looks like i am getting a new hip in nov. anterior approach. supposedly less invasive. The doctors say you can run with one, but do not recommend it, because they do not know how long the replacement will last. anyone have any thoughts. thanks.
Not what you want to hear I am sure, but you should listen to your doctors who don’t recommend it. It’s a mechanical device, subject to wear and loosening, and if it has to be redone, it requires more bone to be removed and just generally becomes technically more difficult and more invasive. Especially if you are young you will want to get as many years as you can out of your new hip.
I’ve coached someone with a hip replacement through at least 2 seasons and an IM or two. She got into ultra’s as well. Young though, she was ~20 or so iirc when her’s got replaced.
So doable? Yes
A friend from Central Florida has had both hips done… At 69, he’s still one of the faster guys in 65-69 (Although a bit slower this year after also having a knee repaired) Getting old kinda sucks sometimes…
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Keep your hip if you at all can. What’s the matter? Does it just hurt? Or is it nonfunctional?
Stop running and keep your hip for as long as you can still walk around with it. Think about this. Think long and hard before you pull the trigger. If you are doing this just so you can continue to run then DO NOT.
Artificial joints do not heal the way naturals do, obviously. They wear out and need replacing. Yes the second replacement is much more tricky than the first. Doctors do not typically suggest more than two replacements of the same joint in a lifetime. Figure the artificial joint may last 10 or 15 years. At your young age there’s a good chance you’d be replacing the thing at least once again.
i can hardly walk. yes, it hurts. i have a few good years yet and i don’t want to be limping around. running is important to me. but not the end of the world if i don’t ever run another step. i can still live life biking swimming and paddle boarding. thanks for the tips.
thanks everyone for the advice. it’s a good thing i love riding my bike and live in a place where swimming rocks.
Don’t discount the “high” that long-distance walking and hiking will give you. Patient of mine did 350 miles over 21 days in France, six weeks after his total hip arthroplasty (anterolateral approach).
believe me i am so looking forward to walking normally, and plan to embrace the movement of the walk.
Whoa, TD slow down. If you get a total hip replacement, you will never run again. The joint can not handle it. You’re getting incorrect information here. Total hip, mini hip, ceramic hip; you can not run, period.
Check out this sight: http://surfacehippy.info/hiptalk/hip-resurfacing-topics/
Ask your questions there.
I am now at 11 months after bilateral hip resurfacing and I have been running for the last 5 months. It all feels good, I’m starting to get a little faster and I plan to run my first 5K race soon. I was away from running for three years.
This picture shows the difference in the two hips:
The one on the left is a resurfacing, HR. It has a large steel ball and a steel cup. They also leave most of your femur intact. The one on the right is a total hip replacement, THR. The cut off the top of the femur, leaving much less of your original bone. It also has a small steel ball and a polyurethane cup. It will never hold up to what we like to do.
Let me know if you’d like to talk about this. I have nothing to do with the medical profession, but I’ve learned quite a lot about hips in the last couple of years.
I got a new hip (anterior approach) last July because the pain of running, biking, sleeping, etc. was unbearable. Age 42 weight 162. I went in to the surgery very strong and lean and recuperation went surprisingly well. I was walking a mile a day within a week. I stacked boxes so I could get on my bike trainer within a week. Biked every day starting with about 2 minutes and building from there. Within two months I was riding almost as strong as pre-op and with no pain. Started running on a treadmill in November using Barryp 121213 (that was minutes by the way). It took months of patience but built to six miles by March. Bought some Hokas to start running outside. Started with just a mile and built from there. Long story short… I run like the wind now.
I had my one year check up and everything looks great. I had to fess up to the doc that I had been running. He said that he knew I’d run. Said he doesn’t condone it but told me I’d better stay lean and be careful. If at next years check up there is unusual wear then I will stop running otherwise it is steady as she goes.
So, can you run? Absolutely. Should you run? NO!
Lake Placid 2013
I feel your pain. Born with a hip disease and I’ve battled arthritis my whole life. Doc told when basically, “go play, when you can’t take the pain anymore come see me for a replacement.” I have done a few things that have made all the difference. Before these changes I couldn’t run on consecutive days because of pain or more then 20 miles per week.
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Lost weight. I went from 185 to 170.
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Did most of my miles on the trails or dirt roads.
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Changed my running style. I went from heel striking to running basically on my toes in minimalist shoes.
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Started supplementing with glucosamine and ginger root.
I believe number 3 was the biggest factor. Having all that force loaded in the achillies and calf as opposed to the knees and hips was huge. I ran everyday and was averaging 70 miles per week. I felt like skies the limit. I even registered for a 100 miler. Then reality struck with a back injury (from lifting). 5 months off and I’m back at it, though much heavier. I’m 210 now and running everyday painfree, so I think the weight loss helped, but wasn’t the biggest factor. I read about other countries using ginger root for arthritic patients so I tried it. I don’t know if it was a placebo or not but for 5 dollars a bottle at WalMart I don’t care. I refuse to depend on NSAIDs.
That’s my story. I will put off a replacement as long as I can. One last thing… Every night I prayed to God to show me how. If everything is possible, why can’t I run. Why was I born with this hip disease, and given a passion for running? Things started happening…Coincidences some might say. Believe what you want as I started to believe in my prayers being answered. This is not a plug for Christianity or telling you what to do, I just feel it would not be accurate for me to not tell you everything.
I started “believing.”
Piche, what type of hip do you have?
Hey partner, Sweeney has it absolutely right! Get on the surface hippy website, lots of valuable info on the site. I know this first hand because I have had hip resurfacing surgery. With a total hip you are out of the game (at least that’s what my Doc said) I was a candidate for resurfacing and had that procedure done and after a long rehab (Doc wouldn’t let me run for a year and it was a long year) but the best thing I’ve done and now off the sidelines (which I thought was worse than the pain I was in) and competing again. The xray on the above post is exactly what I have in my right hip (bionic parts). The website will even show you Docs in your area or relatively close that perform the procedure so do yourself a favor and get on it!
My hip has a cross linked polyethylene socket with a ceramic ball. Xrays showed that my femur took exceedingly well to the prosthesis.
Still not advocating others to run.
Piche, your ceramic hipp is pretty slick and it’s a big improvement over a THR, but it’s not made for running. The ceramic ball is too brittle ad the socket is too soft. You’re doing yourself a big disservice by running. Revisions are not easy. You should also go to SurfaceHippy and ask about your hip. Please don’t mess your hip up, these surgeries are too hard to have to do over.
Thank you sir. The concern is noted. Any chance my wife put you up to this;)
Maybe you can run but not as long as like a contest. Just remember that it’s not the original part of the body and maybe this will cause problem later.
The first person I met with a hip resurfacing had Hadith done in India. I talked to her in Bikeworks in Kona. At first I was shocked but then I realized that in Kona she was a lot closer to India than NYC. She said that she was back swimming, biking and running like nothing was ever wrong. I’m the same way at 10 months. This Birmingham Hip Resurfacing product is the same one that Scott Tinley and Floyd Landis have. ST says that the new hip is great and that he limits his running because he’s worried about the other one.
Good info!