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T- gait after 7 months

Posted , 7 users are following.

cindy02055
cindy02055

Feeling frustrated with the T gait and disappointed that my PTs never told me to switch from leading up with the good down with the bad to the opposite, after 6 weeks or so, to strengthen my right op leg. My sister in law, a PT, who I am visiting this weekend told me that along with the fact that my op leg is about a centimeter shorter than left leg. I had trauma injury to cause thr.Surprise again said and she says I will need shoe lifts and leg strengthening to do away with T gait and messing up my left side with all the compensating. She was shocked I was limping still at 7 months out. Anyone else experienced this?

0 likes, 10 replies

10 Replies

  • brendahis
    brendahis cindy02055

    Posted

    Hi Cindy,

    I wasn't told that about the stairs either. Excuse my ignorance but what is T gait. My thr was caused by a fall too.

    Brenda xx

    • cindy02055
      cindy02055 brendahis

      Posted

      Hi Brenda,T-gait stands for Trendelenberg gait. This is caused by the cutting of the medius gluteus.
  • AnnieK
    AnnieK cindy02055

    Posted

    At 5 months out, I still had Trendelenberg gait and pain, and further, I could not balance on my surgical leg alone, and had not been able to do so at all since THR. I started on my journey to see what was wrong with me. Original surgeon had no clue, so went for second opinion. Turns out my gluteus medius is torn so badly that it requires surgery to repair, which I will be having on Aug. 15. I don't know how it got torn, if it was post-op or if things just didn't get repaired properly during my THR.

    There are many reasons why you may still be limping, and a good orthopedisst should be able to diagnose your problem for you. You may need a second opinion.

    • cindy02055
      cindy02055 AnnieK

      Posted

      Wow Annie. That is awful. Hope you get your gait back after this surgery and I hope I don't need an extra surgery to repair the gluteus medius. Sigh.

  • toto64676
    toto64676 cindy02055

    Posted

    Hi

    Im 7 months post op and still have some t gait.  I am having the shoe lifts made and am doing some exercises to strengthen the operated leg.  My limp seems to be worse if I get up in the night or if I walk around a room.  It is minimal if I can walk faster and further distances, not sure why this is.  

    I was not given any info on leaving hospital,  I found out on this forum about requesting physio, which I have now had, which lead to the shoe lifts.  I am not happy to have this limp, but I am mainly pain free now.

     

  • brenda92532
    brenda92532 cindy02055

    Posted

    Hi Cindy I can understand your frustration. I am 6 months post op and not walking correctly because od a problem with my foot on the operated side. Before I was discharged from hospital they tried me with the stairs and explained yo lead up with good and down with bad. 

    I too too have a difference of 1cm in the leg length and have been fitted with some insoles to try o correct this. I'm trying various options to sort the problem out with my foot. I hope you can get your problem sorted and let us know of your progress.

    Good Luck Brenda C

  • laura85375
    laura85375 cindy02055

    Posted

    Hi, I am one year post op and recovered very quickly.  Having second hip done this autumn but my comment concerns your leg length.  I was convinced, as was my Physio that my operated leg was a good couple of cm different to the other one.  The surgeon however kept saying 'it is fine'.  As it turns out over the months everything has settled, leg lengths appear the same and all is well.  To begin with though we all thought otherwise.  I'm glad I waited and in any case I have another hip to be replaced soon so I'm hoping he will do as good a job as he did the first time.  

    My friend and I were both encouraged to learn a new walk, and practice on our walks a new proper gait.  The T gait that we both had before the op had become a habit and it took quite a bit of mental mastery to look normal again.  I used to take a deep breath, straighten my shoulders (one of which has also been replaced) and aim to walk without anybody being able to notice.  To begin with this was only possible for a few steps.

    I hope that with the support that you are getting you will soon be fit and able.

    Laura 

  • cindy02055
    cindy02055

    Posted

    Thanks for all the encouragement Brenda and Laura and will let you know of my progress. I am trying insoles and actually bought a used treadmill last week where I walk perfectly with no thought but return to T gait when I get off..sometimes with more pain. I am determined to not give up though! We will get through this thr thing!

    Hugs

    Cindy

  • cindy02055
    cindy02055

    Posted

    Do any of you still having t gait after many months use a cane or crutch to help you walk correctly so you don't mess up your other hip through compensating? I have heard each incorrect step taken is neurologicallyl training you to walk in an incorrect way. I really don't want to go back to a cane although I do in the house sometimes. Will it get better without the cane if you keep strengthening it and trying to walk right? Unless of course the gm muscle isn't healing right.

  • margaret04286
    margaret04286 cindy02055

    Posted

    Yes.

    My physio said to do this. She said just trying to walk was useless. You have to

    Work on the basic muscles. So it is back to the boring stuff. The last thing

    we want us to set the other one off.

    I'm 11weeks post op. Thank God I can drive

    So I continue to use one crutch most of the time.

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