Post Op Week 12: Full Range of Motion

I did not know this until yesterday, but a normal range of motion for the hip is 45 degrees, external & internal.  My ROM yesterday was 53 internal & 64 external.  Most people have less internal rotation than external.  I know many weeks ago I passed my pre-op ROM, but not sure what the numbers were.  So, at this point we're basically trying to keep the stiffness away.  That's my biggest problem.

Psoas stretching!!!  I cannot stress this enough.  Yesterday (I'm sick, sick, sick) I woke up with a lot of hip pain, where I haven't had any lately.  It freaked me out, but what I'm learning is that cold, sickness & PMS bring on hip pain.  My PT yesterday said it was common, when you're weak the body targets injury or weak spots.  A lot of people complain of pain during these times.

After some good stretching I was better...after the sidelying psoas stretch I was pain free!  If you don't know this one, ask your PT to try it!!  It works everytime.  Basically you lay on your (good) side and the PT holds your bad leg, wrapping it around them and pulling back.  There are other psoas stretches you can do on your own. 

Bottom line, what I'll preach to you now is doing your PT excercizes even a little each day and stretching the PSOAS will improve your condition.  When I go a few days without the excercizes I hurt.  When i forget to stretch I hurt.  It doesn't have to be an hour in the gym, pick a few of your excercizes and spend 10 minutes if that's all you've got but keep it up.  It's important.