The patello-femoral joint :
Hip pain - - Posted by Riosilia (Riosilia), 9 July 2003
I started having hip pain more than 2 years ago but in these last 6 months it has steadly been getting worse. I just had surgery and now it's pretty severe. Before surgery my doctor told me it was probably related to my patellar instability/ tracking and that it would probably just get better after surgery but so far it's only worse.
Is there anything I can do? It's mostly lateral (with some posterior) hip pain. I also have clicking when I do straight leg raises and abduction exercises. I've been streching it but my therapist told me that my problem might actually be that my IT band is too streched.
Please help! This hip pain is far worse than the small amount of knee post op pain I'm having... I'm really starting to worry about this.
~Riosilia
Posted by MikeBetts (MikeBetts), 9 July 2003
Hi Riosila,
I am only posting to say please could you let me know if you get any advice on this. I am exactly the same. Started at the beginning of last year with a simple clicking sound progressing to a sort of grating sound but it depends on how much ive been walking around. Did 4 months of physio stretching ITB, no joy. Had TTT recently and hoped that would fix things, but its coming back.
Please please let me know if you get any advice, im at mike_betts@hotmail.com
Mike
Posted by Iona_-Uk (Iona), 10 July 2003
Hi Riosilia & Mike
I'm sorry that your are both suffering with this painful condition.
I also have and continue to suffer also with it and I can recommend thw one thing that has helped me, ultrasound massage at my PT's office.
I have never found any log term relief as yet but the massage is a good short term fix for me, I know with me it is a shortening of one of the tendons that causes my problems and my options are cortisone shots or surgery that will lengthen the tendon but has a very high failure rate.
I don't know if the massage will be of help to either of you but it's been good for me, if I find any mircale cures, I'll let you know.
Posted by Riosilia (Riosilia), 10 July 2003
Iona,
What where your symptoms? I just went to therapy and my therapist performed a variety of hip tests. He told me there are several things that could be wrong, including femur rotation, bursitis/ tendonitis (but he almost rulled that out since I had no pain to the touch), and maybe even a acetabulum tear. When he was rotating my hip it felt like was going to pop out. He decided to stop doing straight leg raises and some of the other post-op exercises I was doing.
Good news though! I no longer have to wear my brace! I'm free!!!!!!! I can also start working on the treadmill (forward and backwards with an incline) and step machine. He also said I could start doing some light water exercises and swim (without using my legs) whenever my incision heals. Yeah!!!! That made my day!
I'm 4 weeks post op and my knee is great
I see my doctor on Tuesday and I'm hoping she will examine me and tell me a little more about my hip.
THanks for your posts, Iona and Mike. It helps to other there are others going through similar problems. Hope you guys have a great, painfree weekend!
~Riosilia
Posted by Jennie (Jennie), 12 July 2003
It sounds like we all suffer with the same thing 
I have had to take muscle relaxers for the past 2 months because it has gotten so bad, mine to has bothered me since 3 surgeries ago and I too am searching for a miracle or at least some kind of relief! It gets so bad sometimes it bothers me more than my knee, so I will be thinking of you all everytime I hurt 
Jennie
Posted by hmaxwell (Heather M.), 13 July 2003
I did a course of acupuncture combined with myo-fascial release for 6 weeks. It wasn't pleasant, and it cost a lot of $$, but my hip, back, and upper IT band pain are pretty much under control. At this point, I go back for maintenance work every month, but that's it. At the time I went to my doctor and begged for help, my back and hip did actually hurt more than my knee.
The drill was acupuncture followed by PT and 1.5 hours of myo-fascial release work all done on the same morning. That was the kicker--it had to be done together. I was shot for the rest of the day, but within 3 weeks I had about 75% less pain, and within 6 weeks I had no more hip and back pain at all. The 'distal IT band' pain (where the ITB attaches below the knee) is still stubbornly resisting treatment and is one of my most painful areas, but everything else cleared up in 6 weeks of treatments.
I went 3X/week for the first 2 weeks, then 2X/week for 2 weeks and 1X/week for 2 weeks. It worked. The acupuncture needles were placed in the middle & lower back, buttocks, hip, and down the side of the affected leg, with a few put in around the ankle as well. The myo-fascial release concentrated on lower/middle back, buttocks (OWWWWWW), hip, and IT band release--which is possibly the most painful thing I've ever paid anyone to do to me. But it's painful for a few seconds at a time, and afterward you feel fabulous. Tired, but good.
Heather
Posted by Jennie (Jennie), 14 July 2003
Heather I was wondering what the myo-fascial is? It sounds like you got wonderful results and like I said I'm searching for a miracle I think along with everybody else.
Jennie
Posted by Riosilia (Riosilia), 14 July 2003
Heather,
If you could, please tell us more about the myo-fascial treatments you had. Is it like a massage? Do they use oil, lotion, or any other type of toll for assistance? The people that do this on you, are they specially trained (certified)? Does insurance cover this?
THe whole accupuncture thing scares me to death. I'm usually pretty tough, I even stayed awake and watched a good part of my surgeries. However, I have to admit that little needles sticking out of my body... 
I just hate thinking about it. For right now I think I will try other forms of treatments and hopefully I won't get so desperate to try this.
I see my doctor on Tuesday and I will definatly ask her about these two treatments. Thank you for sharing your experience with us!
~Riosilia
Updated Thu Apr 29 2010
