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The dreaded golf ball

Posted , 18 users are following.

catrin46108
catrin46108

Hi,  I am almost 14 months post RTHR and have (apart from a few blips early on) done really well - a text book recovery to be honest. This weekend I went on a weekend away with husband to visit his old university and city (Liverpool). I overdid the walking be time my steps app recorded 20,000+ steps I have never walked that much since my op. 

I now now have the golf ball in my bottom feeling again - not had for months and the left hand side of my back is in really bad pain. I'm having to use a crutch to get about this evening. What a nuisance. I'm hoping I haven't done anything too myself-pain mainly came on after I got home and cleaned up after daughter who had stayed at home to take care of the dog 🙄  I'm contemplating a strong painkiller before bed something I've not had to do for over a year. So cross with myself for being so silly. 

So so folks pride comes etc please be careful it seems that we have to be very mindful of what we do for a long time after our surgery if not for rest of lives. 

Catrin. 

4 likes, 38 replies

38 Replies

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  • AnnieK
    AnnieK catrin46108

    Posted

    Plenty of rest and ice and some pain meds will likely help, especially rest! It's hard not to overdo things, especially at 14 months post-op. And we never know what our limits are until we go past them, darn it. Hope you feel better soon!
  • khippie
    khippie catrin46108

    Posted

    Hope you feel better soon , get some well deserved rest . I do hope you had a lovely time away though xx
  • linda38528
    linda38528 catrin46108

    Posted

    Thanks for sharing this with us Catrin - and so sorry that you had this episode. I hope it is just a blip and a small reminder to you  .. and us to be kind to our poor hips. 

    I've never been to Liverpool (some day I hope)  - sure hope the weekend was a super one and the sights worth the walking.  

    Wishing you a heating pad then ice and a couple of painkillers to sooth the weary bod>

    Take care and thank you for letting us know how you are doing - the recovery and this anomaly (I hope).

  • renee01952
    renee01952 catrin46108

    Posted

    Hi Catrin, 

    That is such a disappointment ... probably a little bit too much and overworked that big muscle - 

    But hey, what an accomplishment !!!! 

    so take some rest, maybe a gentle soothing massage ,our warm soak to relax the muscles - 

    20.000 steps sounds an awful lot to me, even without new hips ...

    big warm hug

    renee

  • annie.conway
    annie.conway catrin46108

    Posted

    I get so cross when I see how many people are NOT normal after hip replacement!! Like when I needed cataract surgery - everyone said how wonderful it would be after and 5 years on the darn eye is sore and can't see for %#}!
    • catrin46108
      catrin46108 annie.conway

      Posted

      Annie hi, yes you are right I've been thinking about it since yesterday and I feel like you have to re make your normal post op (if that makes sense) I've been in a little bit of a denial situation I think doing all the thinking used to do and not wanting to bore/hack off people around me by saying how I was really feeling. This little set back has made me realise I have to be careful for the rest of my life really - in order to get the best out of it. 

      Its actually my good side that's in pain but I'm icing, resting 

      , walking around the house and taking painkillers today thank goodness I work from home running a business with my husband at least I don't have to worry about that too. 

      Catrin

    • annie.conway
      annie.conway catrin46108

      Posted

      I really, really didn't have this op to be a cripple for the rest of my life!! Au contraire!!!!! 😡😡😡😡
  • sue59299
    sue59299 catrin46108

    Posted

    Catrin,

    i,m so pleased you posted this.  I am also 14 mths. Post THR and I truly did sail through everything and had a great recovery doing what was best for me, like sleeping on my non op side from day one and doing selective physio!  I walked the same day and had finished with crutches and sticks after a week or two.  To be honest, I don,t ever think about my hip!

       Until the other day, when I sneezed and had a stabbing pain under my scar.  It's still very tender, but luckily is not affecting my movement.  I think we have to remember that things can happen, even after such a long time.

    i am a nurse and have been very smug in the past.  Quite right, pride does come before a fall!  I,ve learnt my lesson and decided I,m not as great as I thought I was!  Daft Bat!

    Much love

    Sue

    • catrin46108
      catrin46108 sue59299

      Posted

      I too have learnt my lesson, think I have to acknowledge I have had surgery and I do have hardware inside that can make me vulnerable to injury if I'm not careful. I will definitely take greater care of myself from now on. 

      Take care. 

      Catrin

    • linda38528
      linda38528 sue59299

      Posted

      Wonderful post!

      I could soooo hear a dear friend with your 'daft bat'!

      Take care.

    • ric22112
      ric22112 catrin46108

      Posted

      My situation is similar.

      But how do we know when we are exercising in the danger zone, that's my problem. At the time of exercise it might not be painful at all.

  • kdm
    kdm catrin46108

    Posted

    Dear Cathrin

    Not quite as far along as you - three months post op - and I have also been blessed with a 'text book' recovery. Physio is doing well, walking most every day, back on my bike ...

    Last weekend, with not a qualm, I set about sorting out a linen cupboard, moving towels and sheets around ... Big mistake !!!! I've been in tons of pain all week. Seems I managed to aggravate my SI joint.

    I've already warned friends and family I'm crying off house work for good now

    Hope the ice packs and pain meds do the trick. See you on the other side!

    • catrin46108
      catrin46108 kdm

      Posted

      three months is still early you sound like you are doing it all right (bar the housework of course 😅  I've slept for long periods today and hopefully tomorrow will be better. 
  • Rocketman_SG6UK
    Rocketman_SG6UK catrin46108

    Posted

    I'm getting the 'golf ball syndrome' now that I have returned to work - I think it's just something that will recurr occasionally when we do too much.

    Graham - 🚀💃

    • catrin46108
      catrin46108 Rocketman_SG6UK

      Posted

      Definitely it's a bit less now but e muscle on the opposite side (the glute??) is very sore still. Hope work is not too awful and the commute manageable 
    • Rocketman_SG6UK
      Rocketman_SG6UK catrin46108

      Posted

      Commute is tiring, but my work has given me a physio for free biggrin, but wow is she hard work ... probably half my age, and believes in working my muscles really hard.  Still I'll endure it as she's very good, and very nice wink.

      Right now, doing 15 sit-to-stand with a big rubber band holding my legs together that I simultaneously have to try to push apart - to work on my glutes apparently.  Also, 30 backward leg moves and 30 sideways abductions all with a very stiff band attached to a table leg.  All twice a day, and extremely strenuous.

      As someone said "if it doesn't kill me, it'll make me stronger"

      Graham - 🚀💃

    • Rocketman_SG6UK
      Rocketman_SG6UK

      Posted

      and this is all to get rid of the 'golf ball' feeling !
    • AnnieK
      AnnieK Rocketman_SG6UK

      Posted

      Sure hope you don't hurt yourself with this strenuous PT and have a set-back. There is such a thing as gradually adding difficulty. I have seen on this and another forum that often when people move to more vigorous exercise they pull or tear things. 
    • AnnieK
      AnnieK Rocketman_SG6UK

      Posted

      I think that what you are doing is more likely to increase the golf ball feeling! Wouldn't that feeling come from things inside that are swollen, hence meaning that they were hurt and are trying to heal? You did get more active going back to work and could have aggravated something inside. But, then again, I am not a medical professional. I'll be quiet now!
    • Rocketman_SG6UK
      Rocketman_SG6UK AnnieK

      Posted

      Annie, and Annie (!),

      Thanks for your concern.  I am starting with just a few repititions of the new physio exercises, to see how it goes - I did some yesterday with her, and felt 'jelly legged'.  When I tried some today, I could really feel it working those Quads - so I stopped before it got painful (ALWAYS listen to your body biggrin).  I'll see how it goes, and maybe suggest to her that I really am not superman, nor am I in my 20's or 30's, in fact I'll be looking forward to retirement in under 12 months now.

      I will keep in touch, and let you know if the golf ball stays or goes.  

      I get the feeling that it is more related to what I am sitting on during the day, the car seat aggravates the scar (I now have a 'flat sided' cushion which gets over that problem), my work seat is much harder than my 'day chair' at home, and the train and tube seats are awful.

      Graham - 🚀💃

    • AnnieK
      AnnieK Rocketman_SG6UK

      Posted

      Perhaps you could carry a seat cushion with you for those hard surfaces. It needn't be super big or thick, just enough to give you some relief. And you could leave a better one at work, like a memory foam cushion or something. Glad to hear you are listening to your body, and that you are comfortable telling the PT person your limits. And, YAY, for retirement coming up soon!
    • Rocketman_SG6UK
      Rocketman_SG6UK

      Posted

      With flexible hours, getting in early means that I can get home well before the evening rush hour too.
    • Rocketman_SG6UK
      Rocketman_SG6UK catrin46108

      Posted

      it's a choice between unreasonable times with reasonable comfort, or reasonable times, and discomfort and unreasonable people  surprised
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