2 bionic hips, you make up for it in age and experience. Ladies like that 😉
Everything here good..did exercises at home, iced and relaxing. Bit if disturbing news with heightened security alert here in Vegas as well as NY and Washington. I lived through 911 in NYC and don’t want to see anybody, anywhere going through anything like that. So sad what’s going on in the world. Off of that topic, how are things going for you at work%?
xo Gerri
gary45745 gerriberri66
Posted
Whats the increased alert for? Intelligence specific or just heigjtened for festive period?
As for what ladies like, when i was out in Vegas i did nkte a marked difference between american women under 40 and british women of same age. I attended some of the pool parties. I love seeing differences in cutures etc.
As for left hip im a few years from needing a hip replacement but the issue is there so needs monitoring. My right hip is the more strong and mobile of the two even if it doesnt like running. That tjoufh maybe more mental than physical as ive not run for 6 months as pre op it was a killer eventually. See physio on 29th so may go on treadmill with her and proverbially be hand held as i try again.
You ate doing so well. Have a wonderful christmas xx
gerriberri66 gary45745
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Hi Gary,
Heightened security for potential terriorist activity. 😠
I’m sure there is a lot of cultural differences. Lol American women at pool parties 🎉 probably a lot freer....lol
isnt it amazing that your right hip is now the stronger of the 2?. I wonder if material used for your hip is fine for running. I was told that I shouldn’t run, which is not a problem for me because I’ve never been a runner anyway. I went to the gym today and did 2 miles on recumbent bike. I could have done more, but was afraid to push it. I just wanted to keep the joint oiled. Lol. It wasn’t a speedy 2 miles..but I wasn’t in a race.
Thanks for explaining superpath.. apparently I’m taking over as next person to be moderated.
Wishing Ng you a wonderful Christmas as well!