Question 4 All - Hip Issues

[femalepowerlifter310]

Hi Everyone,

I recently had ADR (Feb) & got an L4/5 Freedom disc (LA Spine Center - can't recommend them enough)... and I'm doing great. Better than anyone my physical therapist has ever seen, and I'm even surprising my surgeon.My question is about a hip issue that I'm trying to figure out before my next appt..

About 3 months before I found out I needed surgery, I started having problems with my right hip. Specifically after doing a "leg day" in the gym, which was primarily leg presses due to back pain, I'd get this dull pain and the feeling my hip would give out - stiff as though I couldn't take a proper step. I found out about my DDD and chalked it up to that - maybe surgery would correct this.

At 10 wks out of surgery I'm in PT now for about 2 1/2 weeks... a few days ago, I started doing some lateral band around ankles leg work, and some feet uneven / weight supported stretching cage squats... and now my hip is worse than ever. I've been limping around for 2 days (of course this happens over the weekend) and I'm not sure what to think. I was JUST starting to feel like I was getting a bit of my groove back.
Maybe it's a higher power telling me to slow the heck down?

For the last few weeks I've been coming off of muscle relaxers, taking very few norco, and just a bit of ativan at night to sleep. Wondering if the lack of soma has anything to do with this... but suspecting the PT instead.

I'm about to research this lovely issue, just wondering if any others out there have had expereince with this? It's only on the right side... for those in my generation, I'm cruising around the house lookin' like I'm doing the "Humpty Dance". And that is SO 1992. Must...get...help...

Thanks for your time...

[Harrison]

As you may already know, a dysfunctional spine or hip can possibly change a person’s gait. We talked about this many times in the past – but this article seems to contradict the opposite of what I just stated:

Gait analysis does not correlate with clinical and MR imaging parameters...
http://www.adrsupport.org/forums/sho...highlight=gait

And some other chats you may have seen:

Footwear Choices for Spine Patients
http://www.adrsupport.org/forums/sea...d=934257&pp=25

The body can compensate for incredible biomechanical changes over time. Given you massively invasive procedure and NEW mechanical motion, it may take time for you to heal. I hope that this is the case, rather than another pathology rearing its head.

In the meantime, how about this: no physical therapy -- for a long time?! Just walk, walk, walk...

[femalepowerlifter310]

Well I'm definitely thinking I must back off, maybe switch to pool / aquatic therapy...

But the big looming question for me is - I had this problem several months prior to surgery. I thought the disc would solve the problem. Now that I can do a leg exercise in PT (akin to the leg press I did before), I'm having the same problem...

I found an interesting thing on Iliopsoas Tendinitis / Bursitis - which can be caused by resistance training. And the off center squats and band-at-ankles lunge work I've been doing set this off, obviously.

Wow now everything is printing as bold... what I get for c/p text. The editor in this site won't let me change back. Eh.

Anyway, I'm going to have them x-ray my hip to take a closer look asap. And I'm guessing I may have to totally give up anything resembling a squat / lunge / etc for a very long time, which is unsettling. I really *need* my in shape, lean legs back - for work. But if it were anything more serious than one of the aforementioned issues, I'd have to back off of my usual training for the foreseeable future: I've had 4 surgeries for different conditions in less than 2 years. I can't take anymore.

Anyone know how to find that Laura Wells girl who used to post here as 'Andromeda'? I could use a talk with a fellow female bodybuilder / power-lifter right about now. I've asked a few folks but no one seems to know her.

Again, my *back* is doing great and I hate to whine, but I'm scared. This has been one of the longest weekends I can recall... can't WAIT to talk to my doc tomorrow.

Off to pack thy self in ice, AGAIN. Of course, the nice thing about that is if you use frozen veggies as part of the program, you'll defrost em in the process and have a quick salad at your disposal.

[annapurna]

First, I'm not sure the study that Rich cites as there being no correlation between gait analysis and spinal problem is applicable in your case. If you read the study summary Rich posted, I don't believe that it tests the kinds of concerns you'd have for off-center lifting. Depending upon your weight levels, very subtle shifts could lead to irritation given long term lifting, like you do. If nothing else helps, you might just have to hire a trainer to watch very carefully as you go through your routines.

In addition to Rich's point that a bad spine may drive other problems, I've heard Laura's knee team (yes, she's messed up to need more than a single doc for her knee) comment often that it isn't too surprising that her knees and back are both going bad. It's definitely worth getting the hips checked to see if there is any joint damage but it could simply be nerve impingement from the spinal damage leading to slow firing nerves in the hips. Before Laura got C5/6 replaced, she was found during testing that she could no longer control her hips well enough to walk toe to heel, like the drunk driving tests. The day after the ADR surgery, she could.

[2 Young 2 Hurt Like This]

I also had the leg pain before surgery. I am now 12days out of having a 2 level ADR L3-4-5. Before surgery the dull achy leg was my right one. When I woke up in recovery and got to my room the left lower part of my back through my butt/hips and into my left leg had the pain. It was so bad I wouldn't lift or move my leg at all. If I did it would being tears to my eyes. I still have the achy hips/legs. My right leg is starting to get into the act and I feel like I am going insane with this. This kind of pain frustrates the heck out of me cuz there is nothing that helps make it any better. The night of surgery my surgeon and fiance ran into one another in the cafeteria. My surgeon asked how I was doing and my fiance filled him in on my achy pain. Before I knew it my surgeon was waking me up and explained that all my nerves have been put back into their proper place and they are aggravated by it. I see meet with him on May 5th and I will be sure to bug him about it. I feel your ache and I don't like it. Other than that I don't know much about it. I hope it subsides for you. I hope this kinda made sense. I dont want to go back and read through it cuz I need to get to bed Im hurting/aching so bad I feel like I could hurt someone lol. I say that when my pain levels get to high.

~Liz

[femalepowerlifter310]

First off - LIZ! Congrats on dropping 75lb! That's truly amazing! I know how hard it is - I was 265 when I was 16... I'm now between 200-215 at 6'1, and compete at ~ 180. My hat off to you - keep up the awesome work!

Second, for everyone else... I'm seeing my surgeon, who I may eventually build a shrine to, tomorrow. I went to PT yesterday & was very honest about my hip issues, and didn't do anything resembling a squat. I'd hoped to get a little deep tissue massage work, but I think they were too nervous to touch me.

I had a few hip problems yesterday, but the more time goes by from when I did those uber repetitive 'baby' squats, the less I'm having incidents. So, I'm 100% sure it's ONLY when I squat that I have problems. Don't know if this could lead to further issue later... but I'm going to insist on radio graphs tomorrow so I KNOW what's going on. I read a bit on illiopsoas tendonitis / bursitis... praying its something like that and not worse.

I'll report back tomorrow when I know more.

And prayers & blessings to you guys who've had constant pain... one thing I want to point out is ice - I wasn't told to ice when I was discharged from the hospital, but I have diligently several times per day every day. I also use it now for my hip... I find it's the best pain reliever on earth. If you don't have pro ice packs, bust out the frozen peas! They work great, and good to eat after you defrost em.

Also, had interesting talk with our Harrison about anti-inflammatory drugs and supplements... I'm going to focus more on that to see if I can make a difference. I've taken OTC NSAIDS for SO long I'm wondering if I have an immunity to their effects.... but hoping to do some nutritional work for this in the hopes of helping it out.

2010, and I am my own scientific experiment. I feel like I'm back in college. At least that fits in with my 'age denial'. I think it's good for anti-aging purposes to forget how old you are though.

Off to the gym to *just walk* again, btw any of you have an opinion on riding a stationary bike? I was gonna give that a whirl, but sitting straight up rather than leaning on the handle bars, and at a LEISURELY pace to start. I have a sense that it might help work thru my sore hip area, ROM work etc.

[2 Young 2 Hurt Like This]

Awe thank you!

I'm bummed out that I've put some back on with the stress/worry of having the surgery and now I'm not able to do much. I've always been on the bigger side. Started at 276 and got down to 202 and now... I'm to chicken to face the scale. I'm just excited for when I am able to hit the gym and get back on the ball. I told my doc i don't wanna be a twig so we're thinking I'm 5'8 and should be 170.

Anyway, I see my surgeon tomorrow. I'm super excited to see how well I am doing. I will be asking him what he thinks about the achy pains. I noticed today it really started to act up when I sit to long. Time to get moving!

[femalepowerlifter310]

You know Liz, I think I'm feeling ya on the tailbone issue... I've felt tightness there off and on, but the other day I spent WAY too much time in the car (but I wasn't in PT right?)... that night riding home, I suddenly got this bad burning / stabbing sensation and couldn't WAIT to get up.

So hip and tailbone... glad I'm going to see the doc while the issues are fresh. I can only imagine these things must be normal, but I need to hear it from him.

PS - I can only imagine how when we're able to go back to regular activity how our metabolisms will snap back... I have a feeling we'll make quick gains back to recovery... I'm not feeling particularly fit right now, but it's giving me that much more motivation for when I am 100% how much more I'll appreciate it!

Love 2 all

[femalepowerlifter310]

And gueeessss what? He pulled me from PT. Harrison, insert a giant I TOLD YOU SO here. I'm going to look into aquatic therapy, go back to walking, and wait before I attempt any more basic boot camp...

He also sent me directly to an MRI for my hip, which we'll find out more about at my 'official' 12 week appointment. (This is mid week 10 for me). Keeping my fingers crossed that it's something simple...

I found out the tightness / occasional pain in my tailbone is totally normal - actually a good sign that things are healing / readjusting. I was pleasantly surprised by that.

Overall Rasouli is really pleased with how well I'm coming back, how well I'm healing. I think he even appreciates the zillion questions I come in there with!

More soon.

[2 Young 2 Hurt Like This]

YAY!! I'm happy you follow up seems to have went well! I will keep my fingers crossed that your hip issues is something small and a easy fix! I've been getting some tailbone pain as well. I figured it was from me sitting a certain way and putting to much pressure on it. idk... still could be I guess.

Hope you have a day!!!

Liz