Christina’s 2 Year Update for Hip Resurfacing with Dr Su 2016 at age 27
I just thought I’d share with everyone that I am 2-years out from my hip-resurfacing with Dr. Su and I am still thrilled with the results. I am an athletic woman of average height and build. I was 27 years old at the time of surgery.
My journey since operation: I spent a very long time trying to get my strength back, which was lost not during the surgery, but during the injury. Limping around, having issues with stairs, and putting all pressure into my quads caused a lot of muscle loss in my hamstrings and glutes. It took me a long time to re-learn how to activate my posterior chain. I have been consistently strength-training 3x a week for a year now and I began noticing a significant increase in muscle mass and strength in my hamstrings and butt only recently.
I still have moments of uncertainty and feel that I could make a lot more progress in the strength of my left hip, but at this point I do feel fairly unlimited in the type of movements I do. I recently started competitive soccer and have no trouble with footwork/quickly changing directions. I have been hiking, snowboarding, running, obstacle course racing, and I even practice kickboxing here and there.
I hear a lot of criticism of hip-resurfacing, especially in people with smaller frames (which is most women.) It is unsettling to say the least, so I thought i’d share my success with anyone who is feeling uncertain. If anyone would like to ask me questions, please feel free.
Earlier Information
August 13, 2016
After years of pain and confusion following bilateral FAO surgery and a gradual descent into the category of “severe” arthritis, I finally have a real solution for my pain. I’m having my left hip resurfaced by Dr. Edwin Su at HSS, this Tuesday!
I’m a 27 y/o female and the severity of this surgery is not lost on me. I’m nervous and scared knowing that this will affect me for the rest of my life. However, I am so excited to be able to get back to my life as an athlete. After feeling like so many options were closed off to me, I feel like the world is about to open up with possibilities.
May 1, 2016
I used to be a competitive kickboxer, training 2-4 hours a day, with the goal of becoming a professional fighter. About three years ago I started experiencing hip pain that was interfering with my training. Eventually I was diagnosed with FAI and given the option to have surgery. I was told the surgery would eliminate the impingement and associated symptoms. In 2014 I underwent bilateral FAO surgery with high hopes.
Unfortunately, I have not been able to return to training since then. In addition, I now struggle with most forms of exercise and experience pain most days. It took me a long time to realize that my pain was not just part of my recovery and that my condition was not getting better.
Recently I spoke with a surgeon who explained that I have structural issues with my hips that are causing my cartilage to degenerate at an aggressive rate. It’s still unclear to me whether the structural issues were a result of the surgery or unrelated. The Dr said that “time is ticking” and I’ll have to have surgery to “save my hips.”