Richard Haynes PTA/CPT - 12/23/2008

Question
Hello Mr Haynes.  My name is donny and I am 31 years of age and I had a total hip replacement about 2 years ago. For reasons of arthritus. I am still having large amounts of pain in the middle of my thigh on (top) stretching from the top to right above my knee. I understand that there can be pain like this after a (THR) but seriously it has been almost 2 years and the pain happens when evertime I plant my foot down on the ground. I have invested in the z-coil shoes, all sorts of shoe inserts and still the pain happens everytime my foot touches the ground when I walk. And like I said its from the top of my thigh down to right above my knee.  Please help me or give me some sort of possible diagnoses for this because as I previously stated its been almost 2 years since the operation. I would really appreciate your thoughts or advice

Answer
Donny,  After two years and still having pain I am not sure its the hip itself.

How extensive was the rehab after surgery? If the quadriceps/thigh muscles or surrounding muscles were not strengthen properly you will have these types of problems. This will lead to slight changes in your gait or walking patterns and will translate to excessive strain to to other parts of the leg.

Are both legs of equal length? Sometimes a patient will have a slight leg length discrepancy and will throw off the mechanics as well.

What I would do is get back in touch with the surgeon that did the surgery or get another opinion and a follow-up x-ray of the hip to make sure nothing else has changed at the hip joint itself then see about getting referred to an out-patient physical therapy clinic.

The physical therapist then can review your records then observe your walking pattern and see if there are muscular imbalances causing this pain. If there are you will have problems like you are describing.

That is your best bet right now and a great place to start.

Good Luck
Richard Haynes
Punta Gorda, Florida.