Good news/bad news

[triathlete98]

So the dr I visited today, dr domb said I was an excellent candadite for resurfacing.  The bad news was he said to give up running :-[. I see dr rodgerson the 25 th of January but dr domb said he'd be surprised to find a dr who would recommend running with it, including dr su who he trained under at in new York.  But at least I am good to go :) :)

[hernanu]

Well... I don't think any of them are psyched and pumped about people going back to intense running, but there are people here who have ... Some who are Dr. Su patients. You might talk to them to get their take on things.

On the other hand, congrats on the prognosis, good things are ahead for you!

[Dannywayoflife]

Yeah I think hern is correct. Most hip and knee surgeons view running as tge ultimate devil. Get your hip done and go from there. I plan to fight again one day. But first I've got to learn to walk normally.
Once I'm able I'm going to hit the gym hard but just train smarter than I have before far more cross training and try to avoid unnessisary impact. I'm sure I'll still be able to get mega mega fit again.
Danny

[Aerial]

Dr. Gross surprised me and said I could resume running but in moderation....truthfully moderation for me at 46 years old is fine.  I haven't run for almost three years.  If I could run 2-3 miles a couple times a week and preserve my new hip, that is fine with me.  It took while but I have concented to the fact that my sub three hour marathon days are a thing of the past.  The one fortunate thing of my hip saga is that I have engaged in and tried so many activites over the past three years....yoga, Pilates, body pump, road cycling, indoor spinning, swimming.  My hip made me realize that not running is not the end of the world and there are so many ways to be active.  It is hard to give up running, or dramatically cut back but think of the glass as half full.....I'd take minimal running and no hip pain in a heartbeat.  Now with that said, I have read about people who do marathons after resurfacing.

[David]

That is not true AT ALL about Dr. Su's reccommendation not to run.
Each individual may differ with their capabilities and time frame, but Dr. Su gave no restrictions on my future endeavours.
At less than 3.5 months post-op the hip is progressively strengthening and have been handling 40+ miles of hilly hiking a week and having a blast.  I plan to return to running as tolerated, and if my body can't tolerate it that's ok too.  There are plenty of other adventures out there. Don't write anything off as a can't do, just listen to your body and be smart about it.
Don't look too far ahead, get the BHR done if you need it, and enjoy the added life you will be handed in return... :)
Best...
David

[triathlete98]

thanks all guess I was hoping that i'd be back to normal...physically that is, menatlly was never there lol.  I will have the proceedure done just gonna get a second opinion but i'll get it done. 

[Jeremy76761]

I have corresponded with Dr. Su, Dr. McMinn, Koen de Smet, Dr. Gross's office, Peter Brooks, and one or two others with respect to impact. None of these doctors place restrictions on hip resurfacing patients with respect to any activity including high level running or grappling/wrestling sports. They all state there is no evidence of impact causing early revision or any other problem.

Having said that, Dr. Su states he doesn't recommend impact sports. Not because there is evidence of damage, but, just to be on the safe side until we have more evidence.

I've also talked to 3 Orthapedic Surgeons in Toronto. They all recommended NOT doing impact sports. However, they also have no evidence that impact causes any problems for people with hip resurfacings. Again, they are being cautious given lack of evidence at this relatively early stage.

My view is that at about 14 years of BHR history we don't have any evidence of impact causing a problem. 5, 10, or 30 years from now we may or may not have evidence that impacts shorten the life of the device.

So, expect that you can enjoy at the very least 15 years of any activity you want, so far as your hip is concerned. Let's take a look at Corey Falk. He seems to be doing fine with extreme ultra triathlone training at 6 years with BHR.

After 15 to 50 years, get some kind of MOM THR if necessary. They'll be much better by then anyway.

The one question I do have, is what proportian of people with hip resurfacings must restrict their activities not because of concern for their device, but because of limitations from chronic pain. Statistics showing the number of patients not able to do the activities that they enjoy because of nerve damage or some other kind of pain are hard to come by. If anyone has such information, please post it.

Jeremy

[hernanu]

Don't know about anyone else, but I'm reaching the point where I can really start on my kind of workout for martial arts. The thing that seems to be holding me back is some muscle weakness and stamina; the hips are not a consideration right now. I plan on starting kicking the bag some time soon, punching with full hip committment I've been doing for about three months. The test for me will be sidekicks or turning side kicks onto a swinging 80 lb bag.

[23109VC]

I was NEVER a "runner"... but I always jogged as part of my exercise routine.  I used to go out for a 2-3 mile run a few times a week when I was in high school and college.... and in my 20s and early 30s.. I continued to run 1-2 times a week as a form of exercise.  sometimes just going for a run helps clear the mind....

about 5 years ago I had to quit running b/c the pain from my arthritis go so bad... and I was only 38!

i'm now at about 10 months post op and I can run again!!  Yeah!! 

I was also curious about this issue - and asked several docs about running and how it may / may not impact my implant.

Dr. Gross said there was no evidence that runnign would shorten the life of the implant.  he basically said if I want to run.. go run.  The doctor who I see locally.. an orthopedic surgeon who doesn't do resurfacing, but knows what it is, and recommened it, said he would not recommend running... he basically said while there is no evidence/ proof it shortens the life of it.. he felt it was tempting fate to run on it a lot.. he recommended non impact exercises as an alternative. 

I am going to go with something in between  I have zero plans to make running an integral part of my exercise routine, and I don't plan to stat running every day.  But I don't intend to totally avoid running either.  being able to go back and run.. after having not been able to do it for so long.. gives me some sense of "winning" this battle with arthrities... even if I just go out for a short 1-2 mile run... the fact that I CAN do it... feels good.  It was somewhat demoralizing to be so young and so incapable to doing simple stuff like running, chasing my kids around the park.. heck at my very worst.. I couldn't even tie my shoes w/out being in massive pain...    now.. to be able to lace up my shoes with ease.. and go for a short run.. it just feels great!

i can't even begin to desribe the euphoric rush i felt the night I finally was able teo run FULL SPEED.  wow.  i'm sure I was just running at an "average" or "below average"  speed vs some young kid on the local track team.... but TO ME.. if FELT like I was flying.....  just to be abel to run again was great.

My plan is to focus my cardio efforts more on cycling, elliptical, stepper, etc.. but to keep running part of it.  in moderation.

I don't want to get my hip fixed and then live my life as if my hip is an eggshell... and avoid acitivies that I really want to do.  But at the same time, I realize that my hip is potentially subject to a failure down the road...so there's no point in doing things that *might* hurt it if I don't have to.  That being said.. I'll use common sense., avoid things that might hurt me,  but not give up the fun things in life.  What we each define as "fun" will vary person to person and we each have to decide what we want to do and not do.

for some of us.. running every day might really be important...

that being said.. I"m going for a short run tonight!!  :) 

we each have to assess what we want out of life and what activities are important to us. 

[Woodstock Hippy]

Lets look at the good news first.  You have found a doctor who agrees that HR will help you.  Dr Domb and his clinic were highly recommended just recently to another injured triathlete on Slowtwitch.  He's not in favor of running afterward, but he's an orthopedic surgeon who works on hips and knees and he probably doesn't recommend running to healthy people.  I know that you want one more shot at IM, so don't write it off just yet.  I think the danger in IM is that you are not really running but you are slugging for 26 miles and really pounding.  But what about Olympics and Sprints where you race the race and don't take a pounding.  You have to start somewhere, so don't sell that new Cervello yet.   

I sold my race wheels; a Zipp 808 and a Renn Madeirara disc and now I'll be back buying when Flo Wheels are released next year.

[Aerial]

23109VC- I could of sworn Dr. Gross recommended no more marathoning but he did say running is OK (which I took to mean moderation). So happy to hear you are running again at 10 months.  Like you, I would love to include some running as part of what I do, there is nothing like it and it requires little planning just put on the shoes and go! I actually feel stronger and more balance doing a variety of activities anyway!  As I get older 46, too much running would likely wear down another orthopeadic part of my body anyway  :)

Woodstock Hippy- Given the bicycle parts you sold you must be a dedicated cyclist!   My husband is a cat 1 cyclist.  I raced for a brief period but never really got into it like him.  I do love getting out on my road bike though!  Prior to surgery my pedal stoke was so off, like I was getting most of my power from my good hip side.  It'll be interesting to see if with my new hip I can pedal evenly again!

[Woodstock Hippy]

For the record, I do plan on running again.  I didn't go through these surgeries so I could sit on the porch and watch the world go by.  I don't plan on running  long distance, but I do plan on running races and I hope to run well!  I plan to keep racing the mountain bike and being competitive in the 50 and over age group at 62 and I plan to do open water swim races and keep this body going as long as I can.

I plan on taking care of my shiny new hips but I do plan to use them, and if they do have a problem in the future I'll deal with it when it happens.

[triathlete98]

Thanks woodstock.  Yeah I think that i might do the shorter ones, but not ruling anything out just yet.  I was gonna ask dr. domb if he could do xrays every so often druing IM training to see if its detremental? maybe he can use it as a case study cause he was really interested in weather or not i was gonna try.

[Jeremy76761]

Woodstock, that raises an interesting question: Is running shorter distances less potentially risky to the hips than longer distances?

Having raced both sprints and longer distances up to half-marathons in my day, I don't have an answer to the question. Impact seems a function of the degree of force times repetition. Repetition will depend on race distance, 100m, 5K, or 43K. Force will depend on running style/form, terrain/slope, surface, bodyweight, and speed.

I really don't see why people see a marathon as inherently harder than a 5K. Clearly, 5000m at 13:21.5 is more challenging than a marathon at 3hrs or even 2:30min. And if suffering is our measuring stick, the shorter distances punish us in less time, but more intensely with a different quality of pain.

Is racing a 5K less potentially damaging to the hips than racing a marathon? Maybe the degree of rigour in the training is the deciding factor.

If you are going to run seriously, the hips will be put at some risk. Any differences between distances seems to me more of a mystery.

[chrisb9341]

Hi all. I am almost 5 yrs post op on my rt hip. At 6 months post op I started back with a little running, never intending on getting back to the 20-25 miles a week I had been doing before the pain stopped me. Dr Clarke told me some running is ok but progress slowly and dont do marathons.  it felt so good to run pain free and as time went on I got more confident that nothing was going to go wrong with this hip. Fast forward a little and in the last 3 yrs I have run my first marathon and several halfs and 15k's, all in the top half of my age group. I have always run efficiently, using short strides. training runs are generally around 8 15 to 8 30 pace.  I do get some psoas discomfort sometimes, but nothing that some advil cant handle. I guess without any long term data about running and high impact sports on a new hip, we just have to go with our gut feeling on how much to push it.

Chris

[Dannywayoflife]

I think the most important factors are to allow full healing, a gradual return and to know your limits and don't force things. It's easier said than done especially for someone like me. But there the guidelines I've set for myself!

[dwbitt]

Jeremy, I think you answer your own question:

is racing a 5K less potentially damaging to the hips than racing a marathon?

Impact seems a function of the degree of force times repetition. Repetition will depend on race distance, 100m, 5K, or 43K. Force will depend on running style/form, terrain/slope, surface, bodyweight, and speed.

In a marathon the Repetitions (Foot Falls) will be 900% more than a 5K! Even if you run the 5K with greater effort it seems unlikely you would increase the impact force with each Foot Fall. If our new Prothesis is life limited due to impacts, then clearly less is better.
The unknowns are, how long is the potential lifespan and what percent will that lifespan be reduced by increased activity?

Good Discussion,
Dave

[Dannywayoflife]

Surely tho some impact is needed for good bone health. I think that alot of it is going to be exercising common sense. I'm still aiming to get back to my former fitness and competition levels but I'm going to cross train far more than before also I'm going to avoid certain things like I'm not going to kick heavy bags and Thai pads anymore I just think the force I generate would not do any prosthetic any good! Instead I'm going to concentrate on my boxing and grappling.

[Jeremy76761]

dwbitt,

It would seem to me that effect on the device/fit would depend on a function of force/impact and repitition not run/race distance alone. Personally, I'm not a marathon runner, so it would be my favour that a 1500m, sets of 100m at 80%, or 5000m, would be less of a potential problem. But with the higher impacts, I'm not decided. I hear your view, though, and guess we all have one. We'll have more certainty over time, I guess.

Danny, as a fellow grappler, I really wish you the best. You really seem to have a passion for MMA. Good for you for pursing your interest. Are you going to continue with hip and glut med/max exercises? The beauty of martial arts, is you can build your game around (accomodating) limitations and injuries. What are your goals, if you don't mind me asking?

[Dannywayoflife]

Jeramy,
           I plan on fighting in the cage again. That is one of my ultimate goals. I intend on trying to fight regularly in boxing too. In honesty In a why this has been good for me as before I had far less clarity in what really mattered to me I last fought in august 2008. I've always trained to fight but always allowed other things to complicate my life as I thought them to be important and they weren't!
I intend to change my fighting style slightly. I always based my style around my kicking as I always had pedro rizzo like leg kicks I was always able to paralyse an apponant with pretty much a single leg kick and I'd dismantle them from there.
But I have always had ko power in my hands it just I was always so in love with the Thai leg kick I just relied on the natural power in my punches and never really refined them.
For 6 months before I realised that my hip would need surgeory I was having symptoms and so started to refine my boxing skills, and eventually picked up a few techniques that really worked for me! I also am inspired by the likes of Shane Carwin Brock lesner and rampage Jackson who are essentially wrestlers/grapplers who can punch/box.
With that in mind I figure that in 12 months time I could work on my boxing again and really work judo and bjj and fight again just not throw any Thai kicks (I'll still be able to check them tho unlike rampage!) so that's my plan really Im going to adapt and try to overcome!
Danny