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Hi,

Running became my favorite activity in my early forties. I broke the neck of my femur at age 49 while roller skating at a skate park. Unfortunately, I wasn’t doing anything spectacular except going down a ramp when the accident happened, although it was a steep and fast cement ramp with a sharp transition at the bottom. A trauma surgeon repaired the fracture with FNS, but I developed AVN and am now 1.5 years post the fracture and 10 weeks post hip replacement. I am very hopeful to get back to running regularly and all of the other activities I love so much. My surgeon for the hip replacement has adamantly said NO NO NO to running and other high impact activities to maintain the life of the hip hardware. However, I have to live my best life. I started running again this week…only 2 slow and steady trail miles per day to see how I feel. I have also resumed going to the gym and have been focusing on regaining strength on the surgery side.

What hardware have others received that has allowed you to return to running? What are your pros/cons? Are you running against medical advice? What strength and/or mobility training are you doing? Do you still have any pain and where is the pain located? I ask about pain specifically because I am still having some pain/tenderness/numbness. The pain/tenderness is in some unexpected places and not always the same area(s).

All of the runners on this website give me hope. Thank you.

This topic has 6 replies, 5 voices, and was last updated 5 months, 1 week ago by WedgeC.

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- April 1, 2023 at 7:39 am #20514
  lkbald
  Participant
  Hi, Running became my favorite activity in my early forties. I broke the neck of my femur at age 49 while roller skating at a skate park. Unfortunatel
  [See the full post at: Hi…New to HipRunners]
- April 3, 2023 at 11:00 pm #20516
  Petemeads
  Participant
  Hi,
  It would be helpful to know what kind of replacement you have been given – I would suspect from the surgeon’s opinion on running that it would be crosslinked polyethylene on metal or ceramic. The plastic can and will wear and you are still young – but the wear is very slow, at least 20 years of active life as far as I can see, and most runners on this site seem to have this default combination.
  I have a metal/metal Birmingham resurfacing (Andy Murray hip) just over 8 years old and a Zimmer ceramic/ceramic THR coming up to 6 years. I chose to get the resurfacing to allow me to continue running and climbing and had to be careful for the first 3 months or so, the THR was the result of a failed resurfacing because my bone was not good enough. Same surgeon, he assured me I would not be able to break my ceramic device, so not against medical advice..
  I feel the resurfaced hip more, and it has a little less range of movement. My THR feels perfectly natural, but I do/did worry about the spike in my femur and the mechanical implications.
  I have the benefit of being really old (72) so neither device has to last all that long, I am happy to run fast over 5k every week and slow over half-marathon and a bit beyond from time to time, and walk in the mountains up to 40 miles or so, I have been doing about 25 miles a week for the last few years, plus a lot of walking.
  Your pains must surely be related to having two operations within a short time, and also it is early days at 10 weeks – I was back to 5k within 8 weeks on my ceramic hip but it was definitely not pain-free!
  Hope this helps,
  Pete
- April 5, 2023 at 4:56 am #20519
  Hip Brother Tom
  Keymaster
  My hip is highly cross linked polyethylene with a ceramic ball. 10 years strong. Running with a hip replacement feels awkward and maybe a little painful for the first 14-18 months. It takes a while for it all to heal. But in time you will notice the pain less and you will be closer to being your old self. Despite that long recovery time, I was back to running at 3 months.
- April 6, 2023 at 4:42 am #20520
  OB
  Participant
  I had my six week check in with my surgeon yesterday. I had a posterior Stryker ceramic head with titanium post and poly / metal socket installed on my left side. I had the same on my right two and half years ago. They told me 6 to 12 months before I should run. I asked why and they said it takes about that long to fully grow into the bone and cement, let the muscles heal long enough to start strength training to allow everything to take the pounding of running. That being said I started walk jogging on my right at four months and starting slowly returning to running at six months with run walk intervals.
- April 6, 2023 at 4:58 am #20521
  OB
  Participant
  The difference between 6 and twelve months is based on where you were physically prior to surgery according to them. If you were able to run prior to surgery then they said most likely 6 months. If it was too painful and you weren’t able to run prior to surgery and have to build back, then more likely 12 months.
  My surgeon is the team doctor for multiple professional sports teams so I trust their understanding of repair, strengthening and return to sport.
- April 14, 2023 at 7:52 am #20523
  lkbald
  Participant
  Thank you for all of your replies, shared information and a projected timeline. It makes me feel better to have an idea of what I might expect during the recovery process. Miles are slow right now compared to two years ago, but I am enjoying trail running. I never really paid attention to the difference between the road and the trail, but for the moment the trail is a little kinder. And yes, running is awkward right now because my foot strike is different in order to avoid sharp pains. I do worry about the stem because I have holes from the previous hardware that are not filled in, but am also feeling more “normal” and getting my butterflies and pep back in regard to running and exercise.
  My surgery was an anterior approach with an uncemented Depuy implant – polyethylene liner with vitamin E, ceramic ball and metal acetabular cup and stem. I am hoping this is DURABLE, or that the wear and tear will be very slow.
  Thanks again and good luck to all of you. I will check in again soon to see what everyone has been up to with the weather warming up.
- April 15, 2023 at 3:29 pm #20524
  WedgeC
  Participant
  Great insights and encourage you to keep learning and striving! Few things you asked hit home:
  1. Are you running against medical advice? Yes and no… I’m running ~30 miles a week and have done 3 50k’s in my first 2.5 years post-op. So doc didn’t say “don’t run” but I tell him I run ultras and he shakes his head……
  2. What strength and/or mobility training are you doing? I discovered Pilates and it is wonderful! Core, stability, flexibility, bilateral leg and hip strength
  3. Do you still have any pain and where is the pain located? Occasionally – sometimes in the socket and sometimes on the peg… it’s odd and like you not always the same area(s) and not predictable other than!road races seem to cause more pain.
  Hope this helps.
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