Re: walking with a limp

[Guest guest]

Me too! I limp badly after my RTHR and find it hard sleeping on my

back. I am 12 days post op and need 3 pillows under my head and

something under my knees (I roll a blanket up) to make sure I can

sleep. Before the op I would always sleep on my good side or my

front - so that is a big difference.

I hope its ok to put something under my knees and I'm not making

things worse. Any more experienced hippies out there?

Kathy

> it's been 3 weeks since my thr and i feel i have such a big limp.

> what is the average time for the new hip to settle? does anyone

have

> a hard time sleeping on just their back?

[Guest guest]

# weeks isn't very long. Don't know the average time, but as you

regain muscle strength, your limp should disappear. Give it at least

3 months before you start to worry about it. Keep using a cane or

crutch in the meantime so you don't limp.

I think the difficulty with back sleeping is practically universal

with hippies. My remedy for this was to spend part of the night on

my good side with a fat pillow between my knees (to keep my operated

leg properly abducted).

> it's been 3 weeks since my thr and i feel i have such a big limp.

> what is the average time for the new hip to settle? does anyone

have

> a hard time sleeping on just their back?

[Guest guest]

I am 8 weeks post op and walk with a limp. My operated leg is now 1/2

inch longer than the other so it is like walking with only one shoe

on. I didn't sleep well for about 5 weeks after surgery but it did

get better. I was tired all the time and depressed.... but it WILL

get better I promise. Hang in there and you will have your life back

soon enough. Remember it is just a few weeks out of a lifetime.

> it's been 3 weeks since my thr and i feel i have such a big limp.

> what is the average time for the new hip to settle? does anyone

have

> a hard time sleeping on just their back?

[Guest guest]

As for sleeping on my back: I solved the problem by taking an Ambien

every night. I had no trouble at all NOT taking it as soon as I

could sleep on my side. At 11 weeks I can now sleep on either side

with a minimum of waking up. My home physical therapist told me not

to sleep with anything under my knees except a soft pillow. I had a

bolster thing I got at my massage therapist and the PT told me not to

use it. I noticed that at the hospital I was at, it was not possible

to raise the foot end of the bed either.

> > it's been 3 weeks since my thr and i feel i have such a big limp.

> > what is the average time for the new hip to settle? does anyone

> have

> > a hard time sleeping on just their back?

[Guest guest]

At three weeks I was still on 2 crutches, so wasn't aware of a limp!

Now I am 12 weels post op LTHR and found that I limpes when I first

tried to walk without a stick. In my case I'm sure that it is down

to muscles weakness. My PT has given me lots of strengthening

exercises and as my muscles get better, my limp diminishes. Around

the house I am fine - on longer walks outside, as the muscles tire I

can feel myself beginning lasping into the " Long Silver " roll!!!

I know that it will get better - I just have to keep on working on

the physio!!

Just remember that 3 weeks is only a very short time (although I

know how long it feels at first!) - try to be patient and recognise

every little movement that you get back as an achievement -

congratulate yourself on what you can do rather than beat yourself

up about what you can't.

All the best with your recovery

Lesley