Continuing sharp groin pain following a total hip replacement and lower back operation for a spondylolysthesis
by Helen
(France)
Spondylolysthesis
3 years ago l had a total hip replacement which went well. Sadly 6 weeks post-op l fell and fractured my patella. Ever since I have had a nagging groin pain and what looks like a group of broken blood vessels on the outer edge of my knee. This area is also pretty painful to the touch but walking etc is fine.
Last year I had rods and screws inserted to relieve a spondyolysthesis at L3/4, but the pain and cramps that I am getting in both my legs, although much worse on the right, is much worse than before the op.
Could piriformis syndrome be causing all these problems? I do exercises everyday, and I was swimming up to 3 kilometres but have now limited myself to just 1km as the pain seems to be aggravated by the sport. I also walk about 10km a day.
I am awaiting an MRI and appointment with neurologist, but am fed up with continuing pain; any ideas?
Hello, Helen,
Yes, I have lots of ideas.
Firstly, that knee; it's almost certainly affecting your gait and that has a knock on effect up what's called the kinetic chain; your hip and lower back primarily.
You probably have a condition called patello femoral pain syndrome; sometimes it can be relieved by a simple set of exercises; I would start there faithfully several times a day.
Have you been back to the orthopaedic surgeon who operated on your hip? There's considerable risk that you loosened the pin in the shaft of the femur, or something else when you fell on your knee; even a stress fracture in the pubic bones. If you haven't already, ask him.
And lastly that operation on your back obviously didn't go well; it's a risky business and has affected one or more of the nerves that supply your legs. You are now getting the symptoms of lumbar spinal stenosis. Go on swimming, mainly backstroke, and start doing the gentle back exercises you'll find in the navigation bar at Chiropractic Help every morning before getting out of bed. I doubt there's much else to be done, and you don't want yet another operation to undo the damage done.
And lastly, ask someone to stand behind you and place their hands on the iliac crests; are they level, or do you have a short leg since the hip operation? It affects the sacroiliac joints profoundly. A simple inner sole in the shoe will help. There are plenty of chiropractors in France; it has one of the best educational institutes in the world.
One last thought; quite a lot of this is traumatic, but there may be a genetic component; hip and lower back pain runs strongly in families; get your children NOW to start lower back and hip exercises every day.
I hope this contributes.
Dr B
Chiropractic Help»Patello Femoral Pain Syndrome » Continuing sharp groin pain following a total hip replacement and lower back operation for a spondylolysthesis