Hi,
I had my hip resurfaced in March of 2007. I started to ease back into running since last summer. Now I am running approximately 30 - 35 miles/week and am training for a half marathon. Until I started adding mileage to my daily run I more or less felt fairly good. But now with added mileage (6 or more miles) I sometimes get severe hip pain (in the resurfaced hip). Initially I thought I sustained a hairline fracture above the socket, as I was extremely sore all day. However, the next day, no pain and I was fine. I subsequently have run longer distances in a newer (same model) shoe and found that I did not experience the pain. So…I am of the opinion the pain may be shoe related, and specifically to an older shoe that has been deflated. Anyway, my questions are:
- Has anyone else with a resurfaced hip encountered similar problems?
- Any particular shoe seem to work better for a resurfaced hip?
I am beginning to think maybe a stability plus shoe may be the way to go.
Thoughts?
Thanks,
Greg
Greg - does the surgeon who resurfaced the joint know that you run 35 miles/week? How was the choice of resurfacing over total hip made…and how old are you?
Running is fine for anyone that has a resurfaced hip, IF placed correctly by a skilled and experienced surgeon, just watch the video interviews of the inventor of the BHR
http://www.hipresurfacingsite.com/Article-Video-Interviews/Article-Videos/Derek-McMinn-MD-from-U.K.-Video-Interview-addresses-concerns-about-Metal-metal-Hip-Resurfacing/menu-id-110.html
The end of the 2nd and the 3rd parts he talks about returning to heavy impact sports with a resurfaced hip. He did a study at 10 years post op and found that heavy impact sports did not affect the longevity of the device at all. For anyone that wants to return to any heavy impact, hip resurfacing is definitely the way to go over a total hip replacement any day IMO.
Vicky
Why would you…? Seems like you are asking for more trouble, you already know you shouldn’t be pushing the limits. Give it up and find something with less impact.
Vicky - posters on ST frequently use the words “n of 1.” That may be applicable here as they used similar statements about total hip replacements 20-30 years ago…
Although this may be the conservative approach, if I had a patient with a total hip or resurfacing, I would strongly encourage
them to choose a different sport. But that’s just me.
Yes but as you know, when you are a runner at heart and/or an extreme athlete, nothing is going to stop you. The die hards are going to still do what they love because to some of them, running, triathlons, Ironmans. etc. are as important to them as breathing is. So it is important for these die hards to really look into Hip Resurfacing as the only option if they can, rather than a Total Hip Replacement. Just read Cory Foulk’s story, he has finished 9 Ironman and 5 Ultraman competitions SINCE he had his right his resurfaced almost five years ago.
http://www.hipresurfacingsite.com/Ironman/20081207219/Ironman/Cory-Foulk-Bose-Hippy-Runs-Marathon-Ironman-Triathlon/menu-id-34.html
To me, it is great that an option like Resurfacing exists, one that allows patients to return to the sports they are passionate about. If Derek McMinn who invented the BHR says it is ok to run on one of these, then why wouldn’t you? He has proof that not one single BHR has been revised due to heavy impact IF it is well placed by an experienced surgeon. The majority of failures of these are due to surgeon error and NOT due to heavy impact sports or running.
Vicky
A training buddy of mine had his hip re-surfaced back in January this year. He was on the bike in about a week. His surgeon was Matt Brick here in New Zealand. Matt was I think the first amateur over 40 to go under 9 hours in an IM. Matt has also apparently had his hip resurfaced (prior to my friend) and presumably by another surgeon 
My mate seemed to progress really well for a while (say 3 months) and was off crutches (amazing how he could ride SO fast and still need crutches to walk!). Then pain crept in as did a limp. Scans showed a hairline fracutre, and a return to crutches for a while. I haven’t talked to him for a few weeks so not sure what the latest is, but he was told to not expect to run for at least a year, and that was before the hairline fracture.
With my own experience of broken bones, they seem to heal fully in about 12 weeks. That’s IF you can isolate the break from weight bearing or stress. Hip resurfacing is really just a variation of a break, the break being caused by the grinder. Without realistically being about to fully isolate the hip for 3 months, recovery will take longer. As anal retentive athletes, we want to get back to training far too soon in many cases and the healing never fully happens, even tho considerable time may have elapsed.
If you suspect you have damaged your hip, let your doc know, and take his advice. Seeing a sports doc or even one sensitive to athletes would be a good idea.
Good luck and I hope you heal fast and permanently.