Author: Benhughes29

I’m becoming a bit of a regular poster on here. I’m hope it’s not too much spam for the experienced hipsters – I’m hoping it’s more helpful for young, new patients looking at this site. I’ve taken a lot of comfort from my previous interactions on here (linked in the comments below) so I really wanted to offer this update as support for others in a similar situation to me…

So 5 days ago I had a total hip replacement, aged 35. People ask (as did I!) – how come so young? Do you really need it? Is there an alternative? To be honest no one really knows what happened but by 30 somehow I managed to erode all the cartilage in my left hip leading to bone on bone arthritis. I’ve put it off as long as I felt I could/ felt it was worth delaying. Yes I did play a lot of football all throughout my youth (wouldn’t change that for the world) and enjoyed running but nothing extreme. Truth is there is probably a genetic predisposition (and hips are an inherent weak spot in human evolution as we gradually rose vertically from hunched Neanderthals – that’s why there are nearly 1.5m done globally every year.) The average Male age for hip replacements is 68 – this is probably the first thing in my life I have been early for!

Luckily for us “hipsters” it’s one of the most successful clinical interventions out there – I’m in total awe of how the surgeons churn out such an intricate, yet brutal job in just over an hour – often half a dozen of them a day.

This is a life changing experience for me so I thought I’d share my thoughts (I’m not the most concise so don’t expect many people to read it all but hopefully it’s of use or support to someone else out there going through a similar thing).

So I’m now at day 5 post surgery and to be honest I dramatically underestimated how traumatic it would be. It’s such a standardised op these days … (Click Here to View Full Post and Comments)

Hello all,

Yesterday I had my THR done aged 35. (My previous posts are linked below).

I have one key concern after the surgery and desperately seeking insight / guidance. My left (operated hip) was half an inch longer Pre op. Post op when first standing on the walker the difference seems even larger. Is this a fundamental surgery error or likely a function of the swelling/ body reaction to tilt / something else.

I can’t imagine given the tools at the disposal of the surgeon there is any room for error?! Is this a common issue/ concern with others and does it correct over time?

also how long should I expect to be on crutches for?!

Thanks in advance

Ben

Young hip replacement – advise needed!

… (Click Here to View Full Post and Comments)

Hi All,

It’s been a while since my last post (about 4 years) – here: https://www.hiprunner.com/?p=8422

I’m finally at the point where I’m scheduled within 1 month to take the plunge with a left THR, aged 35.

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A brief background:

– previously a very active amateur footballer and casual runner. Aged 29 I was diagnosed with bilateral OA. Genetic/ over-use etc …

– I had a left hip arthroscopy 5.5Y ago and I did the same for my right hip last year.

– I have done Hyalauronic injections in both hips a couple of times over the years – last time about three months ago.

– I have pain most days which I try to manage with needling, massage and hard-rolling. At times I get very sharp, acute, shooting pain in the worse (imagine that’s the bone-on-bone?)

– Post op, the right is looking good on the X-ray (good spacing, no re-growth of impingements, no cists). Occasionally I get this annoying catching sensation and often muscular ache. I’m hoping that is scar tissue/ compensation for my (much worse) left hip as the Dr says the X-ray looks like I have a good few years left in the right hip.

– The latest X-rays on the left hip show visible progression over the years – irregular spacing, big spurs/ impingements, bone on bone at the corner, cists everywhere  – so I’m booked in for the left THR in 3 weeks….

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I came to the decision over the past 12 months to finally get the left THR. I have struggled consistently to walk longer than 10 mins – often having to stop to stretch or rest the hip. I can exercise as usual on the bike/ cross-trainer/ swimming but haven’t run properly for three years. For me that’s not good enough: I have two young sons and I want to be an active dad, I want to be able to manage my weight and health with exercise, I dream of running or playing football casually again, I want to be pain free. I want to maximize my mobility … (Click Here to View Full Post and Comments)

Hello fellow hipsters!

So I’ve been scouring YouTube and the Internet on and off for three years searching (without real success) for unequivocal testimony (or better still video evidence) that having a hip replacement doesn’t not mean game over. Until now I found little inspiration. But having found this site and read only a few of the inspirational posts I’m starting to feel a little more confident about the whole thing…

I’m 32 now and was diagnosed with severe OA of my left hip with cam and acetabulum impingements 3 years ago. I went back to my home town (Reading, UK) for an antroscopy by Dr Tom Pollard in September 2014. He did a decent job of it, shaving off the excess bone, patching up whatever residual cartilage was left and microfracturing the bone to create a scar tissue substitute for the all-too-illusive cartilage. Fast forward 2.5yrs and to be honest I was back to square 1 and staring a THR of my left hip full in the face.

I have always been a very keen footballer, representing professional premier league academies up to age 15 and thereafter enjoying a very competitive level of amateur football (up until my OA diagnosis 3yrs ago, aged 29). I was also always a keen runner and gym-goer. Nothing competive on the running side – it just always gave me that ceratonin boost I needed to get through the week of my sedentary office based job.

As I write I’m on holiday with my young family and for the first time I’m becoming totally convinced I need the hip replacement as soon as possible. The pain when walking longer distances has become almost unbearable and I’m struggling to keep up with my 2yr old. I think it’s time to man up and deal with this finally…

…or is it?! Every time I make a decision to arrange the dreaded THR I think to myself – I’m too young for this aren’t I? Can’t I live with the pain a little longer? Is it really that bad? What happens in 10-15 years when I need … (Click Here to View Full Post and Comments)