Diagnosis of Perthes Disease at age 51 male

Excellent post to promote health and quality of life by preventing and controlling disease.

Good morning Gavin.  Perthes disease in children often leads to a deformity of the femoral head which in many cases leads to osteoarthritis of the hip, particularly when it is not diagnosed at the time.  Perthes actually is self limiting and by the time a child has finished growing it is no longer "active".  However when the hip is incongruent as the result of the deformity , total hip replacement is necessary.  Please try not to worry, although this is major surgery, success rates are very high asnd most people are out of bed the same day and walking the next.  Just think how good it will be to be pain free after all these years!  

I know the feeling of the pain, planning your trips to minimise the walking because it hurts so much, I have a friend who swears he was so glad at 32 to have a hip operation which I thought was pretty young, I am yet to have mine, I know it will come at some point.

One thing I was recommended the other day that made the pain lessen was Milk Thistle, it was almost instant and I could rotate and flex and walk further having taken it, a herbal remedy, its worth a try for you.

Hi sorry to hear you have suffered all that time, unfortunately Perthes disease is a childhood disorder which often leaves the head of femur deformed long after it is over.  This leads to osteoarthritis of the hip in later life, I have to say to get to 55 before needing a THR is very good especially as you had no treatment a a child.

Treatments today are designed to reduce deformity and therefore reduce the risk of THR or delay it, new research may well make hip replacement a thing of the past and trials are taking place now using stem cells to grow a new hip.  Of course your family will worry, as they would with any parent undergoing surgery, but Hip replacements are commonplace and most patients have a whole new lease of life afterwards.  Feel free to contact me direct via Perthes Association and good luck with the new hip!

Hi Gavin.  Like you I have been diagnosed in later life, I am a 64 year old female, diagnosed 18 months ago.  Also had pain in hip, knee and back and hated running, jumping sports at school.  I keep active by walking and take Pilates classes to help with posture.  However my gait is getting bad, the pain is worsening and I am worried about how this is affecting my good side.  I am seeing a consultant for the first time tomorrow for my first ever 'discussion' about Perthes and my husband is coming with me to make sure I am honest!.  Can't decide if I am pleased or worried about this, a bit of both I think.  I wish you all the very best for your operation and will watch your discussion with interest.

Hi Gavin, I have had my fingers crossed for you and hope all has gone well.  I have now seen an Orthopaedic Consultant for my first discussion after having had undiagnosed and untreated Perthes as a child, am now aged 64.  The x-ray showed a flattenend femur and a shortened limb which has caused arthritis in my hip, also staring in my other hip.  A new hip now needed so am feeling just the same way you did.  The Consultant said it is up to me when I choose to have the surgery dependent on how the pain is affecting me and said he would see me next year unless I get back to him earlier.  I think it might be sooner rather than later.  Meanwhile you have my best wishes for a speedy recovery.