The Harmonious Hip: Tiny Steps

Monday, November 28, 2011

Tiny Steps

Nov. 18, 2011:

One week post-op....Big Daddy has taken me to the movies. It's the first time I've left the house since my R Hip Arthroscopy and it feels glorious and indulgent! The past week has been a blur of painkillers, ice packs and tiny steps....from bed to bathroom, from bed to kitchen, from kitchen to bathroom, you get the idea. Little by little by little... day by day, putting a bit more weight on the R leg. Still using only one crutch, mainly for support. Hip is still extremely painful and feels very, very unstable... Family has been a God-send! Big Daddy is my rock, as always. My precious children, Parker and Lily have been so sweet and supportive, jumping up to fetch me this or that. And having my own mother here has been a absolute life-saver...she helps me keep my sanity, either just listening or making me laugh or letting me cry. You're NEVER too old for your Mama, y'all!

MY Mama :-)

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What is Hip Dysplasia?

You may hear about babies or pets with hip dysplasia, but it can affect adults, especially young women. Hip dysplasia is an abnormal condition affecting the hip socket, oracetabulum, and the thighbone, or femur. In someone with hip dysplasia, the hip socket is too shallow, or the femur is in the wrong place. Doctors check for hip dysplasia in babies before sending them home from the hospital -- it's an easily treatable condition in newborns. But if hip dysplasia isn't detected and corrected at an early age, the health of the hip will deteriorate over time because of its misalignment. Depending on the severity of the situation, this could result in pain, osteoarthritis, difficulty walking or an inability to walk. It can also contribute to a marked deterioration in a person's basic quality of life. It's not just dogs and babies, y'all!

Periacetabular Osteotomy (or PAO)

PAO: The Mother of All Hip Surgeries... A procedure that cuts the hip socket out of the pelvis to allow the socket to be repositioned and then screwed back into place. This allows the ball & socket to move fluidly, preventing further cartilage damage and preserving the joint in patients with faulty hips. The PAO preserves and enhances the patient's own hip, NOT replacing it with artificial parts like a hip replacement. The hip may still develop arthritis over time, even when the operation is successful. However, PAO is still the preferred treatment in young adults to postpone the need for hip replacement as long as possible.