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Hi. My mom (81) had a cortisone shot yesterday for very painful bursitis in her hip. The "good" news is the screws she already has there are still in place and there's no pelvic floor issues etc. She had been going to pulmonary rehab 2x per week which was going GREAT for building up her confidence, socializing with others in a similar situation etc. The people there were all wonderful. I think however maybe using the nu-step machine might have brought it on? Hard to tell.

In any case she has a script for pt (this was actually for her lower back after being cleared by her spine Dr but we could tell the therapist about her hip) which I guess we can can start bc she wants to keep moving but is scared bc of the pain... Taking a shower aggravated it and she was scared she shouldn't have showered I told her you have to shower you didn't do anything wrong... It's not like she has broken bones that have to stay in place.

Thoughts? It's so incredibly frustrating to see her going through this, she's tried so hard to "comply" and stay calm and she just keeps getting knocked down. 😢

Omg those step machines are horrible for a person with hip pain! Why is an 81 year old subjecting herself to such a thing? Its not hard to tell if this thing brought on hip pain......it did. Surely you are not encouraging this??? Let her be. If she wants to exercise, she can walk. Walking doesn't aggravate the joints and if it does, she stops.

I have chronic hip pain in my left hip. I had my right hip replaced in 2017. I do nothing to aggravate my hip, but sometimes a shower will do it. If I'm in a lot of pain, I do not "have to" shower that day. I also have chronic back pain. The thought of using a step machine is insane for me. In fact, climbing stairs is limited due to hip pain. Having arthritis or bursitis is ugly. Give her a heating pad and nsaids as needed. Gentle movement as she's able is key.

Mom is 81. Ease up on the rules you seem to have in place, or the rules SHE has in place for herself. Its ok to rest when you hurt. It takes up to a week for the cortisone shots to work, so pushing oneself in the meantime is not recommended. I always took it easy after having one.
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casole Aug 1, 2025
I appreciate you sharing your personal experience. I also suggest you be more thoughtful with your tone however without all the facts. The nu step is done seated. Not like stairs. I had no idea it would cause this. Why would I encourage something that would cause her pain??? She never had pain while she was using it. That's a ludicrous insinuation. It was supposed to help her endurance and breathing and she enjoyed it. Needless to say we've put a pause on that.

There are no "rules" that I've imposed. There are habits that people have. It had been three days since her last shower. I was trying not to make her feel bad for having taken a shower. She pretty much rests all the time except to go the bathroom. When I say "comply" I mean with doctor's recommendations.

We are all doing the best we can here.
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I looked up this nu-step machine to see what it was. It is suppose to be low impact. I found this info which does say using it can make hip pain worse.

"Potential for worsening hip pain

Pre-existing conditions: While generally safe, some individuals with severe hip issues or certain conditions might find even the low-impact movements of a NuStep aggravating.

Overexertion: Using a NuStep at a high resistance or for extended periods can strain the hip muscles and surrounding tissues, leading to increased pain, according to Hartford HealthCare's Kenoma Anighoro.

Improper form: If you're not maintaining correct posture and alignment on the machine, you could put unnecessary stress on your hips. 
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I think that, if the nu-step and the uptick in pain came at the same time, you have a really GOOD guess going at to their being related. Did you discuss the nu-step and the onset of pain specifically with the doctor who gave the injection. I think that is crucial. Bursitis may be a reaction to her hardware that is body reaction, but it would certainly be irritated I would think by repetitive movement while it is acute.

All this is for discussion with the PT and doctor. Don't blame you for being frustrated. Having just watched a great new series about the British NHS ER teams and all they do to save lives, and seeing surgeons work on bodies, has reminded me what a "piece of MEAT" we are. It is amazing we get along well as we do. Good luck!
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