My last post of 2010

Compared with the rest of this year, I’ve been exercise a lot lately in preparation for my holiday next week. Things are feeling really good. A little weak but generally very good. The pain in my butt has also gone, which is a huuuge relief.

The big test starts just after Christmas when I'll be putting my hip through its paces in Austria. I'm nervous about skiing again and I'll no doubt be far more cautious than usual, but I'm so happy to be doing it again. Oh, and today is exactly 1 year since the operation... What a different a year makes!

Off topic, here's a nice festive snowy picture taken from my house this week:



More in 2011! Merry Christmas and happy New Year.

Woo hoo! (oh heck)

I love skiing/snowboarding but, for obvious reasons, haven’t done it for a couple of years. This time last year I thought I’d never be able to do it again… Well, I’m booked up for my first ski trip post-op and in 7 weeks I’ll be putting my hip to the test in a full-on way.

I’m hugely excited about hitting the snow again and spending New Year abroad, but I’m filled with trepidation about how my hip will feel and whether I’ll hurt it. My muscles still feel very weak so I’m working to increase strength and stamina, but I really can’t predict how it’ll hold up after long days on the mountain. Eeek!

What’s more, that horrid pain the butt I mentioned a year ago has returned. Totally unrelated to my hips it seems, but possibly due to being sat down for too long and maybe directly attributable to a month of long hours and full weekends sat at my desk. I really don’t know how to get rid of it either, so I’m stretching this and exercising that in the hope it’ll disappear again. Humph.

Overdue update - 10 months post op

Following on from my last post two months ago, after a week or so of pain and discomfort I emailed my surgeon for advice. 3 days later I was back in hospital getting checked out, scanned and prodded, and my hip joint was perfect, much to my relief. My surgeon suspected I had a new tear on/around scar tissue… scar tissue on the (iliofemoral?) ligament that surrounds the joint, which he made a hole in creating the anterior portal. Anyway, after week or two of good rest, things started to get better and now it’s a distant memory. Lots of jumping around playing badminton was probably too much too soon, so I’m back to taking things nice and slowly. It’s better all the time though and feeling pretty darn good.

Someone posted a comment on this blog a few days ago wanting to know if anyone has had this operation, if it was successful and whether having it was a good decision? My responses to these questions:

Was it successful? The original problem - the deep posterior catching and pain – has gone. Was the op a good decision? This time last year my hip controlled my life and now it’s not a big concern. Sure, it’s not perfect, but it’s infinitely better than was pre-op. I’m even returning to skiing this winter (woo hoo) and I thought that would never happen. Will it ever be perfect again? I don’t know, but I don’t mind.

Good decision? Yes. Successful? Successful enough :-)

Problems

It had all been going so well! I recently started going to the gym to get my fitness back in order and had started running on the treadmill. Only for a 5-10 minutes, but it felt ok. I then decided to try badminton with a friend in the hope that one day I’d be able to return to playing tennis, but I regret playing and now wonder whether I’ve done some significant damage.

Post op the inside of my joint hurt a little but it was never anything worth noting. However, lunging about on the badminton court has given me quite moderate pain in the joint on the anterior side (not where my original problem was, but where the surgeon did stuff). I’ve had a fairly constant dull ache for nearly 5 days now with little zips of sharp pain. It hurts to sit, as I think it puts pressure on the part of my joint I’ve hurt, and it hurts when my leg is at extension when walking.

Jumping around was a huge amount of impact on my joint, so I’m hoping it’s just sore and tender after not having done anything like it for a couple of years (although, the left hip hasn’t done anything either and that feels fine). If I’m honest, and knowing my own body, it feels like something more notable is wrong and that it’s not something that will just get better :-(

Hopefully my next post will disprove these suspicions. Until then...

Update: 5+ months post op

I thought it was about time I wrote an update as it’s been nearly 3 months since my last post! Where does the time go?

Progress has been good over last few months and life is returning to normal. The biggest change is that I’m able to walk wherever I like without having to worry about my hip. I go to work on foot most days and can walk around the town for a couple of hours without having to be anxious about pain or catching. That said, it’s not perfect; I still have a very slight limp – especially when walking uphill – and I get some minor discomfort after walking for an hour or more. My sporting activities are still limited and I also have a little tightness around the anterior portal site at extension, but I’m hopeful that all of these things will gradually improve over time.

Generally speaking, I’m still conscious of my hip and how it feels with every step; partly because it feels different to my non-operated side but mostly because this 2-year episode has been so mentally consuming. It’ll take some time for me to be psychologically confident that my hip is fixed, even if physically I’m well on the way.

Progress is definitely logarithmic with any improvements taking longer now than they did in the first couple of months, but I guess that’s to be expected. To put things in perspective though, 6 months ago I could hardly walk anywhere without mild to major pain, causing considerable disruption to so many aspects of my life. I now walk around, cycle with my friends and even do a bit of salsa dancing! It’s a dramatic contrast and I can’t grumble at all. I might even return to snowboarding this winter!

I’ll post again in 2-3 months, by which time my hip will be so good I’ll probably be the world break-dancing champion or something. Ok, maybe not :-)

As one chapter in my life draws to an end, another begins: I’ve just had teeth removed (3 days ago) ready for mouthful of Radiance braces, as I’m entering the world of adult orthodontics... maybe I should start another blog?!

Have a great summer everyone,

Paul

Physio

I’ve been having weekly physio sessions for a number of weeks now and have come to the conclusion that my physiotherapist is the best thing since sliced bread.

Firstly we addressed the pain over the greater trochanter. A few exercises and stretches pretty much sorted that out in a week or two. We then focused on my walking, how it had changed and how to fix it. We’re now stretching and strengthening with a few ultrasound treatments thrown in for good measure.

I’ve been out on a few cycle rides. Fairly gentle stuff to start with and not huge distances but it’s a start. I’ve also walked to and from work (1km each way) on three consecutive days this week… maybe a fourth tomorrow. That may not sound like much, but I’ve not been able to walk so well for quite some time so for me it’s a pretty big deal.

I’m feeling great at the moment :-)

1.5 months post op

It’s nearing 7 weeks since I had the op and things are more complicated than before. My actual hip is doing great. I don’t have any hip pain so that side of things is progressing well. However, my range of movement is more limited than I thought and I’ve developed some really bad habits… habits that are proving difficult to change.

I mentioned in earlier posts that I started getting a problem in my leg… a sharp pain just under the skin around the greater trochanter, after what felt like a rub or snap in the side of my leg. I mentioned this to my surgeon on the 29th Jan but he wasn’t concerned about it. He said that if the inflammation doesn’t settle, a shot of cortisone should calm things down. I went to the physio department afterwards (they weren’t expecting me) and was given some stretches (one for the IT band, which helped a lot), but that’s pretty much all the physio I’ve been given since the operation. Surely that can’t be enough?

Taking matters into my own hands, I decided to make an appointment to see a physio locally. I had my first appointment early last week, with the painful problem around the GT the main area of focus (stretching, strengthening and ultrasound). Since then, I’ve not had the sharp pain back so it’s definitely going in the right direction, but I’m tight, have restricted movement, and this problem has caused other issues.

I’ve started to walk differently. I’m now walking in a way that stops my leg from hurting, kinda kicking it out to the side slightly to stop any rub over the GT. I now can’t not do it! Walking normally is almost impossible. It’s ironic really, as the reason I started to get that problem was because I walked differently to prevent my hip from hurting post surgery. So we’re trying to fix my walking and gait problems. I’ve been given new exercises and things to focus on, which I’m finding really difficult. My right leg just doesn’t work like it should. My glutes are useless too.

On the plus side, I’m able to cycle a little. I’ve been using the exercise bike often and managed to get out for a short ride by the river on Saturday afternoon. Twas lovely.

1 month post op

It’s been just over a month and things are starting to return to normal. I’m now able to walk here and there, albeit not that far, with an ever-improving range of movement. Extension is still pretty limited but it’s good enough that I don’t have to limp. I’ve been using the exercise bike for 10-15 minutes a day (low resistance) just to get the blood flowing and to keep my muscles working, which feels great.

The two incision wounds have healed and all that remains are quite minor pinky scars, which will soon be almost invisible anyway (having hairy legs has its benefits). The scar tissue beneath the skin is a little lumpy, particularly at the anterior portal, but it’s only noticeable when you apply pressure so it’s no big deal.

I still can’t be sure, but I’m feeling more and more confident that the original problem still exists. Particular sensations prior to surgery, like a feeling I get when turning in bed, have semi returned. Also, I went into the attic yesterday (yes, I’m well enough to climb a ladder… kinda) and I thought I felt the old problem. Things still aren’t 100% right after the traction stretching though, which is why I’m not certain about whether or not the old issue is still there. As I said in my last post, and as I have to keep reminding myself, it's too early to know for sure.

Last weekend the new post-surgery issue in my leg returned for a second time. In a way, I’m glad it did as it’s given me valuable information. Since this has happened a second time, I’m confident that the feeling is the same as what I get in/around my hip, just in a different place. If we’re able to find out what the leg problem is, I have hope that they’ll find the hip problem. There are a few possibilities to investigate with physio (ITBS and Snapping Hip Syndrome, for example) at my next appointment.

I’m really looking forward to talking things over with my surgeon and chatting with physiotherapists who know a lot about these things (I’m pretty sure the last lot didn’t). My appointment is on Friday (29th Jan) at the Duchy Hospital and I’ll post an update shortly afterwards.

Get well soon, Louise.

3 weeks post op - Has it been successful?

My surgeon advised that I may feel the same/similar symptoms for 2-3 months post op, so it’s really too early for me to say for sure, but there are a few things leading me to think that the surgery didn’t fix the problem…

• The surgeon found no damage posteriorly. This is where my pain is.
• I’m pretty sure I can still feel the problem.
• I’ve started to get a new issue in my leg (probably from the stretching during surgery) that feels just like the problem in/around my hip. Coincidence?
  

The anterior labral damage could be referred (unlikely, according to my surgeon, but you never know) and my leg could be something unrelated, so it’s too early to confirm whether I’ve been fixed or not. I’m not going to dwell on it until I know for sure.

Generally speaking, my recovery has been going really well. My ROM has improved so much since the last post and my walking is starting to look and feel more normal again, but I’ve still got a looong way to go before I have normal flexion and extension. I can just about sit cross-legged and can lie on the operated side for a short while, although it’s not yet comfortable enough to do either for any length of time.

The hospital called yesterday to ask how I was feeling and if there were any issues or complications. I like that they did that. I have a follow-up appointment with my surgeon at the end of the month, straight after which I’ll be whisked down to physio. I hope they’ll give me new and different exercises to do. I’m getting a bit bored of the current set!

A few photos

My room at Duchy Hospital


An hour or two after surgery


Christmas Day on crutches


Stuck in the mud, Boxing Day


Healing up nicely (1 week post op)


New exercise bike for rehabilitation