New hip replacement and backache

Bevdav123

I’m coming up to a week since my THR the thing I’m struggling with is my lower back, I’m finding it really uncomfortable trying to straighten my legs out to lay flat, I’ve started putting a pillow under my legs and that does help, the days aren’t too bad it’s just the nights that I’m struggling with, please tell me I’m not alone in this, any advice to alleviate the discomfort would be very much appreciated 😊

frogmorton

Hi @Bevdav123

If I were you I'd have backache too I cannot sleep on my back without it.

You need some help from the 'hippies' @Janlyn @Nurina @alwayssewing @JPT etc one of them can surely try to help.

take care

Toni x

JPT

@Bevdav123 you are not alone. I couldn't straighten out in bed before the op and for a good couple of weeks after the op. Keep taking the painkillers as that helps and it will get easier. Julie x

Bevdav123

Thank goodness I’m not alone, I thought it was just me 😂 thanks

Nurina

@Bevday123 Backache was my biggest issue, more than the hip itself before and after the surgery. It was because of the posture, the hip tilted was pulling the muscles that come from the front of the thigh to the lower back. I had to sleep almost sat after the surgery with a pillow under my knees too. I went to the osteopath expecting to find a displaced disc or more OA and, thanks god, I have a healthy back so it was just just the soft tissues around the hips.

alwayssewing

Before my hip operation I could not lie flat on hard surfaces such as the physio's table or the one in the ex-ray department and it took many minutes trying to relax in my own bed so my back would flatten enough. After my hip was done I slept with my u shaped pillow topped with two normal pillows crossed over each other so I was half sitting it did help and the u shape , which was nearly as long as me , prevented me from accidently turning on my side for the first few weeks.

I did make the mistake of having a pillow lengthwise from knees to feet all night to help with swelling in the ankles. I started getting terrible pain in my knees (very advanced osteoarthritis). When I saw the hospital physiotherapist she said I should only have my legs raised like that for a maximum of 20 minutes then chuck the pillow out of bed. It was putting stress on the large muscles in my thighs causing them to pull other muscles and making my knees hurt. She was right the pain eased off after I stopped.

I started lying on each side in turn at about 4 weeks just a few minutes at a time, then took the u shaped pillow out at 6 weeks as I was able to lie on each side for longer.

I get my other hip done on the 16th of May and it will all get repeated but I am not stressing about lying on my back this time.

It will not be long before you will be more comfortable. It is very early yet. I promise it does get easier.

Janlyn

@Bevdav123 I couldn't straighten my operated leg before surgery or for a few weeks afterwards so please don't worry - it will happen. Everything seems so hard in the early days and weeks but soon you will be looking back and thinking 'that wasn't too bad'. Take care, it does get easier.