Dr. Gross Right Hip Surgery

[Ljpviper]

I am walking with no crutches, so making progress. Getting some burning pain in my psoas. Anyone have that when returning to walking?

[Quig]

Larry, I'm having a little bit of that too. In my case it's noticeable on my right side only. Not a huge problem but just a little annoying at times. It seems to be improving a little each day...

[jd]

My psoas was *very* angry for a while (particularly with extended standing, even a couple of months post-op). Just take it easy, ice, etc.

[Ljpviper]

Thanks all I have been avoiding any leg lifts, don't want psoas tendonitis. Figured it comes with the recovery, good to hear it's somewhat normal.

[jd]

Yup. I'd still do the heel slides though (shouldn't be doing leg raises until after 6 weeks at the earliest anyway, and take it easy when you do start them).

[Ljpviper]

I stopped doing leg raises years ago and any other type of hip flexor excersise. I bet it's grumpy trying to adjust to the new joint. My glutes and add/abductots feel great. I was really working on them and core strength up to the surgery.


All my issues started with a sports hernia style pain on the left side back in 2009, thus is why I avoided leg lifts so long.


Thanks,


Larry

[Ljpviper]

Well it will be three weeks on Wednesday. Went to work yesterday no crutches. People are we're amazed how fast I am recovering. They have seen me go through the scopes missing six weeks of work on each. I have been with the same company for 16 years so many old timers know my 7 year hip saga.


Interesting my knee pain on the left side that I would get is completely gone. Now this is the non resurfaced side, which still has damage from the failed scope. It will be interesting after the 6 week restrictions are up how much pain I still have on the left side. It's been better now since I had the right corrected, but I have not been excersising just walking and phase one excersises. Once I can start more core I will know.


When I see Dr. Gross for the follow up we will discuss the left side. I scheduled the left for October. If the left side subsides enough where in the pain is minimal, I may hold off. My only fear is Dr. Gross retiring, but he is pretty young so I don't see that happening. I would not be comfortable with another surgeon doing the left side.


Thanks for all.

Larry

[jd]

How's it going this week?

[Ljpviper]

Hey Joe,

  Good, I am walking a qtr mile in the am and pm, so half mile total,. I want to start using the pool on Sunday. I am still real stiff at times espeically evenings.

My fear is over doing at this point, so i am not pushing it.

Question for you, were you climbing stairs normal at 3 weeks, meaning surgical side up then followed by non surgical. I think i can do it just scared.

I have no limp, people are amazed at work!!!

Thanks,

Larry

[blinky]

Go Larry!


I could go up and down stairs normally at about week three, but wasn't officially allowed to until after week six. So I admit I tested my ability, saw I could do it, then didn't do it again until after six weeks.

[jd]

That sounds fantastic. I definitely was not walking up stairs foot over foot at 3 weeks! I probably tried occasionally but it was far from stable. Mostly I waited until 6 weeks making a point of pushing that (all assuming my memory is good, which it definitely isn't!).

[Ljpviper]

Thanks, I can wait till six weeks no rush.


Interesting though if your bilateral one hip has to come up, you have no choice.

[Ljpviper]

Back in South Carolina, my follow up is at 930 today. I sat a lot and survived 3 airports and long lines. All is good.


Larry

[Quig]

Hope it goes well Larry!

[Ljpviper]

Thanks Quig, I am back in Miami. Those connector flights are brutal. So I took a bunch of X-rays and he did a range of motion test. He was surprised how well I was able to walk and get up from a chair, my gait looked perfect to him.


My psoas scored  a 3/5 and my abductor scored 5/5 in strengh. The pool has been helping so much. He was thrilled with my progress and basically being pain free. I was a grey area patient with a lot of joint space with prior failed scopes, so he was hesitant to operate.


If anything comes out of cases like mine [size=78%]is sometimes you need to push the surgeon. I wish I had done this back in early 2015 after I saw him on November 2014. I have not felt this good since late 2008, after that is was a that is was just years of battling failed scopes and constant hip pain.[/size]


Now it's on to phase 2, I have the rest of the week off looking forward to be off these restriction. Again thanks for all the comments and advice. This board has a great bunch of people on it, really helped me through this entire process. It also opened my eyes how important your health is and don't take life for granted, very humbling going from horrible chronic pain everyday to actually looking forward to gettin up in the mornings.


Larry

[Quig]

Yeah! Awesome news and a very thoughtful post.


I checked the board several times today and got a little worried when you didn't post an update. I didn't realize you were flying home so soon. That's a busy couple days!


It's great that Dr. Gross is happy with how things are progressing and that you're officially on to phase 2. I did my 6 week X-rays today and have my PT appt on Friday. I'm really not looking forward to the delay of getting to talk with Dr. Gross.


I hear ya on how life changing this all has been. My girlfriend and I were talking as I was making the decision to have the surgeries and she explained that living in chronic pain is bad for you in a multitude of ways. I had never thought of it that way but it certainly made sense and I believe she is right. Congrats on turning the corner and looking forward to a much happier pain free future! Keep up the good work!!

[blinky]

Glad you got such a good six week check up.


Think of the contrast between the trip home this time and six weeks ago!

[Ljpviper]

Well figured I would give a quick update I am 8 weeks out.

I continue to progress my hip feels great. Started to work glutes and abductors more. Still a little hesitant with the forward leg lifts(psoas is touchy). I am climbing stairs normal just holding on to the rail.
I noticed my back acting up after I started stretching once the six weeks was up. It might be do to all the compensation for years of the bad hip. I am going to the gym daily and doing machines for upper body and just elliptical for lower.

My next step is to start Core-x resistance band training and really focus on planks, bridges, etc.

All in all I could not be happier with the surgery and Dr. Gross and his staff.

Larry

[Quig]

Time flies, doesn't it!?


Great to read that you're so pleased with the results. Keep up the good work and the progress!

[Ljpviper]

Thought I would give a 20 week update, all is good. My hip keeps improving. Now doing single leg balancing, free standing squats, and tons of other hip exercises. Still getting an occasional psoas issue, but it seems to go away the next day. My bad hip complains a little, but I am postponing the surgery on that one till next year, I had an October date. I notice some days it barely bothers. I spoke to Dr.Gross last month, he says give it a year on your right and then see how the left feels day to day.

I got on my mountain bike and rode a few blocks yesterday, wow did that feel great.  Dr. Gross likes his patients to wait the 6 months, for fear of falling. I was reading Dr.Su says it’s okay to bike outside at 3-4 months, but of course every surgeon has different protocols.

Anyone out there contemplating HR that have current FAI issues, just do it, best thing I could have ever done!!!!

Larry