- pls may i hear from anybody who still has a limp after their hip replacement especially if have twisted /pelvis cause

[Cup-cake7]

hi

I realise this week that my limp after surgery had not improved any these weeks & my consultant told me on the phone it's due to twisted pelvis.

He will see me in clinic but would be grateful for replies if anybody had been through this pls? ( it will help me digest and put together any questions when I see him as I'm good at not asking at the opportunity)

Has it improved over time please, what has helped if anything?. My physio says it's caused by shortening of calf muscles but iv seen xray & twisted /tilting pelvis is clear

Il prepare myself if outcome to be disappointing. At least now the old pain I got isn't there however I could walk ok after initial few minutes , I was like this a long time, years in fact but was advised to be older for op consideration which clearly hasn't helped matters.

Many thanks a in advance. I couldn't find old posts

[Amanda_iona]

Hi Jeppy,

I have had problems post surgery though no-one has suggested twisted pelvis. My leg ended up a good half inch shorter than before so I am lop sided. The surgeon said he couldnt understand why this happened! Also it has got even shorter since, I hadnt thought about the calf muscle, thats probably what is happening.

Not sure if this is any help to you, hope you can find some answers.

love Amanda

[Cup-cake7 in reply to Amanda_iona]

thank you for reply Amanda!. Are you pain free now this is the important question? I expect you have a shoe riser?

When was this?

You would think that once the worn 'head ball' bit is replaced you would be taller🤔 I feel if anything my deficit is a little more than before too

,...,. hard to comprehend no knowledge from a consultant. I'm grappling with mixed messages. My x ray shows pelvis clearly im told you can get X-rays free on request im intrigued to see my 2012 xray ;). No point in getting stewed up though

If you do calf exercises to lengthen do the op leg only 👍😊

[Amanda_iona in reply to Cup-cake7]

Yes I can get raised shoes though I am a barefoot person for preference. But I can say that all the pain on that side has gone. Lots of pain on the other side due to arthritis in that hip (waiting for second surgery) and also fibromyalgia.

What calf exercises help, so you know?

[Cup-cake7 in reply to Amanda_iona]

versusarthritis.org/about-a...

[Cup-cake7 in reply to Amanda_iona]

did your other hip start up after surgery? (Maybe look at your x rays to see if pelvis's tilted? ). My surgeon says if this is the case it should start to correct naturally?

When was your surgery?

[Beti69 in reply to Cup-cake7]

I have osteoarthritis in all areas, got my op 8 days ago. I did have a tilted uterus but had a hysterectomy 5 years ago. My pain today has eased, able to feel my leg and lift it with little pain,until today it was a dead weight and so tight to move. I have pain around my buttoch which may be bruising or just fatty area. I have put on a stone since the op but told it's fluid retention. Hopefully goes soon as I was monitoring my weight and had lost two stone beforehand. Keep moving , use furniture as aids and hopefully your movements will improve for you. Take care ,L xx

[Cup-cake7 in reply to Beti69]

Thankyou. I hope your journey brings much relief. To update I still have back leg buttock area pain and a large hitch up due to pelvis tilting

I'm now seeing a private chiro/physio who knows all the workings he lectures, has established my big hip muscle is completely flat which causes the lack of strength I feel and restriction. So as of today I lie on side to side lift leg for me it's establishing a link from brain to it - it's that bad but can just do this today with a pillow between. Years of compensation has caused it no doubt. He is confident I will regain equilibrium but have work to do! So grateful Iv found him sadly the nhs physio ignored it when i coukdnt side lift and didn't encourage this🤔.

[Cup-cake7 in reply to Beti69]

ps. Once the bruising and swelling subsided he says the other pains you feel are simply muscles that are to relearn and strengthen as they loose their way when we compensate

[Cup-cake7 in reply to Amanda_iona]

hi again sorry to mither

How long before your pain went pls

[Cup-cake7]

I think it's best to seek good physio advice il try send a link too as find this excellent

But you wear shoes with prosthetic in yes?

[BonnieMagic]

I have always has one leg shorter than the other and when I had my THR the surgeon thought it would be helpful to align them. This played hell with my back as it had learnt, together with prosthetics, to cope. In time the discrepancy reappeared. More recently after my TKR the discrepancy has been lengthened to one inch which could have been prevented had the surgeon been more communicative and I had been more clued up. My chiropractor thinks she can help with pelvic manipulation but I will always need prosthetics in my footwear.

Good luck with yours. PS did you have any joy with the calf exercises?

[Cup-cake7 in reply to BonnieMagic]

thanks Bonnie. You've had 2 thr?

I don't understand sorry. But how did he initially lengthen ? I'm sorry about back how is it now

Calf muscles Iv come to conclusion it's the pelvis. My discrepancy is more than it was pre op which I don't understand really

[Cup-cake7 in reply to BonnieMagic]

When was your op

When did discomfort go?

[Cup-cake7 in reply to BonnieMagic]

understand now sorry! Shame. It's hard to understand how it seems vague on their side as they do it all the time🤔

Are you in discomfort now? I would just like my life back one way or another

I saw pelvis exercises on line which were like contortion 😳. I hope she helps , do let me know pls x

[Cup-cake7 in reply to BonnieMagic]

hi. Listening to Marcus cope surgeon.on i tube He has various videos seems good

youtu.be/alRz7gdp-uI(Not working as expected?)

[BonnieMagic in reply to Cup-cake7]

Thanks so much for the link. I’ll check him out.

[Cup-cake7 in reply to BonnieMagic]

I'd go see him if I need to ever go this rd again

[Cup-cake7 in reply to BonnieMagic]

the mixed messages have really got to me lately. The exercises are Given out by physios etc but surgeon said on phone I only have to walk!? What on Earth shoukd I do. Even his registra said not to massage scar but surgeon said it's fine 🙄😉

[BonnieMagic in reply to Cup-cake7]

oh poor you how incredibly unhelpful. I’m absolutely convinced that just walking is not the right route. I definitely did exercises and put oil on my scar. If you re-post your concerns to the whole forum you’ll get some good advice. It was over 10 years ago I had my THR.

[ChrissiG in reply to Cup-cake7]

The thing that helped my knee the most after my replacement was the hydrotherapy pool. If you can manage to get some pool physio then that is wonderful. You can move so much more easily in water. If you can’t get that then just go to your local pool and walk slowly up and down in the water - holding on for balance. Helps to build all you muscles up. Have a look on YouTube for videos showing aqua hip exercises for post surgery.

[Cup-cake7 in reply to ChrissiG]

great thanks for good til id love that

Will do Got the ok today to swim 👍 and going away with fam next week the pool looks great

[Cup-cake7 in reply to BonnieMagic]

complicated complex as back pelvis hips legs all connected. Back can get scholiosus thing pelvis can tip needing muscle strength to correct so leg then drops down to match other leg ( a shorter leg measurement is u usual so Iv read, maybe tiny but that woukdnt be noticeable)

Learning. Lol. Too much info

[BonnieMagic]

Thanks Jeppy. I’ve had one hip replacement and one knee on opposite sides. The latter was 8 weeks ago and I’m still experiencing quite a lot of pain. And yes I’d like my life back too - especially for my partner who has had to do so much/put up with so much.

[Cup-cake7 in reply to BonnieMagic]

lots of good wishes and all gets wel soon x

[Cup-cake7 in reply to BonnieMagic]

Marcus cope has videos some on hip some on knee. May give you some understanding hope so

[Cup-cake7 in reply to BonnieMagic]

hope it's improving I went through painful bit at 8 weeks ish. Sore tendonitus up the side. Body does Allsorts it seems when aligning itself best it can

[ChrissiG]

After my TKR I walked with a limp but that was due to that leg now being longer than the other. I wear a lift in one of my shoes now. I remember when my Mum had her hip replacement she ended up with that leg 2” shorter than the other! She had to have all her shoes adapted at the hospital. Sorry but no experience with twisted pelvis but I have scoliosis and that causes some problems.

[Cup-cake7 in reply to ChrissiG]

thank you. What is that I know it's spinal

[ChrissiG in reply to Cup-cake7]

it’s a sideways twist in the spine. It means one of my shoulders is a little higher than the other and it causes back ache because of the compression on some nerves.

[Cup-cake7 in reply to ChrissiG]

o sorry painful. Is it a birth thing?

I was born knock knee and I turn foot maybe my hip had done fine after tap dancing years lol.

When little I had built up shoe!

Even had to wear them on wrong feet an hour each day 😊

[ChrissiG in reply to Cup-cake7]

I think I must have had it from birth but it never bothered me when young. It showed up on a scan when I was in my 50s. I was quite shocked! 😬 They also told me two blood vessels to my heart were the wrong way round - it’s amazing what scans show!

[Cup-cake7 in reply to ChrissiG]

gosh. Nature sorted it for you I guess

[Cup-cake7 in reply to ChrissiG]

still trawling here. Just to mention I Came across exercises for scholiosis back So much info when we just want to get on with day lol

[ChrissiG in reply to Cup-cake7]

oh really? I’ll have a look. Thanks ☺️

[Cup-cake7 in reply to ChrissiG]

Did mum have tilting pelvis maybe you do t know? Was limp worse after op?

[ChrissiG in reply to Cup-cake7]

Not as far as I know she didn’t. No limp til after the op. Have you had your legs measure though to see if they’re the same length? I walk so much better with the insert in my shoe.

[Cup-cake7 in reply to ChrissiG]

legs are same. Tilting pelvis hitches one up but he says temporary 🤞. It wasn't tilted b4 op

He thinks it will drop as I use it normally and won't need shoe lift. I'm not sure it seems too good to be true

[Cup-cake7 in reply to ChrissiG]

are you saying your knee op left leg longer

[ChrissiG in reply to Cup-cake7]

yes my operated leg was longer after surgery - about 1”.

[Cup-cake7]

why is this

[Kaye16]

hi jeppy , I had hip replacement 12yrs ago, and walk with a limp and thought it was because I had a fall a few years later, only found out 10yrs later because of bad back pain due to fall that one leg is shorter than the other!!, new hip is the shorter leg, was given build ups for shorter leg,

Hopefully when have new hip on other leg I’ll be made level!!

[Cup-cake7 in reply to Kaye16]

sounds sensible!😁. Funny how leg shorter after a new ball head!? Maybe pelvis tilting?

[Cup-cake7 in reply to Cup-cake7]

.....the leg is hiked up with up tilting side of pelvis but if it levels out again the leg will obviously drop down again

[Cup-cake7 in reply to Kaye16]

...legs can measure equal but if pelvis tilted then the up side of tilt will make shirt deficit in leg length as leg hip pelvis spine all work together

[Kaye16]

I had to go physio at the time and it was them that said that’s what’s happened , Tuesday I went to a meeting that they do before op to help put people’s mind at ease, they gave booklet and it had exercises in it and they said start now! I explained about shortness and that the bottom of foot catches on floor when doing a slight swing, there remarked were its a common thing to get shortness??, 😊

[Cup-cake7 in reply to Kaye16]

sorry what's your last sentence ?🤔

[Kaye16]

sorry use predictive text, physio said it’s a common thing to have shortness in one leg

[Cup-cake7 in reply to Kaye16]

Tis. Also can be longer. Seems a few ins and outs with it. What exercises before? I thought it would have been helpful to have been told to do upper body strength as you rely on arm strength a lot more even to hitch up bed, up stairs even

Good they doing that

[Cup-cake7 in reply to Kaye16]

if pelvis tilts at op then leg attached is affected it feels longer or shorter although your legs are equal length