Post op 3 months feet still swell

@pvctom2021 Hi Tom, Swelling is your body telling you it is still healing. Fluid is accumulating in the healing tissue to wash away the blood cells, muscle cells, etc that are being shed in the healing process. You are upright and moving, so gravity carries it - to your feet.

Everyone thinks a joint replacement these days should be a breeze because the docs say "You'll be back to (your) normal (activities) in 6 weeks" - they mean you can probably go back to work, you can drive and walk, do your daily activities - you hear "I'll be completely well, ready to [golf, run a race, go on a 5 mile hike]" And you'll always have that friend who says "I was on the golf course after 4 weeks" when the truth is probably that they went to the putting green. 😉

Everything in your hip was cut, sawed, pounded on, or moved out of the way, even with the anterior approach. The surgical incision is healed, and at 3 months the implants are probably pretty solid, but muscles and nerves are still being repaired - your exercise contributes to the healing.

What can you do about the feet? First, when you do sit, elevate your feet and legs - ideally above your heart, at least above your hips. Second consider asking your doc or PT whether it would be good to wear compression socks or wraps to keep the fluid from pooling in your feet and ankles. Third there are some exercises that can help with the swelling..

These exercises will encourage the fluid to move back toward your abdominal cavity, where it can be removed by the lymphatic system & kidneys. You can find examples of any of these by looking on the Internet.
I recommend taking a look at "Bob & Brad" PT's whose humor is lame, but their suggestions are good.

Thanks Sue for that wonderful reply…I have watched those two before and ℹ found their exercises prior to surgery helpful….you are a wonderful asset to this site…I am 76 years old now although I don’t feel or act it…I’ve been very lucky in my life…but now osteoarthritis has caught me by surprise..now I’m getting better ❤️‍🩹 from left hip replacement and now the right hip which was carrying a lot of burden for 2 years needs to hang in there while my left settles..so I have to take care to do all that I can to strengthen the left hip and still not overdo the right hip…but having people like yourself and others on this forum make me feel so much better…and I will check out the YouTube videos you included in this wonderful reply..thank you so much …. Tom

What did the doctor say at your 12 week follow-up? One of my feet was very swollen but it did not last 3 months.

Thanks for your reply,

Well he never looked at my foot or leg..he viewed the X-ray, told me how good the replacement looked, explained that I could do anything basically that I wanted and from their standpoint that i need not be seen again unless something hurts…then with good humor said “you’re fine, get out of here…but I never told him about the swelling at the end of the day and his assistant PA said st 8 weeks that it was not unusual…I take norvasc for HBP…but I’m seeing my cardiologist Monday for a 6 month follow up, I’ll have her look at it…she may want to change me from NORVASC to some other med…thank you

From what I gather on the internet foot swelling after THR can last as long as 12 months. Are you walking? Walking is advisable. Also, my surgeon looked at my post op x-rays and said they were perfect even though now I still have pain in my thigh. Hopefully that will go away some day. I feel almost six months out that I can pretty much do everything and prior to surgery I could not do a lot.

Yes, I am walking with little pain..mostly on the operated side, pain free…a little sore if I overdue it…but the right side I need to be careful how much …not to overdue it..been doing ankle pumps, icing , and mostly everything I could do before…I’ve been lucky…but I’m scheduled for Cardiology follow up Monday..kast night the feet and around the ankle were swollen but not alarming so…this morning the swelling was gone…but like everyone has said, the gravity pulls things down…glad you are doing well and congratulations on your THR…really appreciate you getting back to me..this is a wonderful site and the mentors are very helpful and good…😃👍🏻

Too many carbs and too much sodium causes me to gain two pounds overnight which means having to restrict both the next day. I am also managing HBP and am on a blood thinner for life due to three separate instances of blood clots in both legs. For the past six months THR surgery has been front and center. I still experience swelling on occasion but it might be due to post thrombotic syndrome. All we can do is take one day at a time.

That’s always good advice,
and not to worry so much which I’m very good at…I have general anxiety disorder (GAD)
And in the wee first hours of the morning when I first start to wake I feel a sense of apprehension, fear or dread 😟 or a sickening combination of all of those..I say “this too shall pass” and just move on with today…one day at a time…✅

I had a lot of foot and knee swelling a few days after my THA, but it went away in about a week. Now I am nearly 3 months out from surgery and the foot of my operated leg has begun swelling almost as soon as I get up and moving in the morning. My other foot swells a bit, too. The feet do not hurt, and I'm not concerned about a clot. My physical therapist keeps telling me it's normal; I keep looking for reassurance that it is normal. I see my surgeon next week for the third post-op check-up, so I'll run this by him then. How frequently do people with THA's have both feet swell?

My last surgery was 8/23 and this is the first day my lower legs and feet are not swelling
I walk every day also
I received these compression socks with ZIPPERS that I wore every day
So much easier to put on yourself
I believe they helped
I can actually see my ankle bone today but don’t feel the need the to wear them every day
I am 74