Matt’s Hip Resurfacing with Dr. Marchand 2014
April 2, 2019 5 Year Anniversary
Today is the 5 Year Anniversary of my left Hip Resurfacing with Dr. Robert Marchand at South County Hospital in Wakefield, RI. My hip has been great. I am very active on it as well. I do a lot of cycling. I also work as a college football official in the fall and have no issues at all during the season. I do continue to do a lot of stretch, strength and stability exercises as well, and feel that plays a big role in how successful my resurfacing has been.
I had my Left Hip Resurfacing done by Dr. Robert Marchand on 4/2/14. My age was 44 at time of surgery.
I used to frequent this board quite a bit prior to my surgery and it was a great tool for me to research the procedure and build a comfort and confidence level for me to move forward with the surgery. I’ve had a few friends (who had a hip resurfacing done) that I have guided to this board to help them research the procedure as well as their doctors were pointing them toward a total hip replacement.
I am 9 weeks post op tommorrow. I was able to start tying my shoes (with some effort) at about 6 weeks. Putting on socks without the sock tool right around the same time. I can do both now without much difficulty. The socks are still a little more effort than tying the shoes, but I’ve noticed my ROM has increased significantly in the last 3 weeks. I am now crossing my legs, but not yet to the same degree as with the non operated side. I just started being able to do this the last week or so.
The wall stretch, lying on my back, both feet up in the air against the wall, and sliding the operated foot down the wall has really helped my ROM. It drives the knee towards your chest. It’s very painful, but all stretching is. I also do the same stretch and rotate my knee as well.
Matt’s Original Story
September 2, 2014
Today is my 5 month post-op (surgery on April 2nd). I continue to go to PT twice a week and do my own exercises and PT during the off days.
I also work as a college football official in the fall, so I was very worried that my season would be in jeopardy when I had my surgery. This past week I was able to work 2 pre-season scrimmages. I did get sore in the groin area, but overall was pleasantly surprised with how I felt. I am able to run, back pedal, turn and open hips, change of direction, etc. It’s not 100% yet. I’ve been very careful to listen to my body and not overdue it. I also have been extremely diligent with PT and think that has really helped with my recovery process.
Just wanted to post for any value that others can get from my experience. As mentioned, I am not 100%, but my doctor has given me the green light to work on the field. My PT says I should definitely expect to feel soreness but both he and the doctor are confident I won’t damage anything at this point. The Doc just doesn’t want me road running until after the 6 month mark. Not sure if I will go back to that anyway.
October 2, 2014
Today is the 6 month mark, post-surgery. I know that is a big milestone date as far as being cleared of all restrictions. The 6 months actually went by quicker than I thought, as I really dreaded the recovery going into the surgery on April 2nd.
I am a very active person and have already gotten back to a very active lifestyle. I have been very aggressive and diligent with my PT. I continue to go to my PT twice a week. I hit my out of pocket max with my insurance quickly this year with the surgery, so I will continue to go as long as I can while it’s covered 100%. On the non PT days, I am usually at the YMCA 4 of those days doing PT on my own. I have been back to road riding a bicycle since about the 3 month mark. I was cleared to do some light agility type running at around 4 months (short 20 yard jogs, back peddling, side to side type things). I am now also able to run around with my kids on the soccer field, in the yard, etc…. Those type of things I really avoided prior to surgery as I would get sore very fast.
I am doing most things comfortably with tolerable soreness. I have not gone back to road running at this point. I am not sure how far I’d get anyway before getting too sore. Maybe somewhere down the line, but road running isn’t a main priority for me at this point. I also work as a football official and have been back on the field for a few weeks now, also with tolerable soreness.
The one area that still gives me trouble is the groin soreness/tightness. If anyone has tips to help work through that, I’d appreciate hearing what it is.
April 2, 2015
Today, I hit the 1 year post-op mark on my resurfacing. The year has gone by quicker than I expected. My resufaced hit feels great at this point. For several years leading up to the resurfacing, I really dreaded getting it done. But looking back now, it wasn’t as bad as I expected. I took my PT very seriously and was very diligent with it. I think my recovery was probably a little quicker than average and I credit that to the PT. My surgery was last April and I was able to get back to working as a college football official by September. I was sore throughout the season, but my surgeon assured me that it was just a matter of the muscles getting used to the impact activities. I can now do anything I want and it’s not an issue.
Unfortunately, 4 weeks ago I was shoveling heavy snow, and while lifting and turning to throw the snow, I felt a rip/pull through my right, non-resurfaced hip. It scared me enough to get it checked out by my doctor. He felt it was a straing but ordered an MRI arthrogram anyway, and it turns out I have a small tear in the labrum of my non-operated hip. He has since sent me to a hip-scope specialist. After examinging me, that doctor feels it’s a muscle strain too, and feels the small tear was already there and they pain and soreness I have is not sypmtomatic of the tear. What I have since learned is that a lot of people are walking around with small labral tears and don’t know it nor does it give them any problems. I feared a labral tear, as that is what started the whole process on my resurfaced hip, so that is why I got it checked out right away. A PT friend of my mine told me “if you don’t want to find out you have a labral tear, don’t get an MRI”. He had told me the same thing about the statistics of people with labral tears that don’t even know. So I am still figuring what to do with recent injury, and currently going to PT.
Anyway, my resurfaced hip is doing great. I’ve hit the 1 year mark and very happy with the results. It’s allowed me to get back to doing so many things I either had to avoid or limit prior to the surgery as I would have to much pain.