Quadruple Joint Replacement

Wow, you have me beat by one knee. I had right hip resurfacing 2010, left hip resurfacing 2016, and partial knee in 2023. All are doing well, but I am starting to have lower back issues because I have stayed very active playing basketball until 2018 and still playing baseball. I was 42 when I got my first hip and am 57 now. I’m not sure of the protocol for hip replacement, but for resurfacing it has truly been use it or lose it. After following the no high impact for 6 months, I have been pounding my hips for years and they seem to get better. However, I think my spine might be getting hit harder than usual due to not having any cartilage in my hip joints to cushion my jumping, sliding, diving, and sprinting. How long ago was the surgery? Obviously you must be comparing the recovery to your other hip. I also did that with my second hip, but my wife told me that I forgot about a lot of the pain and slow recovery the first time and tried to push the second hip into too much activity too soon. I guess we really do try and forget the bad part of our experiences.
Have you had any follow ups with the doctor? Did you use the same surgeon? I hope you find some answers, and hopefully those extra years are just slowing down your healing and nothing serious. Good luck!

Hi.
I was a professional athlete. Did a lot of plyometrics and ballistic weight lifting in the 80s. First meniscus tear on RK at age 18.. 4 surgeries on RK by age 25. Basically played on scar tissue for 10 years. At age 50, had another microsurgery to clean up scar tissue, and then did a Jason Kidd microfracture surgery ( 8 weeks on crutches not letting foot touch ground) and that bought me 5 more years. Finally had TKR on the RK in 2016. 2 revisions due to arthrofibrosis in 12 months. Finally settled on a knee with flexion at 100 degrees.
LK Finally had its first meniscus repair surgery in 2014 and they said that I would need to take it out soo ..
I say all this because my LH was replaced (anterior entry )and had zero issues after 6 weeks. Very little recovery pain after 2 weeks.
Then LK done 3 months after hip and it did much better, getting 120 degrees of flexion. Little pain or recovery issues.

The knees were done by the same surgeon, the hip would have been also, except my surgeon didnt do anterior entry so I found another.
My RH started hurting about 6 months after my hip surgery, and we assumed it was because my leg length had changed. Also two surgeries on other side altered gait.
I had a few cortisone injections to buy time, but finally in 2024 it was ready to be replaced. However I walked with a cane for a long time because I was out of the country and had no insurance.
I am now 5 months post op and am having a terrible recovery.. reasons?

A) all 4 legs are now new. I believe the 4th joint had nothing natural to fall back on

B) the right knee never healed very well and has limited flexion, and this is causing recovery issues

C) I walked too long on a cane

D) the surgeon used cementless prosthesis and this is taking longer to heal.

I have immense thigh pain right below the scar line. Palpation hurts there. The IT Band is very sore. And if I walk to much or use weights too much I am sore down on the knee for days..

Trying to find rest/progression therapy balance.. its difficult

Just had my 4th
Left knee 3 week age - doing well, slow and steady
Right hip 3 years ago
Right knee
And left ankle
Had a traumatic injury / fractures as a younger adult in a bike accident

My rt knee 9 yrs ago.
Lt knee 8 yrs ago
Lt hip in March
Rt hip in June

My knees now feel totally integrated 95% of the time. My left hip healed nicely but my rt hip started hurting mid thigh not long after surgery. We suspected Femoral Stem Pain (FSP). Now my left thigh hurts instead. I think I am relying on it too much. I am impatient and used a step stool to fix a diy problem or maybe I just twisted the leg without thinking but I hope it settles down again. Sometimes I feel just fine. Other times pain. Sometimes leg gives out.

I am not quite there but working my way. I am 80. About three years ago Dr. Jimmy Chow, the primary inventor of the Superpath method for hip replacement, replaced my left hip. I had no post surgical pain and the only problem I had was the typical problem of not being able to put on socks, etc. A few PT sessions resolved that issue.
Twenty days ago Dr. Chow replaced my right knee. I was severely misaligned, was bone on bone, and had a lot of pain for the nine months preceding the surgery. He did a mid vastus procedure, did NOT use a tourniquet (the evidence is clear...there is no reason to routinely use a tourniquet), determined that my ACL was strong and did a bicruciate retaining Journey II implant (probably somewhere north of 95% of knee surgeries cut and remove the ACL and a significant percentage do the same thing for the PCL. I have a new knee with all four of my knee ligaments intact). He then did a Functional alignment. As in the case of my hip replacement, I had no post surgical pain.
In each case I had a prescription for oxycodone and never needed to use any.
We are all becoming bionic men and women.

How are you holding up? Are your legs even?

@healthnutt that is a great question. And i wonder about it.
I dont want to ask ortho surgeon because not sure if trust answer
Thought about chiropractor but they might lie for business also.
Thought about ortho shoe maker to measure.. but they might lie

I am very cynical, i know, but not sure who to ask.

Thought about full body scan that would give image

@bbcoachrob

A good physical therapist can tell you.