I am still so sorry you had such a horrible time Simkie. As someone who has had it 3 times now, it really wasn’t bad for me at all. The worst part was my doctor wanting me on crutches for 30 days when I felt like I didn’t need them after a couple of days. I think you are hopefully the minority and most people have an experience like mine.
I only took the “real” pain meds one day and then stuck to Tylenol for the rest of the time. The worst for me in recovery when I did too much and my muscles protested.
That is not a term my ortho used, but it was definitely abnormal in a way that I believe fits with “massively hypertrophic”. I read up on this a little bit, and it sounds like it’s common for a hypertrophic labrum to lead to impingement between the acetabulum and femoral head, which also seems consistent with my situation.
I took a huge salary cut as a result of COVID, so PRP is off the table for me for a while. Hopefully I can stay employed through the chaos and plan for that when I get back to my pre-COVID income level. Seems like with this hip thing every time I take a step forward, the insecurity of my work life rears its ugly head to intervene!
Oh man, I’m really sorry to hear that 
Here is that video of White: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07lL2ljR3gQ
He sure makes reconstruction SOUND good. The video of the hypertrophic labrum makes me cringe.
1 Like
Thanks for the stories! Both good and bad.
Surgeon got me in fast and I had the first hip done yesterday. 24 hours into recovery and I’m sore, but ok. He wants me non weight bearing for 2 weeks which is definitely tough…using crutches/a walker is exhausting! I don’t know how people do any sort of distance with these things! He did a significant amount of Osteoplasty at the same time so hopefully the two tears won’t come back. He said I had extra bone on both sides of my femur as well as the socket so it’s no wonder it tore and I had like zero ROM despite all the stretching in the world.
I’ll have to have the second one done in a few months but I’m not sure whether he will recommend the arthroscopic or just going to THR since in his words “it was a real mess in there”.
Here’s hoping for a quick recovery and a return to riding!
3 Likes
How are my labral repair folks doing? I’m on week 7 of hip #1. I’m back in the tack at the walk and the right hip feels great (the surgical one) and my left hip is painful now. The surgeon is hoping to do the left in another 6 weeks. I’m so ready to be done with all the rehab. Overall I’m happy with the surgery.
1 Like
@Alterration jingles* so excited for you that your back in the tack !!
@Simkie thank you for your advice and support!!!
I’m week one post op from labral repair surgery. FINALLY, got in to see Dr. Martin with all the Covid mess. Highly suggest him. Steroid injections did absolutely nothing for me. Got approved for surgery. Had FAI got my femur shaved down to fit into pelvis. Two screws some sitches later. Acetabulorfemeroplasty. Yes still taking muscle relaxers for the spams. Sorry for the misspelling forgive me.
For reference, I am a 29 year old. Struggling with hip pain for 9 years. The pain proceeded to get worse 2018 and November 2019 finally started to take this entire hand of cards seriously. Dr. Martin truly has an incredible program in place for post op rehab. Started day one post op and will be adhering to a T.
1 Like
@wtxhunter awesome you were able to see Martin! Did you have a PAO to correct dysplasia? I hope you have speedy and uncomplicated healing!
@Simkie to be honest I’m unsure what PAO is. From my quick googling I believe I had the opposite of PAO. My hip socket was deep however my femoral head grew without any curvature. He did throw around some acronyms but that was never one of them. My discharge paperwork says FAI, bone spurs, 3cm cyst removed and labrum repaired.
Typical, all my husband remembers him saying was they removed 1/3 of my labrum and when he was inside my hip. “It looked like she attempted to stay on the horse once or twice and the horse twisted the opposite way, destroying an already bad situation.” Dr. Martin did say the bones spurs can reoccur with age and will be quicker to act on it in the future. Thank you for the speedy recovery I am itching to get back in the saddle.
Living in my CPM device and cycling upright for 30 minutes does seem to help post surgery.
I am really looking forward to get to groom my horse again, does anyone have a timeline of being able to be more active? Or maybe just stick to treats and brushing? My orders are to avoid weight bearing twisting motion for the longer than I’d like. (Le sigh)
@wtxhunter nope, sure doesn’t sound like a PAO! But that’s often what’s going on when people mention “labrum” and “surgery” and “screws” :lol: Screws aren’t really typical for labral repair. Unless, ohhhhhhhhh, do you mean anchors? I bet that’s it! Partial reconstruction with two anchors, maybe?
Definitely take it easy! You’ve got all the time in the world to recover 
1 Like
@Simkie Ah yes likely anchors!! I plan on confirming Thursday at my post op appointment (sans drugs) 😂 hubby likes to over dramatize.
@Simkie dr. Martin said dissolving screws. Thank you for being such a wonderful resource to this thread 😃
1 Like
I had to go investigate! Apparently anchors can screw in, or be barbed. Some dissolve, and some don’t. A little light reading for those interested :lol:
http://www.opnews.com/2008/08/suture-anchor-systems-in-orthopaedic-surgery/4721
I’ve never heard a surgeon refer to anchors as screws before, that’s interesting!
I hope you’re healing well!
3 Likes
All I can say is … wow. all of your stories… well they frighten me! I am going in tomorrow to repair a labrum tear. I have a trainer who will be riding my horse for the next 6 months. I figured that it would be the LONGEST that I would be out of the saddle. But after reading this thread, I’m starting to wonder if that estimate is going to be accurate. and I’m really kind of worried about it. 6 months is going to be sooo hard for me. am I going to be looking at even longer? I know its different for everyone, but i’d like to hear how long you guys had out of commission. thanks in advance.
1 Like
I was out for a good 6 months. The surgery itself was not very painful. The recovery was the worst part. I had horrible muscle flair ups. I would get a great physical therapist and listen to your body about pushing it.
I thought I would have to stop riding, but I found a saddle with a narrow twist which significantly helped.
I still have issues with my hip almost 5 years out d
from there surgery.
Mine was considered workers compensation, so it was a pain to deal with and get help.
If you have a normal recovery, six months is probably fine.
If you have a complicated recovery, six months is probably not fine.
I hope you are doing well!
1 Like
@Neaners Jingles for a speedy recovery! I’d second the comment of getting a rock solid rehab plan in place. Stay diligent post op, results vary. I just graduated from crutches and can confirm to not push yourself. I was eager to get back in the saddle however grooming have been difficult and grazing. I didn’t realize how much twisting is needed for horse care ! :eek:
For those of you who are post op and wondering when you can get in the saddle: when you are in PT or at the gym, swing your leg over the exercise bike like it was a horse. If you can’t do that you aren’t ready. BTDT
1 Like
Wow, I’ve had some interesting news.
I’ve been diagnosed with iatrogenic dysplasia. Basically, entirely too much bone was removed from my pelvis during my reconstruction and now there’s not enough left in the right places for the joint to be stable. Anyone with pain and instability following labral repair or reconstruction should watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K048AXvesiM
Solution here is a PAO. They basically take apart your pelvis and screw it back together. Not even kidding…the cut the acetabulum free, reposition it to adequately cover the femoral head, and use screws to stabilize. Screws come out, generally, in 6-12 months.
The hip group I’ve seen has done a few of White’s patients. Which is…I don’t even know. I am SO VERY ANGRY that I’m in this position and that he was so aggressive with removing bone from the acetabular rim.
I guess I have to do this soonish or a THR not so soonish. I have no idea if I can really sign up for the PAO and the recovery. But for the first time, my radiographs show thinning of the cartilage, so I don’t have forever to make a decision…arthritis is an excluder here, you go straight to THR. This is the FIRST time since my garbage fire of a reconstruction that anyone has said they know what’s wrong and have offered a solution, though.
And, to top it off, my opposite hip is just getting more cranky and there’s a good chance I’ll have to make a decision there, too. Thankfully I’m not congenitally dysplastic so that is probably a labral repair. Without all the rim trimming.
Bah
I did something in constructing my fences around my farm. Because I’m getting older and creakier and have lots of old broken bones, I purposely didn’t put human gates where others might want them. I need to climb up and over the top board in several places to get into my pastures and shelter to feed. I climb these up and over several times per day and it keep my hips and legs more flexible. My vet and her assistant always chuckle when they see me do this but it keeps my body working. Every little bit helps. :lol:
