How was your level of activity in months leading to surgery ?

[Sander]

How was your level of activity in months leading to surgery ?

is it a "MUST" that you reach a level where pain is constant 24/7 before it is time to go for it ?

I have a problematic hip for 2 years that started with labral tear and arthroscopy failed to give a relief twice.
I'm not bone on bone, and the clinical passive range of motion the doctor does in his office is not that painful.

BUT, quality of life is deteriorated (social and activity withdrawal), now even swimming 15 minutes will case a delayed disabling pain. ( no pain during the swimming ) but stiffness and pain during 7 days after it.

I this delayed stiffness and pain during night enough get the courage to do it ?

how to convince myself that a shopping mall walking is not good enough achievement for 45 years old.

Sometimes I wish my case was clear cut bone-on-bone and passive test causes me to scream...
I just find my self lowering the bar of what is "not a bad day" to run a way from the surgery.

some doctors said that my hip appears 20 years older than me, and if I come and knock on their desk and as a surgery they'll gladly do it.

Did you have the courage to do it while still active or having normal days/week here and there ?
I read about people who ran daily to prepare for it !!!

[Pat Walter]

Your pain is not always the deciding factor. Some people feel a lot of pain, while others don't.  The real way to find out if you are a candidate and ready for a hip resurfacing is to ask several of the top surgeons.  Send them an email with your x-rays attached in a digital format. Talk to 2 or 3 of them and find out if you are ready for surgery.  There is a window of opportunity for hip resurfacing and some people have waited to long and could not have one.
Talk to the experienced surgeons.  They will tell you what they think. They also don't do surgery unless they feel it is needed.
Here is the list of surgeons and you can see who does email consultations:
https://surfacehippy.info/hip-resurfacing-doctors-over-1000-hip-resurfacing-surgeries/
I wish you the very best.
Pat

[tohandley]

Hi Sander,

Personally, I had my resurfacing done before I was in bone on bone pain.  I had flattening on the cartilage in 2 places which caused pain if i ran too hard and long, over 5 miles.  I also had pain at times playing basketball or racquetball when trying to make a quick cut.

My thought was to take one step back which would allow me to take two steps forward.    I didn't want to wait until any atrophy had set in.    I actually ran a sprint triathlon 5 days before my surgery so I wasn't in dire need at the time.  I did know however that it was only a matter of time before i would have needed it.

Ultimately, I think it becomes a personal decision.  You'll know when it is time for you. 

Best wishes,
Tim

[catfriend]

Tricky. As Pat says, the only way to know if you are a candidate is if you consult with an experienced resurfacing surgeon.

As to my level of activity before surgery, it was limited. I was bone on bone. I could no longer take walks. I was in pain 24 hours a day. The one activity I did do was swim, which I did most days of the week. However, my hip got so bad I could no longer kick. I used a pull buoy between my legs and just worked out my upper body. If I had realized how bad my hip was I would have had it done much sooner.

My other hip is now deteriorating. It is not yet bone on bone, and based on my previous experience I don't want to let it get that far. Pain comes and goes. The main difference is that as this hip deteriorates I have more intense and excruciating muscle spasms, plus it's stiff. When it's spasming away walking is out of the question. The only reason I haven't had it resurfaced yet is because of insurance. I intend to have it done sometime this year. IMO my lifestyle deterioration is reason enough. I've experienced bone on bone pain before. I don't feel the need to repeat that experience.

[Joe_CA]

Hi Sander,

Many people who are members of this fine website, and who have had hip resurfacing surgery, have mentioned they wished they had had the surgery earlier. I am definitely one of them. I let my hips deteriorate for many years longer than I should have, and by the time I became aware of the effectiveness of the surgery it was a no-brainer. However, I was still relatively active (as much as I could be with two bad hips), and playing some of my favorite sports, right up until the days before my (bilateral) surgeries.

A hip resurfacing surgeon will inform you if you're an acceptable candidate. There is definitely not a *must* requirement to be in constant pain, and nor do your hips have to be completely bone-on-bone. If I were to have known about the very positive results of this surgery (when performed by experienced surgeons), my decision would have been related to the lessened quality of life and restricted athletic lifestyle more so than compared to the pain.

Good luck with your decision.

[Sander]

Thanks all, it's a spectrum of pre-op

I'd like to hear more from people who was still active and not bone-on-bone pre-op

[stevel]

My right hip became bone on bone at one location in 10 months.  I would limp slightly after vigorous activity.  I stopped playing racquetball a year earlier.  I never had disabling pain but did not sleep on that side for a couple months.  Rather that wait and let the bones grind away, muscles atrophy, limp pronounced, lower back muscles fatigued (as for the left hip over 11 years ago) I proceeded with a RBHR 3 months ago and have recovered faster I am now downhill skiing the entire mountain again!