Excellent Hip Recovery

 

My recovery from the labral tear hip surgery is going wonderfully! It was only two weeks ago that I had the surgery and I did not expect it to be this easy. I am taking it slow and cautious, but I have heard very few accounts of people doing so well after this surgery, so I am pleased. The above photos is from the surgery and shows inside my hip joint. The pictures look like little planets! The top left red shows the labral tear.  I was told that they wouldn't have placed much money on me for doing so well after hearing my running history, but I was found to have only minimal arthritis (I think that groove is part of it) and that my hip structure was like that of someone much younger. The yellow yolky stuffy is junk that was cleaned out. 

I could walk without crutches days after the surgery and I no longer use them at all. I was told I can do light spinning and also try an elliptical machine. I did 15 minutes of spinning and then 30 minutes the next day. It felt good, but I do have a minor pinching so I am taking it easy. I think my left leg is lining up much better and my muscles need to adjust. I was even told I could do some easy jogging if I felt like it (would be better on my hip than attempting power walking). I have never heard of anyone starting that up so early, so I haven't tried it yet even though I barely notice the hip at all and my leg feels strong. I even tripped over a cord yesterday and my left leg made a huge lunge forward so that all of my weight rested on it and there was no pain or anything after that. I was told no tennis, basketball, and weighted squats. I was also told that after 3 weeks, it may possibly be a bit more sore as they "cleaned" out the joint and things may build up again, but once I make it past Labor Day I should be OK. I am determined to take things slowly and not rush., but I can't help but marvel how easy recovery has been and how pain free my hip has felt.

I think it may be because my tear was not where I bear weight, but a little to the side. Also, the labrum was still attached so it did not need reattachment. I think they doctor used a tool that uses heat to refuse the labrum rather than using stitches. I was worried that my bone may need some shaving or reshaping, particularly because it always felt like that hip got stuck and something was blocking its movement. I didn't need that, but the doctor did find some synovial impingement that the doctor debrided (smoothed down) and this was what was causing that "stuck" feeling. I can recall back to a PT that worked on my left hip capsule over 10 years ago due to it getting stuck, so I am hoping all this work is freeing my hip up from years of working improperly. I won't be able to tell until I actually start running again. I was told that my funky running stride and mechanics may have come from my body inately "protecting" itself from what was going on in my hip. When I walk around the block or ups the stairs I can feel the hip bearing my weight properly. I have run for years without fully being able to push off that hip joint properly, it always was very unstable. So I am thrilled with the surgery, taking things slowly, and hoping that I will have a great recovery into being a runner again some day soon.

Update:

This new book from the author of The Entrepreneurial Patient blog is a must read book for anyone with hip problems and is thinking about about arthroscopic hip surgery or has had arthroscopic hip surgery for a labral tear or FAI.