Guest guest Posted April 12, 2004 Report Share Posted April 12, 2004 This is from Eleanor again, still plodding/struggling on at five months post-op. The good news is that I am beginning to walk better and can hike fairly long (2miles) without too much difficulty, but slowly using two sticks. Keep forgetting to take my cane with me when out shopping, etc. but do like to have it for balance. The bad news is that I still get a lot of aches and pains at night, and still some, but much less, and sometimes none, during the day. These vary—are not in the hip joint ever, but can be in the thigh, under the wound, in the groin, by the knee or shooting down the leg. Have just had an Irish physio visiting who gave me a wonderful work over. She immediately commented on how rotated my hip and walking is. I have always been pigeon-toed since a child, and despite a parent who made sure I had ‘corrective shoes’ (in the fifties), and good fitting shoes, still continued fairly pigeon-toed and have always assumed that this rotation is what led to my OA. For some reason, I thought the BHR would correct the rotation, but have been told it doesn’t—everything is just put back the same. She also found that my muscle under my wound feels hard and congested. My ROM is still very bad—still can’t tie my laces and have trouble even putting on my pants. My operated leg is ½ inch longer, and was the same pre-op. When exercising, I am finding it hard to differentiate my pelvic muscle, so often end up using my back when I think I am moving my hip only—ergo exercise has been useless. Has anyone else had this problem and what have you done about it if you have? I really wasn’t too bad at all pre-op. Feel much worse now, except for the lack of pain in the hip joint itself. My physio friend has given me some new exercises which use my husband to help make sure I use the correct muscles. Eleanor RBHR Nov 23/ 03 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 12, 2004 Report Share Posted April 12, 2004 Forgot to say that my Irish physio friend had lots of BHR’s when she was training in the north of England. None were like me, so she was very surprised. By 6 weeks, she was helping them to bend their knees to their chests while lying on their backs. So don’t be discouraged, you new hippies. Eleanor Rotated femur anyone? This is from Eleanor again, still plodding/struggling on at five months post-op. The good news is that I am beginning to walk better and can hike fairly long (2miles) without too much difficulty, but slowly using two sticks. Keep forgetting to take my cane with me when out shopping, etc. but do like to have it for balance. The bad news is that I still get a lot of aches and pains at night, and still some, but much less, and sometimes none, during the day. These vary—are not in the hip joint ever, but can be in the thigh, under the wound, in the groin, by the knee or shooting down the leg. Have just had an Irish physio visiting who gave me a wonderful work over. She immediately commented on how rotated my hip and walking is. I have always been pigeon-toed since a child, and despite a parent who made sure I had ‘corrective shoes’ (in the fifties), and good fitting shoes, still continued fairly pigeon-toed and have always assumed that this rotation is what led to my OA. For some reason, I thought the BHR would correct the rotation, but have been told it doesn’t—everything is just put back the same. She also found that my muscle under my wound feels hard and congested. My ROM is still very bad—still can’t tie my laces and have trouble even putting on my pants. My operated leg is ½ inch longer, and was the same pre-op. When exercising, I am finding it hard to differentiate my pelvic muscle, so often end up using my back when I think I am moving my hip only—ergo exercise has been useless. Has anyone else had this problem and what have you done about it if you have? I really wasn’t too bad at all pre-op. Feel much worse now, except for the lack of pain in the hip joint itself. My physio friend has given me some new exercises which use my husband to help make sure I use the correct muscles. Eleanor RBHR Nov 23/ 03 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 12, 2004 Report Share Posted April 12, 2004 Forgot to say that my Irish physio friend had lots of BHR’s when she was training in the north of England. None were like me, so she was very surprised. By 6 weeks, she was helping them to bend their knees to their chests while lying on their backs. So don’t be discouraged, you new hippies. Eleanor Rotated femur anyone? This is from Eleanor again, still plodding/struggling on at five months post-op. The good news is that I am beginning to walk better and can hike fairly long (2miles) without too much difficulty, but slowly using two sticks. Keep forgetting to take my cane with me when out shopping, etc. but do like to have it for balance. The bad news is that I still get a lot of aches and pains at night, and still some, but much less, and sometimes none, during the day. These vary—are not in the hip joint ever, but can be in the thigh, under the wound, in the groin, by the knee or shooting down the leg. Have just had an Irish physio visiting who gave me a wonderful work over. She immediately commented on how rotated my hip and walking is. I have always been pigeon-toed since a child, and despite a parent who made sure I had ‘corrective shoes’ (in the fifties), and good fitting shoes, still continued fairly pigeon-toed and have always assumed that this rotation is what led to my OA. For some reason, I thought the BHR would correct the rotation, but have been told it doesn’t—everything is just put back the same. She also found that my muscle under my wound feels hard and congested. My ROM is still very bad—still can’t tie my laces and have trouble even putting on my pants. My operated leg is ½ inch longer, and was the same pre-op. When exercising, I am finding it hard to differentiate my pelvic muscle, so often end up using my back when I think I am moving my hip only—ergo exercise has been useless. Has anyone else had this problem and what have you done about it if you have? I really wasn’t too bad at all pre-op. Feel much worse now, except for the lack of pain in the hip joint itself. My physio friend has given me some new exercises which use my husband to help make sure I use the correct muscles. Eleanor RBHR Nov 23/ 03 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 12, 2004 Report Share Posted April 12, 2004 Forgot to say that my Irish physio friend had lots of BHR’s when she was training in the north of England. None were like me, so she was very surprised. By 6 weeks, she was helping them to bend their knees to their chests while lying on their backs. So don’t be discouraged, you new hippies. Eleanor Rotated femur anyone? This is from Eleanor again, still plodding/struggling on at five months post-op. The good news is that I am beginning to walk better and can hike fairly long (2miles) without too much difficulty, but slowly using two sticks. Keep forgetting to take my cane with me when out shopping, etc. but do like to have it for balance. The bad news is that I still get a lot of aches and pains at night, and still some, but much less, and sometimes none, during the day. These vary—are not in the hip joint ever, but can be in the thigh, under the wound, in the groin, by the knee or shooting down the leg. Have just had an Irish physio visiting who gave me a wonderful work over. She immediately commented on how rotated my hip and walking is. I have always been pigeon-toed since a child, and despite a parent who made sure I had ‘corrective shoes’ (in the fifties), and good fitting shoes, still continued fairly pigeon-toed and have always assumed that this rotation is what led to my OA. For some reason, I thought the BHR would correct the rotation, but have been told it doesn’t—everything is just put back the same. She also found that my muscle under my wound feels hard and congested. My ROM is still very bad—still can’t tie my laces and have trouble even putting on my pants. My operated leg is ½ inch longer, and was the same pre-op. When exercising, I am finding it hard to differentiate my pelvic muscle, so often end up using my back when I think I am moving my hip only—ergo exercise has been useless. Has anyone else had this problem and what have you done about it if you have? I really wasn’t too bad at all pre-op. Feel much worse now, except for the lack of pain in the hip joint itself. My physio friend has given me some new exercises which use my husband to help make sure I use the correct muscles. Eleanor RBHR Nov 23/ 03 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 13, 2004 Report Share Posted April 13, 2004 Hi Eleanor, I think you highlight the basic problem with all this.......... the doctors only give us a new part to the joint.......... they don't give us new muscles, tendons etc and many of us have a big heap of problems with other parts of the body for one reason or another......... so often long years of poor gait............ which may or may not have created the problem with the hip bones in the first place.....and which will not go away automatically............ Actually I think poor gait is one of those problems that is not highlighted enough in the days of people starting to think about preventive medicine......i.e. instead of looking at suppliments etc people may be better placed looking at their gait but that is another story. So post op we all have to reclaim the joint and rest of the body mechanism and so often that is long hard complicated work............ Each muscle has to be teased back into existance in its rightful place and order of operation............. I am totally amazed by just how significant each one of said muscles is to proper walking........... and starting with basically zilch left I have had to work at getting each to renew its enthusiam for life and then get it to strengthen........... At 21 months I have learnt that that process doesn't happen quickly if you have a poor base. You have to irritate a muscle at just the right pace to get it to build up, too much and all you get is too much pain and misery, too little and nothing whatever happens - well, other than pain and misery in other parts of the body as you are finding as the body cheats to cover the hip. My other pet annoyance at this stage is finding health care workers who seem to understand this process and are prepared to help work through it.......... a bit of hit and miss physio at the start isn't the answer to people with long term hassles............. and I am at loss to understand why people including physio's seem to think it is............... It actually seems to take months and months of persistant follow through to get good results or oneself taking over control and working it out............. which is about what I have had to do............ I will keep coming back to swimming as one of the better ways to deal with badly organised and operating muscles............it does tend to take the pressure off other areas as you experiment getting some exercise........... Even then you need specific muscle developing exercises for specific problems.......... like there will be a muscle responsible for preventing that rotating and you will have to specifically locate it and work with it............. which is probably the exercises the physio just gave you...........other muscles will be over acting to cover it at this point which then accounts for them being sore and bunched and so it goes on.............. It took me ages to get the muscle that controls the inner sideways dropping of the knee to work but it does now.......... my current project is the one that stablises taking full weight as one walks through............ I BTW will gladly swap you some of that rotation as I have zilch as yet...........smile........another thing yet to be done. Best of luck with it all............ persistance does pay off if my body is anything to go on............just that some of us have to persist longer...........smile. Edith LBHR Dr. L Walter Syd Aust 8/02 This is from Eleanor again, still plodding/struggling on at five months post-op. The good news is that I am beginning to walk better and can hike fairly long (2miles) without too much difficulty, but slowly using two sticks. Keep forgetting to take my cane with me when out shopping, etc. but do like to have it for balance. The bad news is that I still get a lot of aches and pains at night, and still some, but much less, and sometimes none, during the day. These vary-are not in the hip joint ever, but can be in the thigh, under the wound, in the groin, by the knee or shooting down the leg. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 14, 2004 Report Share Posted April 14, 2004 Hi Eleanor, You're doing well. Although some patients post here of total recovery in a few weeks the average published figure by a manufacturer is 12 months. Some take less and some more - it's not a race to see who gets there first, more of a cross the finishing line when you can. Have you tried a shoe insert to equal your difference in leg length - it's worth a try and they aren't expensive from your local chemist or shoe retailer - suggest the gel ones give you a lot of comfort and reduce heel shock loading. Best wishes Rog BHR both hips Ronan Treacy 2001 Rotated femur anyone? This is from Eleanor again, still plodding/struggling on at five months post-op. The good news is that I am beginning to walk better and can hike fairly long (2miles) without too much difficulty, but slowly using two sticks. Keep forgetting to take my cane with me when out shopping, etc. but do like to have it for balance. The bad news is that I still get a lot of aches and pains at night, and still some, but much less, and sometimes none, during the day. These vary-are not in the hip joint ever, but can be in the thigh, under the wound, in the groin, by the knee or shooting down the leg. Have just had an Irish physio visiting who gave me a wonderful work over. She immediately commented on how rotated my hip and walking is. I have always been pigeon-toed since a child, and despite a parent who made sure I had 'corrective shoes' (in the fifties), and good fitting shoes, still continued fairly pigeon-toed and have always assumed that this rotation is what led to my OA. For some reason, I thought the BHR would correct the rotation, but have been told it doesn't-everything is just put back the same. She also found that my muscle under my wound feels hard and congested. My ROM is still very bad-still can't tie my laces and have trouble even putting on my pants. My operated leg is ½ inch longer, and was the same pre-op. When exercising, I am finding it hard to differentiate my pelvic muscle, so often end up using my back when I think I am moving my hip only-ergo exercise has been useless. Has anyone else had this problem and what have you done about it if you have? I really wasn't too bad at all pre-op. Feel much worse now, except for the lack of pain in the hip joint itself. My physio friend has given me some new exercises which use my husband to help make sure I use the correct muscles. Eleanor RBHR Nov 23/ 03 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 18, 2004 Report Share Posted April 18, 2004 Edith, Thankyou again for such a thorough and well thought out reply to my query. You give so much to us all. Eleanor Ps My local pool has been closed for the last 2 weeks. Opens tomorrow. Hurrah! Re: Rotated femur anyone? Hi Eleanor, I think you highlight the basic problem with all this.......... the doctors only give us a new part to the joint.......... they don't give us new muscles, tendons etc and many of us have a big heap of problems with other parts of the body for one reason or another......... so often long years of poor gait............ which may or may not have created the problem with the hip bones in the first place.....and which will not go away automatically............ Actually I think poor gait is one of those problems that is not highlighted enough in the days of people starting to think about preventive medicine......i.e. instead of looking at suppliments etc people may be better placed looking at their gait but that is another story. So post op we all have to reclaim the joint and rest of the body mechanism and so often that is long hard complicated work............ Each muscle has to be teased back into existance in its rightful place and order of operation............. I am totally amazed by just how significant each one of said muscles is to proper walking........... and starting with basically zilch left I have had to work at getting each to renew its enthusiam for life and then get it to strengthen........... At 21 months I have learnt that that process doesn't happen quickly if you have a poor base. You have to irritate a muscle at just the right pace to get it to build up, too much and all you get is too much pain and misery, too little and nothing whatever happens - well, other than pain and misery in other parts of the body as you are finding as the body cheats to cover the hip. My other pet annoyance at this stage is finding health care workers who seem to understand this process and are prepared to help work through it.......... a bit of hit and miss physio at the start isn't the answer to people with long term hassles............. and I am at loss to understand why people including physio's seem to think it is............... It actually seems to take months and months of persistant follow through to get good results or oneself taking over control and working it out............. which is about what I have had to do............ I will keep coming back to swimming as one of the better ways to deal with badly organised and operating muscles............it does tend to take the pressure off other areas as you experiment getting some exercise........... Even then you need specific muscle developing exercises for specific problems.......... like there will be a muscle responsible for preventing that rotating and you will have to specifically locate it and work with it............. which is probably the exercises the physio just gave you...........other muscles will be over acting to cover it at this point which then accounts for them being sore and bunched and so it goes on.............. It took me ages to get the muscle that controls the inner sideways dropping of the knee to work but it does now.......... my current project is the one that stablises taking full weight as one walks through............ I BTW will gladly swap you some of that rotation as I have zilch as yet...........smile........another thing yet to be done. Best of luck with it all............ persistance does pay off if my body is anything to go on............just that some of us have to persist longer...........smile. Edith LBHR Dr. L Walter Syd Aust 8/02 This is from Eleanor again, still plodding/struggling on at five months post-op. The good news is that I am beginning to walk better and can hike fairly long (2miles) without too much difficulty, but slowly using two sticks. Keep forgetting to take my cane with me when out shopping, etc. but do like to have it for balance. The bad news is that I still get a lot of aches and pains at night, and still some, but much less, and sometimes none, during the day. These vary-are not in the hip joint ever, but can be in the thigh, under the wound, in the groin, by the knee or shooting down the leg. _____ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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