Four weeks since my second arthroscopic hip surgery and I am doing (dare I say?) pretty well. Scary well good.
In fact, my physical therapist said that at this point in my recovery, the right side, which was “scoped” on Dec. 9, is doing “1,000 times better” than the left side four weeks out. “There’s no comparison between the two,” he said.
The therapist wasn’t really sure why, but speculated that the labrum tear and pincer impingement that was corrected on the right side might not have been as bad as the one on the left side. (The right hip arthroscopy was on July 15.) Another contributing factor, he said, might have been the fact that I already knew what to expect. “Patients who have had two knee-replacement surgeries,” he noted, “almost always seem to do better after the second one.”
Whatever the reason, I am, by my therapist’s estimation, at least two weeks’ ahead of the game, recoverywise, compared with the last time. My gait is normal and the range of motion is nearly 100 percent. And so the therapist is carefully adding extra exercises into my postsurgical PT protocol.
While I am still doing isometric exercises (Please see my Aug. 23 post, “Yes, I’m Working Out,” for a detailed description), I’m already doing leg presses, two sets of 10 at 60 pounds. This is helping to build up strength in both quadriceps. I am also doing balancing exercises, including one-leg stance on a rebounder with a stablizing bar, which looks like this:
And I am using steps (the kind you would see in a step-aerobics class). This has already helped me better navigate up the stairs in my house and on the bus. Going down, for some reason, was always a lot easier.
So what else can I do at Week 4? Drive. (Well, I actully started doing that at Week 3.) Return to the gym for easy lifting on seated machines. (Ditto.) Return to work. (Just after New Year’s.) Take a bath. (The last of the Steri-Strips finally came off.) Cycle more. (I’m now up to 30 minutes on the stationary bike!)
Oh, and I’ve completely ditched the crutches.
If you’ve had hip surgery recently, how are you doing?
You’re recovery from your 2nd scope sounds similar to my first scope. I had my right hip done on Dec 21st and am doing great. Only used crutches for 4 days. Been biking since day 2 and can do the eliptical on level 2 for 30 minutes back and forth with no problem. I miss lifting on my legs, looking forward to that. Sounds like you’re already doing that. I’ll have to ask when I can do leg extensions, think i’m a few weeks away. I am having some nerve pain still. My femoral lateral cutaneous nerve was burning for 2 weeks, I think my game ready unit made this worse…but it made my hip feel so good. Now just having numbness in the foot and some discomfort down the back of my leg. Driving is still uncomfortable. Hoping this gets better soon. Your site really helped me thru my surgery! Thanks!
Hi Beth, Thanks for the update on your condition. I’m sure that all the discomfort that you’re experiencing will be short-lived. (I had some minor numbness in my left foot, too, but that recently vanished.) This blog has been a cathartic endeavor for me, but the best part is connecting with people like you. I think we all help each other. Stay well, and stay in touch. Vivian
hi vivian,
i happened to stumble across your blog while googling CPM’s for a blog entry of my own – i’m having my left hip scoped on february 2nd for a labral tear and bone spur (i’m still not entirely clear if that’s an impingement or not, but i think my surgeon said it is?). similar to you, it took a long time for my ortho to finally diagnose the labral tear, and i did lots of PT for IT band tendonitis, as well as knee tendonitis, which ultimately made the hip much worse. i also got a cortisone injection in the bursa that wasn’t bad when it was injected, but was absolutely awful that night. it wasn’t until my first ortho basically gave up on me and referred me to a colleague at another hospital that specializes in hip arthroscopy that i was finally able to get some answers (i actually called a bunch of surgeons at HSS as well, and of the ones that actually took my insurance, none of them would see me).
your blog has been incredibly informative, so thank you for all your updates and i’m glad to hear that you’re recovering so well. i hope my recovery is as speedy and relatively problem-free. did your surgeon happen to say whether or not it’s common to need a second arthroscopy for the other hip?
Hi Dori, Thanks for reading my blog, and for commenting. I can certainly identify with your frustration in not getting the proper diagnosis for hip impingement. In fact, according to at least one study, it takes, on average, 21 months and visits to at least three health professionals before a correct diagnosis is finally made. It took me about eight or nine months, half of which was spent in physical therapy being treated for what everyone seemed to think was a bad case of tendonitis. And, yes, it is fairly common (about 40 percent or so of hip impingement patients, I was told) to have both both sides scoped. Good luck with your upcoming surgery, and please keep us posted on how you’re doing. Vivian
That’s so awesome Vivian! So glad to hear you’re recovering nicely. Finally saw the orthopedist this week and still (groan) limited to toddler walk on stairs for a few more weeks and then I can finally slowly add in leg presses. The 80 year old with the oxygen tank on the bike beside me at the gym is going faster than I am but I’m up to 30 minutes. I can start light running in April, but given how long it took me to get diagnosed etc. (misdiagnosis from another doctor) certainly impacted the tear and I’ve sustained cartilage and some bone damage so it remains to be seen whether I will be able to run or not, but I’ll just keep plugging away. I can predict whether it will rain or snow, and sitting still hurts me at times (most likely if it’s going to snow) and my hip still feels like it will stick bu. I was planning on running the Sears tower with my dad (he’s 65 and typically places in the top 20) in October but ortho says NO WAY this year…well we’re still debating whether I’ll be able to do that next year but that’s my goal. Oh and I get to learn how to love to swim 🙂 I enjoy hearing how you and others are recuperating. I can live vicariously through your PT experiences 🙂
Hi Janice, Sounds like you’re making steady progress, too. We’re all so different, of course. But by many accounts — and I know this from my own experience and from talking to work colleagues and friends who’ve had this surgery — recovery can be quite slow. It took me over four months before I had worked my way up to two miles on the treadmill after the first surgery. I don’t know how long it’ll take this time around. I think it’s good to set goals, and to explore new activities along the way, like swimming. Best of luck to you and stay in touch. Vivian
I’m pretty close to where you are. I ditched my last crutch last Sunday. I did leg presses for the first time at PT on Thursday. I still can’t stand one legged on my right leg (does that make sense?). My therapist told me I could start biking outside, but to take it slow. We’re hoping to do a family ride tomorrow. Sitting in a chair (or wooden bleachers like I had to sit on today) for long periods of time hurts.
For me, the mental part is a lot tougher than the physical. My body and my mind are in two different places.
I’m glad to hear that you are progressng quickly!
Sitting for long periods bothers me, too, though more so on my left hip, which was scoped over the summer. That’s good news about your recovery, Angela! Enjoy your bike ride(s). The weather (in many areas of the country) is perfect for being outdoors these days.