torn tendon following hip replacement - what can be done?
Posted , 21 users are following.
i had a total hip replacement 11 months ago, due to osteo arthritis, but continued to have pain ( to a much lesser degree). Had a scan today and found that i have a tear/cut in my gluteal tendon around the hip joint , which explains the continuing pain. Havent seen the surgeon yet to discuss options, but has anyone else had this? Have you had tendon reattached? Or Have steriod injections been effective? And if so for how long? Do you need to repeat steriod injections? Are there other options for a tendon tear? Cant seem to find much info online about tears post surgery, so would really apprecaite anyone else's experience of this. Thank you and speedy simple recoveries to all!
2 likes, 39 replies
debereves nicola19675
Posted
In June 2014 I woke up after my THR in excruciating pain. After painful months of Trendelenberg gait, I was finally told about a probable tendon tear. In May 2015 the attempted repair was done, and I woke up to the surgeon saying that the "tendon was cut, not torn". He quickly repented that he had been so forthcoming, but it seems that the tendon had not been resewn to the bone, and it was too late for the tissue had become fatty and irreparable.
deborah_03126 debereves
Posted
Hi debereves, I had my hip replacement in September nearly 12 weeks ago. Was so interested to read about your experience as I seem to be going the same way. How are you doing now - have you found anything that helps? Physio told me I have Trendelenburg gait- the first few weeks post op I was recovering really well, in fact the physios said on several occasions that I was recovering almost too well ( what does that mean?!) for many weeks now I don't seem to have improved and in now getting a lot of pain in my hip and back, I have some arthritis in my back and other hip but this wasn't a major problem before) . I'm waiting to hear if I can go back to see my consultant and searching online for exercises specific to this muscle. I would love to hear from you!
jane78109 nicola19675
Posted
Hi,
I don't know if you still have problems with a tear/ cut in your gluteal tendon?
?I had 2 hip replacements to treat hip dysplasia and severe arthritis in 2011.
?I started with left hip/left sided lower back and buttock pain, after I stopped walking with my stick after the 6 week recovery period.
?Only had a MRI pelvis at the end of last year, this shows increased signal in the gluteal medius tendon, hamstring tendonitis and gluteal muscle atrophy.
?
?It has taken 4 years of going backwards and forwards to the GP to do a MRI on my pelvis. They kept looking at my back.
?My MRI shows increased signal in the left gluteal medius tendon, left hamstring tendonitis and gluteal muscle atrophy.
beverlyanne nicola19675
Posted
Nicola - I had a total knee replacement in June of this year. My healing went well until about 2-months after the surgery. I began having severe pain when I stood or sat down. Went to the doc who did an ultrasound and found two severely torn tendons, a patellar and quad. He asked me if I had taken the antibiotic Levaquin recently and I answered yes, that I had. My primary prescribed it for an infection I had. One of the serious side affects is that Levaquin can cause tendon ruptures and more serious side affects, ruptured aortic aneyursms and neuropathy. So, if you've taken Levaquin or Cipro, both of these drugs can cause tendons to rupture. I've had two PCP shots and so far, no improvement.
susan54653 nicola19675
Posted
AnnieK susan54653
Posted
Susan, I can't remember if you have posted about this before, but are they going to repair your torn gluteus medius when they do the hip replacement? I hope so! Nine weeks ago I had gluteus medius and minimus tendon repair surgery, which was 1 1/2 years after my THR, same hip. They were torn immediately after surgery, and it took 1 1/2 years to get them diagnosed and repaired. I had 6 weeks of 20 pound weight bearing, and am now 3 weeks out from that. Still limping some, and feeling very stiff, especially in my back, but no more glute pain! It will take awhile to get the strength back into those poor muscles that were not used for so long.
You say you are worried about going in to THR with the torn glute. I'd be worried if they weren't going to fix them. THR is such a big deal that you will hardly notice the tendon repair, as it will just add to the background noise of everything else that has been done to your hip during the op. You may have a weight-bearing requirement, in addition to the normal movement restrictions, but that's a very good thing, since it keeps you from tearing the stitched-up tendon.