Surfing after bilateral resurfacing

[Greg8556]

Hey, I've never posted anything before on that website, I've just been reading since I had bilateral BHR on 01/23/2024, and it helped a lot. I am very grateful for all those who wrote and share their experience.
My surgeon is Pr Julien Girard in Lille (France).
I am 35 and I had hip pain for 10 years (it was due to femoro acetabular impingement at the begining), I had surgery in 2014 in order to solve this impingement problem (it is another type of surgery performed by another surgeon). The doctor told me I was already having ostheoarthritis and I knew at that point that I would have to get it fixed again within a few years.
Nearly five years later, OA worsened and at the end I was having troubles putting on my shoes, going upstairs, walking more than 100 yards or sitting for a long time. I was taking a lot of anti-inflammatory meds.
I am a big fan of surfing and skateboarding and sport in general. I had to quit skateboarding in 2015 after my FAI surgery but I I kept surfing until the resurfacing surgery in 2024, even if I was in pain, because it is so important for me. I really have to go in the water quite often to feel alright.

So I had both hips done  (they put me some regular BHR) on the same day in january of 2024.
Everything went pretty fine after surgery.. I walked normally without crutches at 3 weeks (being bilateral it takes more time I guess). I did my exercices very religiously and never missed a PT appointment.
I really don't regret I did both hips the same day, both legs having the same treatment regarding pt and exercises.
My right leg, that was the "good" leg before surgery became the "bad" leg after surgery. It was a bit stiffer and weaker than the left one. I had stiffness especially in flexion and external rotation and also the "clunking" thing but I was extremely pleased to have a good internal rotation amplitude on both hips directly after surgery without doing much exercice. Indeed I was stuck on 0° of internal rotation for 10 years after the FAI surgery. Abduction became rapidly pretty good too, although it was really bad before surgery. It is funny I didn't have to struggle to recover the motion that were blocked before surgery.
Regarding pain,  I was off pain meds at 10 days post op, I would say at 2 weeks it was already better than before surgery.

I returned to surfing very early (with the surgeon agreement): at 2 month and 5 days I was back in the water.
It was extremely difficult at the begining to pop up on the board: I managed to get on my feet maybe 1/5 times because my hips were so stiff and I was weak but I never really felt any pain.
Gradually, I improved my pop up, with the help of the pt and a lot of stretching.
I can know stay in the water for 4 hours when I am surfing without experiencing any pain.
At 4 months, I was almost back to normal. Today at almost 6 months, I feel fantastic. I never any pain in the hips, they do feel rock solid !
I keep stretching because it feels really good and also because I want to keep improving my range of motion.
I start forgetting what was pain in the hip and can't believe I have metal hips.
I hope my experience will help others that are close (before or after) surgery.