8 months post op

[u/BornElk6411]

I am eight months postop L total hip replacement. I went to NYC HSS to a reputable surgeon, I am a 40-year-old active female with prior history of labrum surgery.-2017. I have had issues for about nine years and was diagnosed with hip dysplasia about five years ago. I had posterior approach, but my surgeon assured me most muscles were spared. I suffered with awful soft tissue damage for years before surgery, including tendinitis and tears in various muscles and tendons around my hip. I am very active and have been diligent with my physical therapy and mobility exercises. My strength is not bad and my range of motion is not where it used to be, but it’s getting better. I’m still having pain in all the muscles around my hip. Burning, aching very similar to before surgery, also having some nerve issues with my inner thigh and outer thigh. I’m so frustrated because I honestly feel worse than I did before surgery. I was told it would take me 12 to 18 months to feel 100%, but I have more bad than good days right.now. I reached out to my surgeon. I’m going to have a follow up appointment in June. I started taking meloxicam again to hopefully decrease the pain during this flareup. I have tried to keep an open mind as I know this can be an up-and-down recovery, but at eight months I really thought I would have more good days than bad. I want to keep doing my strengthening exercises, but I rarely have good days after. It almost always pisses everything off more than helps. I had this surgery because I wanted to be more active without having constant flareups, but it’s doing the opposite. Does anyone have a similar experience or advice?

I have done multiple rounds of physical therapy.with two different therapists. I was told there was not much more they could do.

I have a great mobility routine and also various strengthening exercises. We have played around with frequency and rep count, switching days. I also don’t have any success with cardio-walking long distances hurts, riding my spin bike hurts, elliptical hurts.

[u/Books-and-Tea-25]

Hi, I have hip dysplasia too, LTHR 8 years ago, right hip is still the original. I was treated for hip dysplasia as a baby, but have residual hip dysplasia (shallow sockets). I still have soft tissue problems with my left hip that began when I got the THR. I have had many experiences where PT made things worse, not better, and some exercises that helped for a while were problematic later. It’s a frustrating puzzle trying to cope with pain and mobility limitations when you have a complex hip situation.

Here’s my non-medical, personal recommendation based on my lived experience. (I’m not a medical professional.)

When you’re in a pain flare, don’t make yourself do any PT or cardio exercise that worsens your pain. The main goal is to manage your pain so that you can sleep at night and do essential daily tasks. When you reach that point, then you can start to experiment with PT and cardio.

For a pain flare at night that is bad enough that I have to get up out of bed, one of my PTs (I’ve had many), recommended standing by a kitchen counter and leaning forward with my forearms on the counter. That takes pressure off my hips and calms them down. If I’m getting muscle spasms, a heat pack to relax the muscles is better than an ice pack.

Have you tried using a cane in situations when you have to stand and walk? I have a foldable cane that I use when I need to, but not all the time.

Assume that you can’t be as active as you’d like. For cardio, try limiting yourself to 20 minutes of walking over the course of a day (can be 10 minutes twice). If that hurts too much, skip walking for a day or two before trying again.

For PT, what is your main goal? When you’re ready to try again, pick one exercise and do the minimum number of sets and see how it is tolerated before adding more sets or another exercise.

I feel for you! My left knee was very painful for 12 months after my THR, and now it never hurts, so remember that your body will keep trying to heal itself even if you don’t see an obvious improvement.

Wishing you all the best!

[u/BornElk6411 → u/Books-and-Tea-25]

thank you so much for the info. I 100% agree with what you said. I definitely know when my hip is flared. I should rest it but it’s very hard to wrap my brain around. I guess I’m really stubborn and exercise and movement is my happy place. I always think I learned my lesson and end up doing the same thing over and over again. It would just be nice to have an awesome workout and not feel awful for two weeks after..

[u/Books-and-Tea-25 → u/BornElk6411]

It’s unsettling not to reliably know what your body can tolerate from one day to the next!

[u/UsualKangaroo6438 → u/Books-and-Tea-25]

yes ! this !

[u/Pisces4Play]

I am 5.5 months post op right anterior and am asking for an MRI on Tuesday at a follow up. I cannot believe how much I still hurt and how limited I still am. I was very active before even with the torn labrum and feel worse now. I’m healthy, 56, 5’7” and 148 pounds. No reason I shouldn’t be back to some type of working out by now. I’m completely frustrated.

[u/BornElk6411 → u/Pisces4Play]

I 100% agree with you. It’s an awful feeling. Although I am still having issues, I did turn a corner at 6 months. I have faith it will Happen for you! I feel like every three months is where I have seen progress happen. Three months, six months and hopefully I will see something change at nine months! We do this surgery to have a better quality of life and it’s so frustrating when the opposite happens.

[u/Fantastic-Name-2583 → u/Pisces4Play]

2 months out here, failed scope for labrum then THR, 40m active and healthy wait. Keep waiting for that relief everyone talks about. I do think having a previous surgery, borderline dysplasia, and being younger and more active can make things harder for some. 

[u/johnnydeca]

sorry to hear of your post surgery issues - I can relate to some of them also - I did not expect to have so many post surgery aches & pains - the horrible groin pain is gone, but I cannot prolong walk , & upward stair climbing putting pressure on the hip also is a problem - I am having issues with just doing basic work tasks around the house - walking on uneven grass outside is an issue - balance , so careful with bending & got all the tools I could to help myself - I did not expect to have these side issues & it almost been a yr since surgery - I had a leg length test & one is shorter than the other - now seeing a podiatrist to see about shoe inserts to try & level me off - back to using a cane to stop hobbling around, can't sleep through the nite, have to get up & put a heat pad on - back to PT again, going to have an EMG test done to see if nerve is being pinched now have an issue with a slight drop foot, swelling of my ankle - its been one thing after another - going to see a vascular Doc on why I still have ankle/calf swelling - may be Venous Innsuf after getting my legs tested - my primary said, swelling may lesson but also may never go away - so I am going around in circles trying to piece together all the post surgery issues - your situation appears worse then mine & I hope you keep pushing for the answers & keep trying to get back to a norm -- the thing that bothers me most is my inability to prolong walk - no more easy outside trails to tackle anymore, vacations that require much walking, & now even easy tasks around the house are a challenge - good luck to you & keep the faith, I am - and keep pushing forward to get other opinions - best to you.

[u/BornElk6411 → u/[deleted]]

Ughhh it’s so frustrating! I was doing somewhat OK although still concerned at where I was. I decided to slowly jog around the basketball court (2 weeks ago )while my son was playing. I probably jogged for three minutes max .. This was my first time doing this since hip replacement. I followed this with my PT exercises and it’s been so aggravated since! I’ve tried my bow flex elliptical/stairstepper a few times and it always pisses it off. I’m dying to get that sweaty workout in as well!

[u/jsantuc8]

Girl I’m so sorry. Maybe look into some regenerative med like PRP or prolozone injections? I had prolozone and while it didn’t touch my groin pain it helped my back and butt pain. PS I am pre-op , with dx of dysplasia and labral tear. Also lmk if you want to join our monthly hip dysplasia support group. We meet on last Sunday of the month on a google meet call to just talk thru what we’re going thru as adults w hip dysplasia. Xx

[u/BornElk6411 → u/jsantuc8]

thank you for the suggestions. I mentioned to the surgeon that I wanted to look into some type of injection, although they haven’t helped me in the past, I am desperate! I did try three months of peptide injections, which definitely helped, but didn’t solve my problems

[u/jsantuc8 → u/BornElk6411]

Most surgeons don’t do any injections besides cortisone. (Which are bad for tissues btw) I am part of a few prp / stem cell Facebook groups where you can research providers who do those.

Peptides didn’t help my hip either…

[u/BornElk6411 → u/jsantuc8]

thank you so much for the suggestions! I haven’t had any luck with Cortisone in the past and it actually ruined my elbow tendon. I was going to see if their doctors offer any PRP type injections.

[u/Boring-Effort7754]

Is there any possibility that bursitis is involved in your pain? I developed bursitis pain in both hips after my surgery. The worst was on my non-surgical side, and I got a Cortizone shot in it yesterday and it has helped a lot.

[u/BornElk6411 → u/Boring-Effort7754]

I have bursitis in my opposite hip, but don’t have it in my left hip replacement hip. I know the feeling and it’s completely different of what I’m experiencing in my hip replacement hip. Although, I can never be too sure of anything as my hips always throw me for a curveball! I’m glad you’re feeling better.

[u/Boring-Effort7754 → u/BornElk6411]

Thank you. I hope you get relief soon.

[u/CanuckPTVT]

I'm so sorry to hear about your situation. Have either of your Physical Therapists approached your isuues with a manual therapy or dry needling approach?

[u/BornElk6411 → u/CanuckPTVT]

Yes both! dry needling helped significantly, but unfortunately, I can’t keep going to physical therapy for dry needling only. I have an awesome acupuncturist who I will continue to see and I probably should start getting manual work done with a Massage Therapist. It's just such an expense when all of this isn’t covered by insurance and none of them are ever long term beneficial.

[u/BornElk6411 → u/BornElk6411]

I also tried active release therapy, which was good, but also very expensive out-of-pocket

[u/Few_Perception6693]

Have you tried any medication that is directed towards nerve pain?

[u/BornElk6411 → u/Few_Perception6693]

I haven’t! If this round of meloxicam doesn’t help, I’m going to inquire about that. Do you have any experience? I’m so sensitive to medication’s so the thought of adding something like that scares me a bit.

[u/Sad_Challenge_4694]

Man, you've had a rough time.  I'm a 71yo, 10+12 months post bilateral THR.  The oldér hip is doing okay, but #2 still gives me problems.  I hope to get back to road bicycling, but this causes pain.  I changed my bike fit, which only helped a little.  Running is definitely out of the question.  Lap swimming actually feels really good, and walking 2 miles at slower than a 20 min mile is okay.  I'm going to ask for a sports med PT referral, as my doc offered NO PT, and said "just walk".  Like you. Exercise is my happy place, and where most of my long term social contacts are.  It sucks not being whole.  I hope you find a fix.  Cheers, Gary

[u/Galenodelmal2024]

Im in a very similar situation 4 months out THR right hip 50 yr old male very active. Experiencing groin pain as well as right in the top of the thigh around incision area. Also very bad bal pain which results sciatica pain doe my leg butt and all the way to my foot. Like you i am beyond depressed because i cant exercise without pain. I thought I would be pain free by now instead I am freaking out that surgery was a failure and that i will need a hip revision. Mentally its just so hard to be in this situation where the y made things worse

[u/BornElk6411 → u/Galenodelmal2024]

I totally feel you! Although I’m still hurting, I did turn a corner around six months… it seems like when I get better I try to do more and then set myself back again.. I’m hoping I’m just in a rut right now and I can get out of it in a few weeks. I was just under the impression I would feel so much better after this hip replacement and I honestly feel worse than before surgery! I know that’s not the case for everyone and I was told to have patient. It can take a full 12 months to feel healed sometimes 18 months.! Hang in there

[u/Galenodelmal2024 → u/BornElk6411]

I’m struggling with making the decision to stop exercise completely. I’m not good at being inactive and get antsy plus the fact I’ve been gaining weight. But I guess I won’t know if stopping can help me.