happy healthy hippy
A blog following my Triple Pelvic Osteotomy in January 2016
I'm back to my Liverpool flat and have enjoyed a relaxing week with Andy. He's been cooking lots of delicious meals from Jamie Oliver's 'Everyday Super Food' book. My favourite so far has been the curried fish stew with white fish, prawns, and sweet tomatoes. Yesterday was a beautiful sunny day so he wheeled me down to the docks (it was a bumpy ride!) and we had a nosy in the TATE gallery.
My physiotherapist reviewed me before my hydro session on Wednesday. She assessed my movement (it's improving) and did some myofascial release on my adductors (inner thigh muscles) to relax them. This involves the therapist applying sustained pressure over tight/contracted muscle and "fascia" (in basic terms, connective tissue.) It's common for the adductors to compensate and get overworked when the glutes (bottom muscles) are weak. My adductors were already overactive pre-op so I'm not surprised they are a problem now. As my glutes get stronger and my movement patterns become more normal, my adductors should hopefully settle down. We worked on my walking technique too, encouraging a heel-toe pattern with my op leg, rather than plonking down my foot flat. My physio also saw I was overusing my Quadratus Lumborum (I know this sounds like a Harry Potter spell but its a trunk muscle) so I practiced taking some more weight over my op leg in standing and trying to achieve a level pelvis, rather than "hitching" up. I thought I had good body awareness but it's so tough learning to walk again! I think I'm probably being overcautious with how much weight I'm putting through my leg. I'm sure after I've had my next X-ray il feel more comfortable - 2 more weeks to wait though! I have started getting some mild nerve pain in the outside of my thigh - it's a very odd prickling/stinging sensation that I feel mostly at night in bed when lying down. It's funny how the pain "changes faces" so much - if it's not one thing, it's another! Thankfully the clunking and the sciatic nerve pain that were bothering me are settling. This week I was satisfied my wounds have completely closed so I started some scar massage using coconut oil - circular, vertical, and horizontal movements for a few minutes (see a video of these techniques on my Instagram) I know everyone raves about bio oil but after a quick Google search I've decided it's not worth the money as there's no scientific evidence that it actually works. Coconut oil is 100% natural, organic, & has incredible moisturising benefits for skin. There are also clinical studies that support the use of silicone dressings for scar management - the silicone hydrates the scar and will help to flatten, soften and fade them. The past couple of weeks, I have been using Mepiform Silicone Dressings, which you can get on Amazon or sometimes on prescription. They are pricy but so worth it, I've now seen first hand the great results as both a patient and physiotherapist. My scar looks fab already and the bumpy bits are flattening. Last but not least, if you need a boost of motivation for your recovery... read the short book 'The Journey - How to achieve against the odds' by Debra Searle. It's about a woman who rowed across the Atlantic solo, for 3 and a half months! Ridiculously brave! My friend in work sent me it as a gift and I picked it up out of boredom and couldn't put it down for 2 hours. I was blubbering all the way through! It's such an inspirational story. I also loved how she wrote about the power of visualisation and attitude in context! Positive thinking wins again. Thank you Becky! Andrea X (Below is a page from the book!)
2 Comments
Becky Varnouse
21/2/2016 20:14:51
Was lovely to see you the other day (although it was very brief), you looked great! xxx
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Andrea
22/2/2016 11:19:50
Thanks Becky! I looked back to catch you for a chat but you were too fast! Hope to see you again soon :) x
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