Gretsch’s Hip Resurfacing with Dr. Anseth 2017
I am a 47 yr old extremely active male and former D1 college hockey player. For the last 3-4 years I have been suffering for hip flexor and groin pain. I just thought is was muscle/tendinitis pain from my deadliest, squats, running and skating. I visited a Orthopedic specialist about year ago for what i thought was a sports hernia. I was informed I had OA in both hips. My two femoral heads are large and flat on one side vs bing round. Space narrowing, a few spurs, some bone on bone, etc… Right is worse than the left. It all makes sense as my whole life – specifically when i was a teen and and early twenties playing elite level hockey (signed NHL contract) – I always had groin and hip flexor problems. Perhaps it was due to my hip shape rather than muscles etc…
I have stopped the intense workouts – no heavy squats and deads – a lot of body weight excersises and biking. I have had two cortisone injections on both sides and have taken celebrex/NSAIDS off and on. All of this has helped big time. If I don’t do much i am fine. However, if I walk 18 holes (another sport i forgot to mention), and run more than a mile. I am hurting. Skating intensely is pretty much out of the question even though i am on the ice frequently with the team i coach ( i don’t demo drills that much). I don’t want to just get by however, I want to run , skate, golf and workout!!! I have consulted with a top surgeoron (500 plus procedures) in the city where i live that does a ton of BHR. He said I am a perfect candidate. My question is – when do i do it? Do i nurse my hips with more injections and do minimal exercise or do I take the plunge. I must say, the idea of major surgery with metal in my body is not something I look forward to. Its kind of scary.
February 20, 2017
Had right hip resurfaced Thursday am. Procedure went very smooth. I was sent home Friday afternoon after two rounds of PT. I only live ten mins from hospital so it was very convenient!!!! Walking on crutches and walker is no problem. The combination of oxycodone and stool softener was a real challenge for me however. For the last two days I’ve been nauseous light headed weak and head achey. Dizzy too. Stool softener made me feel like I had stomach flu. This am I feel much better. Hip is better than I though – can already feel improved ROM. The side effects from Meds were much more severe than I thought. Has this happened to others? thanks! Ps. Don’t think I would have gone through the procedure if it wasn’t for this great site!!!
May 27, 2017
I had my right hip resurfaced Feb 16. After about 5 years of problems ( I am 50 yrs old) – in both hips – i decided to have the procedure. The pain was manageable…. worst part of my OA was the lack of range of motion. Hated giving up running, skating, lower body weight lifting etc…. It also affected my posture… my pelvis was tilted forward etc.
I am extremely pleased the far with the results thus far! I went into surgery in tremendous physical shape – mostly thanks to upper body lifting and exercise bike. Surgery was at 8:00 am. Was up walking at 3pm however that lasted only a few feet as the pain meds and anesthesia caused dizziness. I went home the following afternoon once i was able to maneuver on the crutches. The worst part of my experience was the 6 days that followed…. Anesthesia and pain med combo was terrible. Felt car sick! Constipation obviously was not fun!!!
I used two crutches for two weeks and one crutch for one week. Didn’t like the cane. Worked on basic strengthening exercises during few weeks and graduated to more advanced moves….per surgeons instructions.. Started up body workouts about 7 days post op. All were done with no use of hip/ lower body. I started riding my road bike outside at the 8 week mark. felt fine…. not a lot of power however.. I hit golf balls at the 9 week mark and played first round shortly after… got a bit stiff towards the end of the round… all in the hip capsule area.
About two weeks ago i started working on stretching. I am very tight …i can tell its a different tightness. its not in the joint but rather muscles – Glute, IT band etc.
My bike rides are getting more intense… i am pushing my stretching – trying to get more ROM…. glute/ quad strengthening moves are getting more advanced (body weight squats, light dead lifts etc). I am golfing frequently (spending time at driving range) as weather has turned nice ( I live in MN).
June 5, 2017
My surgeon was Scott Anseth of Twin City Orthopedic. Phenomenal surgeon and wonderful staff! Highly recommend him! I chose him as he was referred by a friend. I do know he has done a around 500 procedures…not as many as Palmer but still a lot. Plus…. I live about 5 minutes from the hospital !
As i said before … i am extremely pleased with the results. I am way ahead of where I thought i would be. walked 18 holes yesterday with no real issues… I am still a bit tight in around the incision area / IT band. Ive been biking and a fair amount and even added some weights to my lower body workouts. Still need to get more ROM…..working on that. I do have issues on left . I imagine i will have that one done in next 2 – 4 years . left hip now clicks due to the impingement – never did before my surgery on right side. I think my BHR has improved my posture bit causing the left one to act a bit oddly. Yes, very strange. I haven’t skated yet. can’t wait to give it a try. Oh …One last thing that has helped – I am seeing a specialist who practices deep myofascial massage .. really helps with tight scarred muscles . all of pro hockey players see him. He has helped immensely with my recovery.
December 2, 2017
I htought I would give an update on my right hip after a little over 9 months. In late Feb 16, at age 49, I had my right hip resurfaced by Dr. Scott Anseth (he’s the best by the way!) in Minneapolis. I battled issues in both hips for about 5 years – the last 3 of which I knew what my ailment was —– OA!! I was on this site constantly … i knew BHR was the right option for me. Thus far I am extremely pleased!!!!!
I originally just thought i had very tight groins and hips flexors. Being a former college hockey player, I always had tight “skating muscles “(groins and hip flexors). I now believe i probably always had hip joint issues…. but back then…just thought it was muscular. In my 20s 30s and 40s i was extremly active – lifting heavy weights (lower body), running, golfing, biking etc. With perhaps genetics and athletic abuse, I guess i wore my hips out. Prior to surgery, my right hip was a 8 (10 being the worst), left was prob a 4. I worked out and trained very hard Prior to my procedure.. I didn’t let the AO slow me down too much..Like most others, I just couldn’t take it any more. Pain was manageable….lack of range of motion was awful!
My Surgery was first thing in the am. I was only in the hospital over night… left the next day at 3:00pm. Recovery was pretty easy… Challenging part was first week…. Pain meds and the lingering effect of the anesthesia were the worst part. Pretty fatigued too. Hip itself wasn’t bad. I was on two crutches for two weeks, and one crutch for one week. That was it. followed my exercise regiment religiously. I did experience the clunking (still do a bit from time to time). Never really had a gait.
I started the road bike at around 2.5 months and golfed my first round at just under 3 months!!! Started doing things much earlier than I thought…. biking, walking, body weight squats. I ran a few times on treadmill for a couple miles post 6 months – felt okay , the other side killed however ! ( More on that later). I have been doing heavy deadlifts since about the five month mark. I did have a scary moment on the bike at month three however… biker decide to make a U Turn in front of me with out signaling… Ill just say I was going quite fast. Wound up Tee-Boning her!!! I did a complete flip and land on my operate side! No problem…. just a big gash in my quad. I am also very surprised how natural the joint feels… I thought i would have a clunky or mechanical …or even a heavy feeling in the joint…. not the case all. Again natural. Cant believe how “free” the joint feels after i stride forward. Before it simply locked and I therefore had to swivel the hip.
Now some minor negatives:
As I said, I am extremely active nine months later. The area around the incision still gets a little sore after working out. The hip capsle ( which was cut obviously) gets a sore too. The whole area can be a bit “achy”. much different feeling than the OA however…. I guess the trauma of a full dislocation and the cutting of all that soft tissue. I can feel it a lot when I twist (golf backswing). IT band and glutes can tighten up as well.
Been workmen on stretching. Still not that limber ….muscle/ligaments are tight. Again, its a different tightness than I had before. What makes the stretching so difficult is OA in the non operated hip! Its amazing now both hips compliment each other when trying to stretch. When one is limited due to OA, its hard to get things done. Has anyone else experienced that? I imagine ill be doing my other one within a year or two… Unfortunately the non operate hip pain and impingements are masking how well my operated is doing! Maybe you all have experienced this too.
That’s my update!!! Again, overall I am extremely pleased. Its better than I thought… its just that dang other one!!!
I thought I would share as this site and all your posts sure helped me. I hope this helps others!!!!