Very sore and stiff around wound area

hi ruth,

Wait and see is the safe option. Leave off the walking for a day or two try to rest with the leg raised. A bag of frozen peas might help.

Hope this helps. If it seems to be throbbing then consult a doctor straight away.

I agree with Shirley. Slow down for a couple of days and see if it subsides. It could just be your body shouting at you for a bit of a rest, before you go on again

Hi Ruth

Good question! My gut reaction that it's safer to do less. When it gets sore and stiff I think there's a danger of doing damage.

Be gentle with your hip. It can heal all by itself. Exercises only strengthen the surrounding muscles, they do nothing for the bones or the wound.

Keena

Hi Ruth , 

There is no gain in having pain after THR surgery ... well, not in my book anyway ..

i am assuming that the scar is closed and dry and tenderness underneath and around it, right ?   Where is the stiffness coming from - is the scar  stiff and tight ?

Sorry for all these questions ... I had something similar and apparently scar tissue had attached itself t so something - hence the tighness and tender - I am a whimp and actually found this very uncomfortable -

maybe you can have your doctor look at it ....

warm hug 

renee

I had the same issue and my Dr. Said it was scar tissue building up. Don't ask me why they don't give a hands lesson regarding this before you leave the hospital. He said to massage it several times a day right on the scar and surrounding area. Obviously after the staples or stitches are out and not to hard cause it is VERY sensitive. You need to keep that tissue loose or it will just get worse. Real life example- a friend of mine had her surgery 2 weeks before I did. She is 12 weeks and I'm 10. I started massaging at 5 weeks and each day I would work it a little harder ( my physical therapist showed me how.) I am ahead of her in recovery, she hasn't kept up with physical therapy or massaging her tissue and is still using a cane and struggling.

Don't misunderstand me, there can be other issues involved, each person is different and heals at a different rate. But I remember the feeling you are describing so well and went to the Dr. And within a week of massaging my scar and surrounding tissue It felt so much better. Everytime I sit down, I use 3 fingers and press in a circular motion up and down my scar.

BUT, as others have said, rest and don't over do it either. Its so easy to do when you start feeling better. It will get better.

My scar was the same it will go down. It is swelling

from stitching under the skin, mine looked like an extra

hip. Just don't wear anything tight over it or you feel it

more.

Cathie

I brought that exact thing up with my doctor during my 2 week post op visit.  He said it was scar tissue forming and to use some kind of vitamin E oil/lotion and rub it very gently at first, in small circles over/around the scar area.

As mentioned tho, maybe take a rest and if it persists or throbs, make an appointment just to be safe.

Ruth,

Best advice is what people are giving you to take a day or so off and not push yourself through pain.

Here's some tips

Definitaly should have E oil rubbed on the scar at the incision.

To keep scar tissue from building up, you should have the area around the incision massaged gently and have someone that knows how to deal with scar tissue massage and roll the areas as you heal.  Using the E oil.

Movement is the key to getting better.  this is strenthening the muscles and moving the tendons, ligaments, jints, etc.  But slowly.

After my first onth I began thinking I had to push more and do more.  The best advice I received was to be consisiten in owkring everyday.  But no need to wide or extended motions or adding weight rtraining to quickly. 

In your current state, elevating is necessary.  But while you are levated to you do some lsight motion exercise such as leg raises and stretches.

Hopefully you have a good Physio helping you.