Thigh pain after hip replacement

Tight muscles and swelling are very normal, as is some pain - that's why you are given a good supply of strong painkillers.  Sounds like you are having a totally normal recovery to me.

Graham - 🚀💃

Maryellen, I am 9 months out of THR and I have been unable to balance on the surgical leg by itself ever since, so I have a bad limp when walking. I also have lots of pain in the buttock and in the upper part of my thigh/hip. I have been diagnosed with a gluteus medius tendon/muscle tear. That muscle, along with the gluteus minimus, are responsible for holding the hips steady when walking. Sounds very similar to what you are experiencing. My original surgeon didn't have a clue about what was wrong.

t was diagnosed via physical exam (seeing what my body can and cannot do), pain location, and MRI. I had a MARS MRI (metal artifact reduction sequence) that clearly shows the tear. My original orthopedic surgeon was unable to diagnose this, even from looking at the MRI, but I was fairly certain this was my problem and had suggested it to him. He wasn't even aware that the medius and minimus can be torn, or that surgery could be done on them.

So I found a new surgeon who does gluteal tendon surgery in addition to joint replacement, and he spotted it right away from a new MARS MRI. Neither of the radiologists who interpreted the results saw the tear, so you have to have someone who really knows what to look for. My new surgeon will be doing the surgical repair, as he knows it will never heal on its own. I am SO looking forward to being able to walk without crutches/walker and having all this pain. 

Best of luck to you, Maryellen, in finding the accurate diagnosis and treatment that you need. 

Yep - it takes forever - I am 6 months down the line now, and at last feeling vaguely normal.  

I can cycle and use both legs to power myself along (I could only use one leg before the operation).

I even walk up escalators on the London Tube system (not up to running up them just yet).

I think you are right about the medical profession's 6-12 week figures that they do such a good job of selling to us. 

Best wishes

Graham - ????

Graham...sorry to hear that it is now 6 mos, but happy to hear that you can see the "light at the end of the tunnel"....My best wishes for continued improvement...

Going to see my doctor in about an hour----see what he has to say...my fingers are crossed.  We are avid golfers and have a trip to Hawai planned in the middle of October (just to play golf--4 days in a row -at their beautiful courses)  I am hopeful that he will be honest with me---we'd hate to make the trip just to find I STILL CAN'T PLAY GOLF!

Might have to play one day/skip a day etc.

I'm glad that the 6 months seems to have flown by .... although it didn't feel like it at the start.

Fingers and everything else crossed for you - lets hope you can play a round or two.

dear golf lady ,

so sorry that you feel this way ...

It seems that you piggybacked on a very old discussion - 

Maybe you can start your own discussion so that others will be able to respond to your question...

Big warm hug

renee

hi kimberley ...

warm welcome to the best forum for hippies ...

listen, you replied to a discussion posted 6-12 moths ago ..

You might want to start your own discussion (see green box) so we can respond to you and your questions ...

big warm hug

renee

 

Thanks Renee.  I'll do just that

I am 6 weeks post op. Saw registrar who amazed me by expecting me to walk unaided! I am doing my physio but wonder if it really helps as I seem to be in more pain than ever. Looking forward to being able to sleep on my side and give up the restrictions. I am 74 years old so might take a bit longer to recover.

Hi wynn39782,

6 weeks post op is very early to worry about anything.  The discomfort and weakness you are felling sounds normal.  I was the same way.  My doctor had me up and walking within 2 hours after surgery.  Every doctor is different, but he insisted that the sooner the patient is mobile, the better.  It took quite a while for me to be able to sleep on my right side (operated side).  I'm about 6 months post op right now and I can finally lay on that side to go to sleep.  Some nights it gives me problems, but overall I'm happy because I can see improvement.  My surgeon told me it was normal until the hip completely heals.  Listen to you doctor and physical therapist.  I was concerned at first, but once I reached 3-4 months, I could tell that the surgery was a success!  Good luck with your recovery and don't overdo things

THankyou it is good to know others have gone through the pain . I keep a diary of my day to day situation and hopefully will look back at the end of the year and see how much better I feel. Don't know why the medical profession think you should be pain free and walking unaided just after 6 weeks post op.

My surgeon was willing to assist with pain meds until 12 weeks post op.  Everyone is different in the way they recover and how much pain they can tolerate.  While I was walking without a walker or crutches after just a week, my surgeon told me that I was the exception rather than the rule.  Age also plays a big part in recovery.  I was 49 when I had my hip replacement.  I had no time for crutches at all!!  My surgeon told me that there were no restrictions on how much weight I could bare on that leg, so I went for it.  I got into PT as soon as possible and stuck with it.  The strenthening exercises that they show you are essential to a complete recovery.  Yes, they hurt a little at first.  Your therapist should no how far to push you.  Listen to them and your doctor.  Good luck for a great recovery!

Sounds like you had a good surgeon. I do my PT although it is painful at times. Now I am 6 weeks on I expect to get harder exercises to do. I walk using my crutches and sometimes can manage on 1 crutch but at the moment cannot walk unaided.. still early days but can't wait to get my life back and take my little dog for a walk.

Stick with it.  You are going great!  I found that over the counter meds like Ibuprofen (anti-inflammatory) really helped.  I still use it occasionally when I'm having a bad day. 

Hi Kimberley, My first left hip replacement was in 2010 and I was 45. I had almost constant thigh pain for the first year and after that the pain would come and go. I kept returning to my surgeon because I wanted answers.. With my stack of x-rays taken over those years he noticed more bone was forming AROUND THE END OF THE STEM so he concluded he could of used a larged diamiter stem and that the bone growth was filling in the space between the bone the forgein metal object. . November 2015, at 50, I had my right THR. My surgeon used a little larger stem for more stability and to possibly avoid the same pain. ....I did not have the same thigh pain with recovery as I did with the first THR. I would say hardly any thigh pain.....So I thought, great, I'll get back to exercising....... but still a year and a half later doing leg presses, the thigh pain right away flared up within hours. I have a hard time up and down the stairs. For three days I exersiced to give myself a chance.

Days after I stoped, just sitting the thigh achiness is still uncomfortable. Thigh pain is from my mid thigh down to where I think the stem ends and that is where the pain is the greatest. My surgeon had another patient that had the same pain and kept going back him. Eventually the pain stoped for this gentleman. Everyone is so diffenerent. I am coming to the conclusion that there will always be some pain associated with a THR years later. One has to realize this is major surgery. Cutting of the ball of your femur, adding a new cup, and pounding (literally hammering, I saw the items they use to do this) and long metal rod down your femur bone. For a surgeon to get the correct angle and depth is amazing to me but usually is not 100%. The depth on both of mine are right on but think my right side is angled in some. There are so many variables, so many good and bad surgeons, may be the weather, could one have a reaction to the small amount of nickel in the titanium, what you carried that day and how, was it just too much. I think if one has the finacial ability to go back to their orthopedic doc over time maybe one can get some answers. For me I need to find a different form of exercise without upward force on my femur when I do leg presses or just know when to stop. 

Hi -- I had a posterior THR 17 weeks ago and I am still experiencing the same problem I've had since the surgery. My recovery went as well as can be expected and do sleep and sit with no pain. I can walk unaided, with minor thigh pain, only after doing my physo but -- anytime I sit or lie down I am unable to put any weight on my leg again in order to walk,  without doing a weight shift from good leg to bad leg, tightening leg muscles to accept my weight. I have gone to my surgeon four times to address this problem but have not received any support nor does he seem to even know what I'm talking about. I am wondering if anyone else has experienced this -- my xray and CT scan shows that everything is normal.

hi sub, 

warm welcome to the hippies forum where personal exeriences and stories are shared ... I am so sorry to hear about your ongoing pain ..is it real pain or more discomfort - 

either way, it is worrying you and hampers you in your daily living ...

17 weeks sounds like a long time but isn't really after such a major invasive surgery - 

Could start your own discussion (see green box: Start your own discussion) so more members can react to your post ? Right now you are piggy-backing on an old post and only people who first responded to the old one will recive this ---

we are with many here and come in all flavors, ages and stages !!

big warm hug

renee

 

Hi Renee -- life takes many twists and turns. I am unable to be involved in discussions for a period of time as I will be away to take care of family business. Best of luck to everyone for a speedy recovery.

​

Hi Sub, I had my THR on my left hip 13 weeks ago and like you have been recovering quite well apart from this stiffness after sitting for a period of time and have to do a little jiggle to help me get my balance and remove the tightness from my buttock muscle.  After this I can walk normally.  I am doing fairly long walks and my surgeon who I saw last week told me that walking was the best therapy and not to push it with doing too much in the way of excessive exercise.  Everyone heals at different levels and as I also have an autoimmune disease I think I am doing OK.  I am sure that this tightness will go eventually.

HI KIMBERLY I HAVE THE SAME PAIN . I AGREE WITH YOU.AND I HOPE FOR ALL OF US THAT IS EXPERIENCING THIS PAIN THAT IT WILL GO AWAY SOON, TAKE CARE !!