Femeroacetabular Impingement

Time to check back in folks.

I've taken the plunge and asked to be refered back to my surgeon in Edinburgh, dont know how long I'll wait. I think its time to get this sorted and try to get some normality back in my Hip!

I dont think my boss will be overly pleased but the weekly pain i get is horrific, totaly appreciate that there are people on here that suffer on a daily basis, so im lucky in that respect. 

Keep the chin up and look forward to the future.

Good luck with that, Mark.  Better to get it sorted than waiting until the pain is daily.

Dav0 - feel free to 'rant on' - as Bumble1 says, a lot of us on here feel a similar way and it's good to read that it's not just us.  Your new physio sounds wonderful - shame I don't live close to Croydon. I will look into physio after recovering a bit from the 2nd op as there's not much point at the minute and would love to find someone with experience and knowledge of rehab after hip scopes.  I really would like to know why the operated hip is still sore, 9 months on.

Linz - good luck with the decision-making but glad the injection has given some blissful relief for the time being.  How long do the effects of the injection last for? Would you have to keep going back for more? I, too, would be worried about the impingement still being there, despite not having a tear. A bit of a ticking time-bomb, at risk of slowly (or suddenly) causing more damage, especially if you are continuing to run.  But then again, surgery doesn't necessarily automatically resolve everything, as some of us on here are finding.  

It was the operation that was cancelled, rather than an MRA.  It has been rescheduled for this Friday. Fingers crossed this time.  There was a lot of sweet and not-so-sweet talking to the secretary to get it sorted so soon, so it definitely does work, Parklife! Hope you get some answers yourself very soon.

Ah right well that was a pain that the op was cancelled especially when its a nightmare getting childcare and supply at school etc time off in education not as straight forward as it may seem and all that. Hope all goes well on Friday and that you get the solution you need to enable you to get some pain management and be able to consider eventually competing again. I will keep everything crossed for you.

I was told the steroid jab effects could last up to 4 months if I was lucky. I think you can have up to three in a year. I think I have some side effects - that 'fat' tongue feeling like before you vomit, over salivation and a funny metallic taste- weird eh? has anyone else experienced this??

Still the respite from horrible achy stiff hips is loverly!

Good Luck

Pipes, I remember you saying a while back that you had got a bike - are you cycling and if so does it excarbateyour hip pain? Anybody else able to cycle - either exercise bike or real thing how is it going?

I have a constant level of pain - not to the same extremes of others on this forum (though must be nice to have a break from it Linz) - but cant tell if hips are a little more sore after a good cycle?? Obviously on my mind that I may have FAI as well as probable labral tear.

Phoned the NHS specialist secretary - up to 5 weeks before results of arthogram get back to specilaist then have to wait for next appointment with him though she wouldn't say how long that might be.I suspect it could be the New Year!!

Just popping on briefly to say that I had the op today and it went well.  It took me a while to get out of recovery, but once I was out I went back to normal very quickly! Had the op at 12 and was discharged at 7! I was determined to spend the night in a peaceful environment and feel very good.  Maybe the pain will kick in after the local anaesthetic wears off a bit, but I remember that didn't happen with the last op so all should be good.

Parklife - I was able to cycle. I sometimes used the exercise bike as it's more upright than the turbo, but I actually prefer the experience of cycling on the turbo.  I also did some spin sessions which weren't too bad on the hips - only one position (the hover) aggravated them.

Shame it'll take so long to get some results, parklife.  I actually went to my own docs about 5 weeks after my MRA and asked to see a copy of the report.  I knew sort of phrases what I was looking for from the scan on the previous hip. My doc was happy to comply and even printed it out for me.  Is this an option for you?

dav0 - thanks. I didn't actually ask what they found, unlike last time when I made them read out the surgeon's report.  The surgeon came to see me in recovery and said they'd shaved the bone and repaired the cartilage tear, but that there wasn't much other damage.  He commented that this hip was in a better condition than the other one had been when they'd operated, which is definitely a good thing.  

I'm not in much pain at all. Didn't really sleep last night, though, as I couldn't lie comfortably on my side.  Did a little 10 minute static cycle this morning - no resistance and only 24 rpm, but just got things moving a little.

I've asked for the physio care to be at the hospital, rather than my local, as I wasn't too impressed with the local one last time.  He was very pleasant, but went purely by the notes he had been given from the hospital - I don't think he'd treated anyone with FAI before. Hopefully, the people at the hospital will be more specialised and more hands on, rather than just asking questions, writing down my answers and setting another couple of exercises.  I want more feedback about weaknesses, ROM etc.

Sorry you're still struggling, dav0. What are you doing to push through the pain?

Pipes! well done for getting through the operation, hope it proves to be a success - I am impressed and amazed that you were about to go on an exercise bike the day after a major operation - probably less than 24 hours after!

Could i ask what hospital you had it done in and who was the surgeon - even pm this info?? There seems to be some surgeons at the top of their game in England, did you have anything to do with the NHS 'patient choice' scheme where you can pick who and where your teatment is done. I'm asking this for down the line for myself in case I have FAI.

Good advice re getting the artrogram results, to be honest im going to talk nicely to the specialists secretary in about 2 weeks, over 1 week has already gone...and if no joy there then ill be down the gp surgery.

DavO, the skill set and competence within physios seems to be quite varied. I WILL get round to doing a thread sometime about the first physio I went to see about my original groin injury - a clown. I actually know one or 2 others who went to see him at some point and some of the stories I tell ya..However, the 2nd physio was excellent and through Core stability work and pilates sorted out my adductor problems - only snag was this then exposed another issue which seems to be labral tear or FAI. If you'd told me the innoculous low level pain I had in my groin the day after doing hill sprints would still be keeping me out of running 15 months later I'd have become an alcoholic there and then. I was hoping to be back running in 2 weeks!! Its just a load of hurdles, monotonous rehab, reduced lifestyle, waiting weeks for next appointments, and still havent had a diagnosis. There were time in the first 9 months especially i was going up the walls, and im very mindful that your problems, along with many others on here are much worse than mine (though i have the paranoid fear mine could degenerate). At least the physiotherapy, and getting back to work is giving you something to focus on, and hopefully turn a corner at some point on the horizon.

Parklife - I had it done in the Nuffield Orthopedic Centre, Oxford.  It's local to me and has a good reputation, so I didn't need to use the 'patient choice' scheme. My surgeon does NHS and private work, so only usually does one hip arthroscopy a week - I think he does a lot of prosthetic/ cancer work as well. I'll pm you his name.

I remembered from last time that getting on the bike early had helped - mentally and physically.  mrmoosehead (from this thread) was following the rehab booklet from Prof Schilders (for a 2nd time), so I followed his example.  The main thing is not to have any resistance and not to turn cycle quickly - it's just a matter of getting some movement going.

Dav0 - I sort of know what you mean about the soft tissue massage.  My friend has been training in sports massage for a while and has come to know my specific stiff bits and aches very well.  She has done a little bit of work on the scar tissue, but will concentrate more on that when some of my other issues are resolved.

Can't pm you, parklife, but don't actually really need to - surgeon is Mr Whitwell. Apart from the cancellations (due to his more urgent cases), he and his team have taken excellent care of me.

I'm icing the joint for the first time post-op...can't actually feel anything, though, as the area is still quite numb. Hope it's helping the swelling anyway!

How are you getting on pipes are you still doing a little exercise bike??

Out of interest how is the first hip that was operated on feeling and how many months post op with this?

Thanks for info the Nuffield is one of about 5 hospitals the NHS in NI use for flying patients to for this type of operation.(Though I though it was in Ipswich for some reason) I definately want to be clued up about a reputable surgeon/hospital to use nearer the time.

I'm getting on ok, thanks, parklife.  Sleep still isn't what it usually is, but I'm ok during the day - mainly because I'm not doing much!  Yes, I'm biking a bit every day to keep things moving. Sometimes, I'll do it once - but I'll try to do it twice a day if it's feeling ok.  The middle of my thigh up to my hip is still quite numb, which I hope is normal and will decrease as time progresses! 

My first hip was operated on at the end of December last year, so 9 months ago.  It definitely feels different to before (in a better way) but not quite right. That might be because of stiffness/ weaknesses/ scar tissue, or it might be because the op didn't quite sort everything out. I won't know until I have recovered from this op and can build up/ test it properly.  I'm being optimistic at the minute.

Good to hear that the Nuff is one of the hospitals you could use if you needed/ decided.  There are other Nuffields in the country, one of which is in Ipswich, but I don't think the others are NHS.  Feel free to ask anything else, should you need to make that decision.

Cheers Pipes, I was astounded to come home from work yesterday to find an appointment letter to see the Consultant Specialist on 10 October! 2 weeks away. This means the arthrogram has been reported on and sent to the specialist.

I rang the specialists secretary, my GP and the xray-scan department and all said id have to wait to see the specialist to find out the verdict of the scan.

My symptoms defo getting worse though, pain in parts of the hips that werent sore before and cycling seems to now making it worse. Also getting pain in t'other hip.

Cheers Dav0!

To everybody..

When i go to see the specialist in couple of weeks time is there any particular questions/issues i should try to focus on or remember to ask the doc?

He was quick to get me out trhe door at the initial consultation so i want to be well tuned up when i go in this time.

Many thanks

Has or does anyone suffer symptoms of your knee feeling unstable when you are symptomatic?

something ive felt recently and is quite unnerving.

yeah, ive had a bit of a sore left knee while hip pain ongoing Mark, at one point a few weeks ago it was pretty bad (no real stressors on it)But knee isnt as bad now touch wood

Has anybody read through the American thread on 'labral tear/FAI support group' over on 'runnersworld.com' ??

Interesting reading - they all mainly seem make a good recovery after surgery.

Things ive noticed is that the docs and patients across the pond seem to be MAD into their post-op physio rehab protocols.

Also, some of the times from appearance of first symptoms to then surgery are mindboggling, in some cases 2 to 2 and a half months! Guess thats enforced health insurance for ye!

But there generally seems to be less worries of things going wrong, and plenty of stories of people being able to run 5k's at 6 months post-op..

Another point is that in the USA it seems to be accepted that it will be a year before you are fully healed post-op, though you can have a graded return to running especially from 6 months on.

Pipes - also a number of posters on that site who have had both hips done might be worth a gander for you (ive now pain both hips ive a close eye on all that too)

I read someones blog abput post op recovery, interesting, certainly gives you an insight into whats going to happen to you and your body.

I think the word thats springs to mind is pain regardless of how good/ bad a recovery you make, and tbh i dont think any surgery can be judged as a success or failure until after a year post op, you look at these insurance claims for neck pain they take years to sort out due to surgeons et al not wanting to commit themselves to a diagnosis until they are absoloutley certain there will be no further improvement.

My physio is making noises about pre op core strenghthening, Gulp!

Hi Mark. I haven't had much knee instability, as such, although the lower part of my left quad often feels overworked and shaky if I'm on my feet for too long. Having said that, my left knee buckled yesterday as I was walking downstairs - that gave me a bit of a fright.  I think my left side is struggling to take the pressure of being the 'good' leg, having only been operated on in December.

I really hope what you're saying about needing a year for the pain to go is correct.  The pain when I extend my left hip (eg to do the hip flexor stretch) does not seem to be decreasing as time passes - I remember making comments to my surgeon and physio about it 6 weeks post-op and it hasn't changed at all since then.  I'm hoping that it's something that I can sort out myself/ with a physio (rather than needing any further surgery) when the right hip has settled enough.

I have looked on the USA RW thread but not for a while - thanks for the reminder, parklife.  I have made Facebook friends with a guy in the USA who had his op a week before my first and was blogging about his recovery.  His post-op rehab was quite different to mine, but I'm not sure it was all necessary (some seemed more like money-making opportunities).  Having said that, he ran 5k yesterday and is doing a 10k soon, while opting to wait until December to have his other side done as well.  

Good luck with those pre op core exercises, Mark. My physio made the same noises but I wasn't very good at doing them regularly.