Sacroiliac Joint Pain after Total Hip Replacement

Hi GabesMom. Sorry we had to meet here, but I do know a bit about the surgeries you went through, so hopefully I can help.

I used to work as a physical therapy assistant, and I've been in the operating room to observe some hip (and knee) replacement surgeries. I asked one of the orthos at the hospital if I could watch, because I wanted to know how it was being done, so I could treat and educate my patients better, and he kindly allowed me to. And it did help me with my job.

I was quite surprised. Joint replacement surgery, Especially the hip, is not a delicate operation, like most people think of surgery. It's more like a construction project. Lots of things get moved around, and quite a lot of force is used at times. Tendons and ligaments get stretched, muscles have to be moved out of the way, and pinched nerves are a common side effect.

The sacroiliac joints are partially the two halves of your pelvis held together by very strong bands of ligaments, so that they have very little movement, with the sacral vertebrae in the middle. In fact there's disagreement in the medical community about how much movement is "normal", and we're talking about 2 to 17 degrees. Women, while giving birth, release a hormone called relaxin, that allows those ligaments to loosen up more than normal so the baby can pass.

Add all of that together, with the multiple hip revisions you have had, and the diagnosis sounds very likely. It's a matter of the ligaments being moved and pulled on during the operations too many times. The ligaments usually recover, but it takes time. The pelvic ligaments are extremely strong, and it takes a lot of force to stretch them. But they usually return to their original shape and position in time.

Be patient, and the injections for those are to help you through the rough spots while the ligaments recover. I wish you luck, and keep pushing.

Hi Gabesmom17, and Welcome to Healing Well Chronic Pain Forum, Wow sounds like you have been through allot with your hip, and now your having problems with sacroiliac joints! Hopefully the injections will help you, some people get good long lasting results from having them, others not so successful! I usually only get around three weeks worth of pain relief when I get an injection, and it does not start right away. Usually the first day or two after the injection I hurt even more, but that is normal as it normally takes a couple of days before the injections have any affect. I do hope they work for you, some people have some side affect from the injected steroid, lack of sleep, and maybe fluid retention, I personally have not had much of a problem with the side affects. Only when I have to take high dose steroids for my Ulcertive Colitis that I notice the side affects.

Anyway I do hope you stick around and become an active member of our forum, we have a really good bunch of people here, that really do know what it is like to live with chronic pain! You will no longer be alone with your pain when you come here! We do understand, and can empathize with you!

Good luck to you, and I wish you well..........White Beard

I had full hip replacement 7 months ago. I am still having chronic lower back pain. If I sit it is so painful when I try to stand up, I have to stand for a while till I can straighten up to walk, and walking is difficult. Going to bed is a nightmare as it is difficult to lie because of the pain. I am on pain killers and have had antiflamatory tablets, but nothing seems to help much. Does anyone else have this problem, and if so is there anything that can be done. I would be grateful for any help

Hi Dorothy192....you have posted on an older thread so you will get many more responses if you post a new one introducing yourself.

You can use the button on the upper or lower left hand side of the page that reads Post New Topic....You can cut/paste your post if you like....

This way more people will see your post and chime in with thoughts/suggestions and welcoming you to the board:)

Good Day!

http://segment.com/stem-cell-treatment-offers-new-options-over-knee-and-hip-replacement-stem-md-weighs-in-on-progress/

Just wanted to share this article that i found, might help us all with orthopedic pain. Stem cell is a promising treatment modality that is well tolerated and effective in patients.

Thank You.

Before i had total hip replacement 3 weeks ago. As a last restort before hip replacement and after spinal fusion I saw a chiropractor. He is the first professional that diagnosed my main pain issue as SI joint dysfuction. I had brought xrays of my pelvis and spine and gave him my whole history. He said from the xray it did look like i needed a hip replacement. He also said he thought my hip deteriorations was due to the SI joint issued being dismissed/ignored by Drs for so long. He was able to realigine my SI joint but by then my hip was so out of wack it caused me to limp and throw the SI joint out.
Its to soon for me to see the Chiro now but i will.
I would at least talk to a Chiropractor. You do not have to agree for treatment. Bring all xrays, MRI, reports. I got the name of my Chiropractor from a friend of a Dr who used him. Do your research!
best wishes
Denice

did you have the pain before the surgery