Question
I have had my second revision on my right hip in October,2006.  I walk with a definite limp if I do not concentrate and hold my muscles tight.  Would you say this was a sign of weakness or something wrong.  I do water aerobics 3x a week.  I also have difficulty walking for long times/distances.  I can walk on the treadmill just fine.  Perhaps I should still be using a cane?

Answer
Hi Madelyn

It sounds like you are describing a muscular problem as opposed to a prosthesis problem.  Please have your doctor check the length of both of your legs to ensure they are within 1/4 of an inch of each other.  If one leg is longer that can cause pain because you are not walking correctly.

Ask your doctor if you would benefit from physical therapy for muscles.  You might want to take a cane with you in case you need it, and if it helps by all means use it, but look into physical therapy.  That might do the trick by targeting specific muscles, while the water aerobics is a general muscles building exercise.  The other thought I had is that if you are pounding on the bottom of the pool floor during your water aerobics, you might want to stop for a while to see if the pain lessens.

Best of luck to you

Sharon Davis