charles999

I had a Birmingham Hip Resurfacing operation done 6 weeks ago and am keen to learn if I am on course for the promised pain-free land that I read so much about. I am writing this post because I have some doubts that I am !

The following is roughly my progress to date (op on Day 0)

Day 1: Bed bound, comfortable, morphine drip

Day 2: Morphine drip withdrawn and experienced significant pain (back pain ?!) until put onto regular strong pain killer. Operated leg rather swollen down to foot. Using bed hoist and crutches could get out of bed and do short walks. Too painful to move off back when lying in bed.

Day 3-6: Gradual improvement in mobility. Pain well controlled. Leave hospital.

Week 2 to Week 5: Swelling in leg reduced with help of elastic stockings and moving around. Steady improvement in pain from thigh which felt like it was hurting due to a badly torn muscle in the lower thigh. Steady improvement in mobility as muscles sorted themselves out helped by exercises; advised by surgeon to stay on 2 crutches until week 7. Bad aches would regularly start when trying to get to sleep at night but these could be suppressed with pain killers.

Week 6: The muscles seem to be in reasonable shape (largely pain free)although I can't do any straight leg raise yet. However I get a jabbing pain in the hip joint whenever I try and load it with anything more than 140 pounds (I weigh 180 pounds so clearly some way off walking unaided). I am in no pain when standing still presumably with 90 pounds on leg. The pain feels bone related rather than muscle-related and gets worse the more I walk. I detect a subtle 'clicking' in the joint sometimes. Temptation is to spend all day in bed to avoid pain !

To all of you who have been through a hip resurfacing recovery - is this broadly consistent with your experience at 6 weeks (recognising that we are all different) ? Comments welcomed.