Skiing after Hip Resurfacing

[John C]

Hey Denise,
I was very interested to hear about your ski patrol friend. Is there any chance that you could ask your friend to do a post about his experience in getting back to skiing at a high level. I have been teaching down in Sun Valley for 38 years, and teach on a fifty hour week schedule. I had a resurfacing in June, and am planning on going back at it in December. I would love to hear from a patroller about what his progression back to work was like, and if he has had to accept any limitations.
I would really appreciate any info on this,

John

[CITY2SOUTH]

All this talk on Montana and skiing is getting me hyped up. I hope when I'm ready to get back on the slopes I can visit with some fellow hippies in the mountains..I sure do miss it.

Lisa
Uncemented/Biomet/Gross/6-23-08

[JeanM]

Lisa,
You have an open invite to come out to Utah next year.  I live 9 miles from Snowbird.  We can test our new hips on the slopes together!   

Jeanie

[stevel]

I am an avid downhill skier (ski black diamonds).  I notice Dr. Su recommends waiting 6 mos before impact activities, Dr. McMinn and Dr. Brooks recommend waiting 12 mos before impact activities and Dr. Bose recommends waiting 3 mos before impact activities.  Check out their interviews or websites.  I watched the video of somebody skiing at 4 weeks and 8 weeks after surgery with Dr. Su, but the hill looked like beginner or green dot hill with firm snow conditions.  Hat's off to the guy suiting up and getting on a pair of skiis at 4 weeks and 8 weeks post-op though.

[hipshot]

Stevel
Just my two cents worth but I lived my whole life to ski the steep and deep.
I blame some of my hip problems on the tourcher I put my body threw riding my boards for thirty years, but I wouldnt be caught dead even on the T bar until I was a 110% sure I was a 110% healed.
To compromise a major surgery to ride some courdoroy just to say I could does make much sense to me.
I 've been seriously hurt picking my nose standing in a lift line at the bottom of the rope tow with my buddies two kids.
Some out of control boarder hit me from behind at the knees and took me out. >:(
I never saw it coming. I was hurt so bad I didnt ski the last month of the season.
A hip in the healing process certainly would of had a major set back from that type of impact.
I am excited to become a ski hippi and my next ski run will be ohhh soooo
sweeeet.
Hipshot

[JeanM]

I totally agree with Hipshot.  Dr. Gross removes restrictions at 6 mos.  However, he advises waiting a year before engaging in high impact activities.  Last week he told me that I could snowboard next March on easy terrain with caution.  But he preferred that I wait a year before really tearing it up.  Right now, I don't intend to snowboard at all until next season.  To Hipshot's point, accidents happen.  I have too much respect for this surgeons fine work and have invested too much in this surgery to risk screwing it up just because I can't be patient enough to sit out a snowboard season.  I don't have anything to prove.  Plus, this will be a good time to explore other interests that I normally would never make time for in winter because riding my snowboard is always top priority.   I live in Utah.  There's never a shortage of snow!  I love knowing that if I can make it through this waiting period safely, then next season could be the best that I've had in years, followed by many more ahead.

I'm not impressed by those that get out there a month or two after surgery.  It may somehow be the right decision for them.  To me, the risks just don't add up.

[CITY2SOUTH]

Jean,

I'm with ya girl. Cheers to next season.....I've been to Alta and Park City and Snowbird. I'll come looking for you on future trips...

Lisa
Uncemented/Biomet/Gross/6-23-08

[stevel]

Good points Hipshot and JeanM,

I'm glad I had a helmet on when I caught a rut and flew about ten feet and banged my head on a flat run-out after descending an out-of-bounds black diamond (equivalent) a couple of years ago.
I won't renew my locker this year or buy a season's pass.
I'm also tempted to go moose and goose hunting again this year in mid-Sept.  I don't want to give up my blind.  But I also don't want to screw up my hip more prior to surgery on Sept 29.
At age 55, I don't need to star in "Tougher in Alaska," as I am a lifelong Alaskan. 

[dgm]

Hi all,
I will check with the MT ski patrol hippy and see if he'll post here.  If not, I'll get him to give me the details and I'll relay here.

I was interested to read the ski posts - Dr. R said I was cleared but I'm more than a little nervous.  I've had the wipe out experience from an out of control boarder  - and ended up in a cast with a pulled achilles for the rest of the seasons!  Things are going to well to screw it up.  I was thinking of hitting the slopes during the week on the easy runs- it's not terribly crowded, and leave the weekend to my kids.  But I can't really decide if it's worth it.  Sat out last season so I really miss it, but what's one more season?

Surface hippies welcome here too!  I live 20 minutes from Bridger Bowl and 45 from Big Sky.

I'll get back with the ski patrol report.
Denise

[stevel]

Hi Dgm,

Good point about out of control boarders or skiers.  Our snow conditions reporter (female age 60 plus) was wiped out by a speeding boarder in a narrow corridor a couple of seasons ago.  Her shoulder injury ended that ski season with surgery.
I bumped into a age 70ish male skier in the locker room who had his hip replaced by a local OS in May 2007.  He was skiing in March, 2008 if not before.  He said his skiiing was evaluated by the OS who was skiing right behind him on a blue dot run.
Come on up and ski Eaglecrest at Juneau, AK (esp on low traffic weekdays unless a fresh powder dump occurred then many ski school or work).  We even have an OS or two who ski.  They just don't do hip resurfacings!

[John C]

I mentioned this in an earlier post, but it is maybe worth repeating in this thread. Last year, one of my stronger ski students had a resurfacing done in June 2007. In 2008, we kept up our once a week lesson schedule, and he was skiing strongly in all conditions. Observing him, along with his enthusiastic reports, is one of the reasons that I decided to proceed with my own resurfacing in June 2008. I made it clear to Dr. Gross that I would rather live in pain, than have to restrict my skiing due to resurfacing. He was encouraging that after six months, skiing should not be a problem as long as we build up to it.

John

[dgm]

Hi all,
Still trying to track down the ski patroller - will update once I get in touch.
Denise

[hipshot]

Come on Denise  ::)
I thought all ski bunnies knew where to find a ski patrol.
To bad it isn't December all you would have to do is ski out of bounds and they would come out of the wood work.  ;D

[stevel]

My physical therapist is recommending nordic skiing (cross country skiing) to help strenghten my pelvic muscles.  If not outdoors then indoors on a machine.  I'm nearly 11 weeks post-op and doing great.  I ride the exercise bike for 20 mins and elliptical for 20 minutes.  What do you think about nordic skiing at this stage of my recovery?  I haven't done this before, usually I downhill ski.

[stevel]

Hi Denise,

When did you return to skiing?  Did you find your ski patrol friend?  I'm approaching 6 months post-op (3/29/09) and I will be cleared for downhill skiing.  Sunday, I hiked a ridge and snowshoed.  The area was out of bounds from the ski area.  Somebody from Mountain Rescue (group of four - just passing through) took my picture and gave me some lacing to fasten my snowshoes as the leather lacing had worn out.