I have scheduled surgery scheduled Feb with Dr Gross. Am very nervous about the recovery period. I am female and have read that resurfacing is better for males. Any comments or opinions?
Worry not your under a great surgeon. Your correct resurfacing statistically doesn't do as well in women as men however a huge part of that is the surgeons skill. In the top surgeons hands the difference is tiny.'
Thank you.
I believe it's also a case that fewer women meet the criteria, but if you have a good surgeon and he feels that HR is the way to go then you should have nothing to worry about I know a woman in her mid forties who's had a hip done and she's extremely happy with the result.
Search and check out my story. I am a 50 year old very active, small boned female and has both hips successfully done by Dr. Gross last year. I couldn't be happier! Great recovery and I can now do all physical activities. I don't even think about my hips any more. Best of luck!
Surgery as a whole is scary.
I've had two for HR though, and have to say that each time it was such a relief since I felt the difference right away. Not that the recovery is easy, but the OA was gone. Gone gone gone.
The best results come from the best surgeons, and Dr. Gross from the testimonials here is one of the best. So you're in very good hands, more so because a skilled surgeon won't do an HR if it doesn't have the prospect of being successful.
If you want more information about Dr. Gross's success rate with women, I'd call his office and ask for that. You should go into this as comfortable as possible.
Sadie,
I had surgery with Dr Gross on Jan 7. I won't bore you with the details, but feared that my Leggs-Calves-Perthes deformity would put me in the same contraindication category as a "small boned woman" for hip resurfacing. Both Dr Gross and his assistant, Lee, immediately squelched that notion by decrying that there is any such contraindication.
The way they explained it to me ... was that proper placement of the acetabular cup will eliminate the problem that has led to the story-line against some women having resurfacing. Because there is less bone in the acetabulum, many surgeons would use cups that were too shallow, resulting in an artificial dysplasia; which when combined with a MoM implant would result in metallosis. Dr Gross is well versed in the problem with which you are concerned and knows exactly how to avoid it.
You're going to do great. Good luck!
Good luck with the surgery, Sadie. You're in great hands.
The recovery is very manageable. Uncomfortable in the beginning, but it's temporary and gets better quickly. You'll definitely want help for the first couple weeks, though.
Here's an article by Dr. Gross about hip resurfacing for women:
http://www.surfacehippy.info/hip-resurfacing-for-women-dr-gross-2013.php
Just wanted to give my update at six months- and found the forum broken! Well done to Pat for getting things back to normal again.
At six months I have a metal hip which is better than my other one both for pain and range of movement and I am very pleased with the way things are working out. My operation was done with a lateral incision which made abduction very hard for the first few days but allowed me to walk well with two crutches (only allowed partial weight-bearing initially) from day 6. No ice, lots of swelling and lots of getting up in the night to pee - as reported by many others here. Stockings and aspirin for six weeks, could put my own stockings on by the third week.
Some physiotherapy but mainly walking to get muscles working again - encouraged by the physio, who said research indicated walking was as good as PT exercises.
By 6 weeks I had walked 60 miles but then overdid things by walking too far too fast (6.4m at 4mph) on the day I was allowed to drive again. This set me back to using one crutch for another week but by week 8 I was back on the climbing wall. Later that week I jogged my first 5k with no problems.
To date I have done 520 miles on foot and 240 miles on bikes, static and road, with longest walk of 21 miles around the Peak District and fastest 5k of 24:36 (which is my best time for over a year) and longest run/jog of 8.4 miles. I reckoned I could run further but basic fitness is the limiting factor at the moment.
My surgeon was very understanding and gave me no restrictions apart from the initial partial weight bearing, saying I was not to knock the head off my femur in the first 6 weeks. He knows I climb and run and is pleased that everything has gone so well for me, but is not happy to have a go at the other hip until it becomes really necessary. Fair enough, I suppose, but it will be a limiting factor very soon and I am not getting any younger...
Great stuff Pete, inspirational and motivational. I'll be four weeks post op next week, and feel like the progress is coming nicely. I guess six week check up will pass soon and then six months will come round quick as ...
Long may your success continue!
Hi petemeads,
Thats great news on your 6 month report. Wow , your sure are chewing out those kms and an excellant Run speed time per km. That 5km at 24.36 certainly is slick. No doubt your Biking is "flying" along so to speak. Congrats all round. ;D
I am approaching my 11 month POST Op. so will write up my progress in early July. :)