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Cannot lift my leg after hip replacement
Bones, Joints & Muscles | Last Active: Aug 18 10:06pm | Replies (25)Comment receiving replies
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.
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so sorry, I only saw the last comment! In a way "one day it will happen" is "one day you will forget you even HAD surgery! but that will take 2 years. At one year you feel normal pretty much. At 4 years you can't see the white scar that was 9" now maybe 4". I have to sit down pretty much to put on pants BUT I have ZERO pain. I am 12 years and 10 years out from surgery. I can sit on my chair and lift my legs one at a time as I am typing. The stiffness all kinda disappear after that first year. I walk every morning and afternoon.
I would suggest finding a different surgeon. It doesn't sound like you or your surgeon are interested in seeing each other. My surgeon sees me at standard intervals. One year out was one of them. You should be in PT and in pain management (depending on the issue at hand). You need to go back to the surgeon - or a surgeon - to be sure the healing has happened. Sometimes revision surgeries need to happen. Maybe there is an issue with your back. There was with mine. But my hips are golden! I knew a guy who needed 3 surgeries on one hip. Maybe you just have some bursitis. Maybe you just need a little cortisone injection. I would look up exercises on youtube - there are MANY VIDEOS. They are all basically the same.
Let me summarize:
1 year and having pain in a small movement like you are describing - means you need to go back to the surgeon and get a determination, make sure there is no infection, inflammation or swelling. They should do a simple xray and make sure it is all good. They should then refer you to pain managment and physical therapy.
If you have a few bucks - try a Deep myofascial tissue release therapist. I should have done it years ago. You can try acupuncture too. It is great for pain relief. But the Dr. needs to check his work out. If you were 85 I would have said something different. Also - IF you are obese - that would create a problem like you are describing. You have to do a lot more than he described. I was in p.t. AFTER I got the driving clearance. (at 2 months). Medicare PAYS FOR IT AFTER SURGERY. Get your dang surgeon or primary care doctor to REFER YOU and go for P.T.! You deserve it. I am very sorry to hear you didn't get what you ought to. Maybe the surgeon thinks people won't pay for it so make sure you apply for your medicare NOW. you are in the range. It took me 9 months to get it. Do it now.