This week I’ve seen my Physiotherapist and I’ve been able to show him that I’ve done my worksheet exercises seen Here and though it’s not plain sailing I have felt some progress. But I haven’t managed to do 2 sets yet, instead I increased to 15reps so at least that’s something.
I’ve added some hip bridges into my routine, which I’ve been getting on with fine.
So far doing 1 set of 15reps alternate days
I find the mini squat behind a chair alright, so I’ve now changed it to a more challenging squat. Now I’m in front with my good leg ahead of bad leg, so weight goes through the bad leg only. Again 15 reps on alternative days.
Still using this stretch as I find it the most difficult. Therefore the most needed stretch. Knee to chest and let other leg dangle over bed.
This stretch above still hurts to lift the operated leg, so any hip flexion just feels so difficult.
I’ve started to do Hip Flexion exercise as well, but again I’m finding this immensely difficult and painful. As above 15 reps on alternative days.
I can’t believe it’s been 5 weeks since I was last here!! That’s crazy, time really does seem to be whizzing by, and other things seem to taking my attention more than the hip. Which is good in a way, as it means I’m naturally moving on from being acutely affected day to day.
However it’s also bad as it means I’m not truly focusing on healing and improving this nagging psoas issue. But that’s the devil of having more than 1 health issue, going on in your life. Sometimes you have to choose to rest when you don’t want too, and to focus on other joints as they hurt worse. And that’s definitely been me lately.
On demonstrating my ability to hip hitch lying down, it was decided it’s too weak to progress to standing version. I showed my knee to chest, requiring to use my hands to fetch the leg. This is a massive set back, so we’ve discussed hydrotherapy while land physio is causing such pain. But there’s a heck of a wait for that yet. So in the meantime I’m to go back to hip hitching lying down, and knee to chest stretch on the bed.
This stretch has been added as my opposite hip is having golf ball sensation issues.
I showed them how the Right hip that’s 3yrs old is also suffering, so I’ve been given the stretch above to try and help ease the pains off.
So it felt a little disappointing, but the plan is for him to devise me a full physio routine and he will post it to me, and do that for 4 weeks, then go back to see if any improvement has been made. And then do the checklist for hydro at that appointment.
Functionally I feel ok, but to do steps, stairs or lift the leg I am struggling a lot, so I will do exactly as I’m told and hope it helps.
It’s very apt, as we’ve been entertaining ourselves with the Hobbit and Lord of the Rings lately.
Physio just isn’t feeling good or easy right now, but it’s not really a hip replacement issue. More it’s an overall Ehlers Danlos Syndrome issue, as it’s affecting my elbows, shoulders and hands. However the walk I shared previously felt great in the newest hip, but I weirdly overdid the older one??
I’ve decided to avoid the knee to chest, while it’s so angry, swollen and irritated.
But lying face down,over a pillow and bending leg and lift is a good flexor stretch. Don’t lift too high and round your back though. 10 reps
If you rather you could keep leg straight, but it won’t activate the same muscles as much. 10 reps
Instead of doing many squats, I’m practicing in holding a squat for 15 seconds and doing a few
Hoping to add the lightest resistance band to my clams 5 reps
Side leg raises I’m pretty strong in, so they are a feel good move 10 reps
Probably the hardest move, so slow steady and 5 reps for now
Hopefully little but often will help, but my main focus is on walking and keeping form. I’m only noticing my leg length difference when I’m tired and the Trendelenburg gait comes out. I looked back at my original hip at this stage and whoa they are wildly different. Check it out Here
This walk mentioned here was done a week or so ago. Been resting ever since.
Sometimes things don’t go to plan, and you just never know how or when. We had an epic new place to have a walk around, the weather was good, and I was excited.
But as I was preparing my coat and bag in the car, I hurt my hand merely twisting the wrist, and I burst into tears. My god this hand it getting hard to live with. This hand was already in a compression glove and splint to protect it, yet I still managed to hurt it.
Village is pretty though, and the location meant there was public toilets too. Bonus.
Getting myself together and forcing the tears away, we set off. Pretty lovely amble at first, until I sank in some mud, thank heavens for boots!
Moody skies and cold winds but the location is beautiful. Fields were super waterlogged and easy to sink or skate on.
We managed to get to the main destination, but it came with a cost of the hip swelling up quite a lot. Clearly it didn’t like this retrain and the challenges I was putting it through. I took more pain relief and grateful I could sit down and properly rest it.
We rested and fuelled up on cheese sandwiches and coffee to warm us up. Glorious views.
After getting to our main part, it was all downhill and through countless more fields, but we stumbled upon a new situation, one that we always have at the back of our minds, Stiles. If you’re lucky you get gates, or tiny passing places, or a well built stile. However I reached one that made me cry, I was terrified of it, it felt too high, too hard, and too unsteady. I was convinced I was going to fall, and we had to shove the leg over. And it meant one hip needed to internally rotate, so I could get a toe hold while bringing other leg over. Now if you have a hip replacement you may know this is a huge No No. I had to trust my 3yr old hip replacement to do this, and it felt boggy, thankfully I got over but the whole experience tipped me over the emotional edge.
Internally rotating hip is not a good idea for hip replacement patients as you run the risk of dislocation.
Knowing we could have many many Stiles, and me already in a state with a swollen hip and emotional nervous wreck, we stopped to have coffee and eat more sandwiches while Mr Moon reassessed the route and changed it for a road instead. We ended the walk much earlier than planned, but I was grateful. It was definitely the right call.
As soon as we got home it was pizza and relaxing, with hot water bottles and ibuprofen gel for the swollen hip.
No appointments really this week, apart from a telephone appointment to ask about a rheumatologist, and occupational therapy appointments, as I need them for my hands badly.
Grateful that the hip isn’t giving me much trouble. Still the same Psoas pain, and the occasional groin pain on the right side. But overall they are doing well, back pain is constant too, but I’m used to that.
My lower back is immensely stiff, and I’m having a lot of issues with my hands, which are needing gloves, braces and splint almost 24hrs a day.
With both of them hurting, I’m going to have to be gentle around them while doing physio. So for my exercises, I’m keeping it low, but challenging with a bosu ball.
Glute bridges on bosu ball 10 reps X 3
Side squats 10 reps X 3
And adding this new one, Split Squats to try and get some balance, I will have a chair nearby for support, as I don’t expect to be good at it at first.
Split squats 5 reps X 3
Hopefully these won’t hinder my back too much, or my hands. Let’s hope they are good enough to work the hips enough. I have a normal physio appointment next week, so I can always get some advice from them too.
For some reason I’ve been booked into a different Physio, it’s at the local GPs. Now I confess I don’t hold out much, as I’ve had experience with them before. But I will give this appointment my all, to try and improve leg length and psoas pain.
But isn’t it funny, nothing for 13 weeks and boom 2 appointments in a week?! And my 4th Hospital visit in 7 days, I’m feeling like I’m over them. But health and chasing pain away is a full-time job!!
First off he measures my legs, ankle bone to hip bone. But he wants my leggings down, good job I had boy shorts on!! Surely you can feel the same through leggings??
The right leg is 87cm and left leg is 85cm. Yet outwardly the left leg is looking the longest. This is purely from the pelvis dropping lower on the right side.
As you can see the left side is a lot lower than the right side.
I explained the surgeon does NOT want me to wear a shoe lift, but ignored me and has booked me in with a podiatrist. And then he’s given me some exercises to try out.
Starting with 5 reps
Not sure why I was given both of these, but with my hands and wrists I’ll be doing the forearm ones 5 reps
These I find ok so I will do 10 reps
Not sure I have a table for this.
Hip pelvis tilts 10 reps
These I do often anyways 10 reps
In all my years of physio I’ve never tried these before 5 reps
Not tried without support 5 reps
So if they want me to do them, I will definitely give it my best shot. I guess it can’t hurt to be measured for a shoe lift, but I won’t wear it full time until I speak to the surgeon again in 6mths time. At least this way it will cut down waiting times, and it will be ready to be worn as soon as surgeon says so.
Well it’s flying by, but I’ve felt like I’m not really getting anywhere fast, especially in the pain department, and the psoas.
But I’ve had some success with the psoas stretch and isometric exercise seen Here
To add to these I’ve done small additions.
Clams are back X 5 reps
Hip bridges X 5 reps
Ball between knees Abductor squeezes X 5 reps
Forward Step ups X 5 reps (each leading leg up and down)
Elevated Single leg squat (with chair for stability) X 5 reps
Obviously I work both sides, it makes sense to keep things even, and mobile. Once up the Step I feel ok, it’s the initial lifting of the leg. So very small amount of Reps and only a few times a week for now.
This appointment came out the blue, but I’m so grateful I have one. To be able to discuss my worries with the surgeon, is a huge weight off my shoulders. Rather than wait until August this year.
Up nice and early and of course wearing my Tee from Here as I always do, my tradition now. And if I’m really lucky I will manage to see my friend, who also has an appointment today.
I needed this, thank you for making me smile X such a lovely friend xxx
And boy didn’t I need her there too!! She helped while away the hours waiting. Plus it felt so nice to have someone there, to weigh up options with, From someone that knows what psoas issues are like.
Not quite sure what I desire from the appointment, but perhaps an x-ray, and maybe a discussion on leg length, and now the inflammation of the iliopsoas muscle. Oh and ask what is that metal bit on the x-ray!!
Finally discovered after Registrar’s gaslighting me for years, that I have a broken off needle, in my right hip. Which also means it’s been there for 3yrs!! Got my answer at long last.
I had a new x-ray, totally forgot to take a photo though 🤦🏻♀️. Though to be fair it looks exactly like the one previously
We discussed a steroid injection for the psoas, it’s a 6 month wait, so I’m down on the waiting list. And the leg length is still a watch and wait for another 6 months too, so they will at least happen around the same time. Though it’s frustrating to wait, I am trying to trust the process, and give it my all.
Wow, what a difference a week makes. Since finding #VersusArthritis YouTube channel, I’ve been following it as much as I can, while body allows me too.
Found a tailored Hip routine ( find it Here ) and decided to give that a go along with a full body Daytime one ( find it Here )
Hip Flexion 5 second hold X 3 reps
Hip Extension 5 second hold X 3 reps
Heel to Buttock 5 second hold X 3 reps
Hip Abduction 5 second hold X 3 reps
Squats (using chair for support) X 10 reps
Quadriceps stretch 5 second hold X 5 reps
Knee hugs (really hard on operated side) 5 second hold X 3 reps
Heel Slide X 3 reps
Hip Bridging 5 second hold X 3 reps
External Hip Rotation, let hips drop to the side X 5 reps
Doesn’t look much, but it is really making me feel it the next day, so I’m doing alternate days. Again to ensure no hip flares. Until I see the physio I believe these are my better options in physio exercises.
I’m still super poorly, and it’s annoying now, as the brain wants to do things but there is no chance the body can really cope. Or so I thought.
I’ve had to cancel the 2 physio appointments I had, due to illness and family commitments. So now I’m seeing them in January 2022. Along with a new consultant appointment in Jan as well (weird as I hadn’t requested one, last I heard it would be August 2022) Not had physio appointment since October now.
After browsing many a YouTube video, I stumbled across the #VersusArthritis workout videos, so I just had to check them out.
With #VersusArthrits I found the exercises, and stretch routines address other joint issues I have, whereas I’m finding my hospital given physio is far too advanced and causing endless issues.
Here is the video for gentle morning stretches, so I gave it a go! It compromised of Neck stretches, Shoulder and Elbow stretches, A Wrist and Thumb stretch, then Hand Glides, Hip Flexion, Squats behind a Chair, Sit to Stand and finally Ankle pumps.
As I have #EhlersDanlosSyndrome which is affecting my neck (head feels far too heavy for neck, my grinding shoulders and elbows. To find something gentle enough for everything was just Perfect!!
Took around 15 mins, and all super gentle and low impact. Just enough to lubricate the joints.
Hip still struggles with the hip flexion, but hopefully over time it will fix. I’ve pulled it recently with coughing so that set it backwards for a while.
debbiehipster 