Cannot lift my leg after hip replacement

What do the surgeon and physical therapist say about your situation?

I have a similar situation, mine was from a complicated hip revision surgery.
I can raise my leg in a straight leg lift…but it will be painful and sore if I do it like 6 times.
And it hasn’t gotten stronger.
And it has been 4+ years
What ligament or tendon or muscle has been damaged?

@kdbee Did this just start? Did you have PT after the surgery? Is this a regression from post surgery recovery? I would either make an appointment with your PT or the surgeon.

I had the same problem after hip replacement. I think the femoral nerve was injured and couldn't lift the leg for months I had intensive PT and got some strength back. It took a long time 2 yrs to heal. Water therapy is good it is easier to lift your leg when in the water and doesn't hurt as much. Hang in there.

I have been through several cycles of PT, which always help some. And I’m diligent about following through.
PT has changed to more standing leg raises, which are easier and have helped.
But some ligament or tendon is damaged.
And this must be a common occurrence….in another of these chat groups a person was discussing the same issue.
What gets damaged in these surgeries and how does it get damaged?

1) tell us your age
2) tell us if you had Phys. Therapy
3) tell us if you followed the general prescription for home therapy
4) share with us if you've told your surgeon and what did they say
5) which kind of surgery did you have? (what side of the leg, front, back, side - that will make a difference)

we can't really help w/o knowing those things as a starting place.
When one has a total hip replacement one must work the muscles to regain the strength lost
general rule is you/everyone mandatorily needs to do the prescribed exercises.
if you don't you won't rebuild muscle lost during surgery.
you can expect a year to sufficiently heal depending on the age.
you should not have "pain." Go back to your surgeon to be sure the problem isn't with the surgery. Then the surgeon will refer you to pain mgt. depending on what he determines. good luck!

No, it didn’t just start. When I went to my first post op appointment and got the staples out. I told him I couldn’t lift it from a seated position or from laying down. He wasn’t concerned at all, he said one day it will just happen and you’ll be able to lift it. But next month will be a year and I still cannot lift it. I can go up stairs and march but to try to hold it up to put pants on, no way it’s painful and heavy still. I see him for an appointment next month. It’s frustrating.

Thank you for replying back. I am doing pool therapy now on my own. It feels good in the pool and I can lift in the pool but when trying to bend down to put pants on or even trying to lift it onto the bed, it’s painful I have to manually help it onto the bed. It’s frustrating. I see my surgon next month and next month will be a year, on Sept 7th

I am 64 will be 65 in November. My surgery was Sept 2023 so it’s coming up on a year next month. I did PT and when I went back to my surgon to get staples removed I told him I cannot lift my leg. He said don’t worry about it, one day it will just happen. So far it hasn’t. He said you don’t need anymore Pt I want you to do two exercises and showed me what to do sliding the leg back to my body and lifting my bent leg. I’ve done those but it’s painful. It’s really painful to try putting pants on while standing up. I’ve had to sit down to slide my leg in. And I still cannot lift it up onto the bed without pain. I have to manually lift it up. Granted my bed is pretty high. But still.
My surgery scar is on the side of my leg, they didn’t cut any muscle or tendons.

It’s my right hip and surgery was done on the side of my leg.