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Limping badly, but little pain....

Posted , 12 users are following.

mark26805
mark26805

Since 2000 I've had a slowly deteriating hip joint. I am 50 years old and live in the centre of the UK. My Grandad had 3 hip replacements, my Uncle has had one and my own Dad has walked with a bad limp for the last 10 years now.

When my hips are X-Rayed, they show extra bone growth on the cup of both joints; but it is only my left hip that has a restricted movement. I can still touch my right knee to my chin, but the closest I can get my left knee is about  15" (35cm) away. This gives me the traditional "wonky donkey" walk. I don't notice it much but when I see a video of myself I look terrible.

I still walk the dogs, go skiing and hill walking; if I know I am going on a long or energetic walk/climb I take co-codemol prescription strength and I'm fine but generally I need no pain relief for walking and day to day work.

It is most uncomfortable when I sleep. I find I get comfortable in a position, but if I do not fall asleep quickly, I'm uncomfortable and have to change positions again, sometimes this goes on for too long...

I have another X-Ray and chat to my hip specialist every July, but he tells me to wait until I'm in pain, then they will do the operation. He tells me they are good at curing pain....but I may still have a limp after surgery. I tend to agree with this, but after 5 years of limited sports, I'm beginning to think my quality of life has plumetted and maybe I should have the operation sooner rather than later.

I can still cycle, pain free, but can't run, play football, tennis, anything that needs me to stetch out from side to side. Even taking penalty kicks is hard work as I swing and twist a bit.

Anyone else in this position? Anyone gone before??? I am lucky to be pain free, but feel too young for this limiting lifestyle.

2 likes, 33 replies

33 Replies

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  • mena554551
    mena554551 mark26805

    Posted

    Hi, I'm 20 days post left hip surgery and your story resonated....I'm 47 years old and continued to work up until the day before my op but I was so restricted in similar ways....sleep difficult, restricted movement and unable to do any sports I enjoy.  The line in the sand for me was it was getting worse and I wanted to be pain free, be able to enjoy outdoor activities with my children and feel more like 'me' again.  I could have struggled on but I felt it was the right thing to do for me and I also had family support as my my Mum had hers done when she was 50.  It is a big decision and I wish you well.
    • mark26805
      mark26805 mena554551

      Posted

      Cheers for the reply, it does seem as though you were actually in pain before the operation; it's like I'm just waiting for this pain to start. I am, at worst, a bit uncomfortable at times, not enough for pain relief, YET !

      But I'm restricted in what I can do, just booked next years skiing trip and I will take some form of pain relief for that week, maybe a tablet on first day, two on second, etc... It seems to work best that way over the week. I'm OK actually skiing down the runs, but I can't jump and if I take a tumble.....OUCH, that can smart a bit....

  • louise2602
    louise2602 mark26805

    Posted

    Hi Mark

    Yes I am the same as you. I also have extra bone growth on both hips. It's called FAI you may know or may want to check it out. I also have a bad gait, limp and like you take painkillers. Yes nighttime was ridiculous till my gp put me on amitriptyline tabs low dose now I sleep all through the shocking pain that used to keep me awake through the night. Thank God.

    I think like you well I only get occasional pain but then groin pain set in. No amount of meds kill the pain which comes on all of a sudden and it's a catching pain so two weeks ago I had a steroid hip inj. Not so good. It only killed my front hip pain.

    I go back in four weeks and after reading so many patients stories here have decided to have the op THR as soon as poss. Was meant to have it 2013 but chickened out. I have severe osteoarthritis in hips.

    You mention yr family have it done and lots of peps have sd u don't look back after.

    Good luck whatever u decide Mark.

    All the very best.

    • mark26805
      mark26805 louise2602

      Posted

      Hi Louise, yes if you are in pain, get it done. It does seem that once the medication is needed, then it is time. My problem is being a bit uncomfortable, but not yet needing pain relief...how long will this last?

      I am a complete wuss and can't take ANY pain, so it's not my turn just yet, but I can see it coming. BEST WISHES.

    • louise2602
      louise2602 mark26805

      Posted

      Yes Mark completely agree when it's time yr body will let you know. When steps u take are painful and other parts of ur pelvis start to give then its time. I was a wuss also till I read on here you can get loads of meds like morphine to help with pain and pain time seems short. I've heard of peps getting back in twelve weeks imagine. I know it's defo my time. Leave everything in God's hands. Good luck,
  • maggiefabrianne
    maggiefabrianne mark26805

    Posted

    hi mark

    yes i used to play golf, and previously to that squash and tennis and was very active. I was in pain for at least 10 years and it affected my life drastically. I am 62 years old .  I was told to wait until the pain is bad but it was bad for 10 years and I suppose I was scared of the operation as never been in hospital before.  Therefore I did not push until this year when I was like a cripple.  June 1st I had my first hip done and found out both of my hips were bone on bone and I suffered so much that my back was in danger of twisting but fortunately hadnt. I am ha

    maggieving my second one done next week.  This operation has changed my life already and will be even better after the second is done.  I will be able to play golf again.....and cant wait.  Believe me this operation is life changing and I cannot believe I held off for so long. Push for it and get it done.  You wont regret it.

  • mark_s
    mark_s mark26805

    Posted

    Hi Mark, I'm 16 days post op left THR. Your story will be similar to many of the people on this forum, it is to mine. 

    I'm 46 and had all the same problems as you but did have the pain, not at first, but gradually deteriorating.

    On my X-ray I had the bone growth which my consultant called Spurs and they form when it's bone on bone rubbing together, these caused most of my pain.

    I also had the obligatory limp, some days it was worse than others but it was always there.

    I also could not bend down at the knee which caused me no end of trouble with my back because I couldn't pick anything up bending properly, I just used to bend my back, legs straight and lift. Not good lifting practice that!

    In bed, I, like you had the pain at its worst. Again my consultant said it was because we are relaxed and in the foetal position my left hip would overlap my right or vice versa which caused the bone on bone (spur) to rub together. It was a pulsating, throbbing, stabbing pain. I would move, get comfy then about 20 mins later it would start again.

    If it were me, I would insist on THR especially knowing what I know now. I can already feel the joint is much stronger and hopefully when fully recovered it will change my life.

    Its been hard graft on the recovery side but you gain what you put in and I've worked bloody hard at the exercises. I'm now down to 1 crutch walking inside and outside the house. I have reduced my pain killers to 1 in the morning and evening just before bed, although it is no worse than before the op ( that may be a bit of an exaggeration ha ha ) but I can cope with it easily!

    As I've said in an earlier post, did I want to have the operation and live my life like someone of my age with a new hip which will last at least 15 years or do I want to not have the op and live my life like someone who is 30 years older than I am? It wasn't a hard decision.

    As I've said, go for it, it will change your life. Just remember, medication, injections or surgery is all pain relief of some description so why do the first 2? Just have the surgery quicker!

    Best wishes for your future, whatever decision you come to,

    regards,

    Mark

  • shirley17649
    shirley17649 mark26805

    Posted

    Hi mark,

    That does sound rotten. Maybe the surgeon does not want to do the op just yet because you would then need another one when you are 65/70 if the first one wears out then. You are very young (my humble opinion)

    I fell and broke my neck of femur two and half years ago and that has led to deterioration and OA in the hip so I was in agony as well as a bad limp. Walking with a crutch when outdoors. You don't sound as bad as that yet. Maybe hold on to your own hip for a bit longer. See what this winter is like. My pain was a lot worse during windy weather and low pressure.

  • annedi
    annedi mark26805

    Posted

    I think you have to decide what you want and find out if they are prepared to do it yet as well. I had my first at 47 and held off as long as possible I was on dihydrocodeine and eventually couldn't sleep so had to have it done. I still have that hip at 62 but there is a little wear in the lining so don't know how long it will last (It's metal with plastic liner). I have just had my other hip done with ceramic on ceramic - the surgeon says it should see me out. Unlike the last one which was a slow detereoration this one I had a few niggles over a year but then it suddenly went really bad in the space of a few months and at my first surgeon meet he organised the replacement straight away!

    The technology is more advanced now so they last longer which is good as you are only 50.

    You have to weigh up the pros re life style to the possibility of having another one later one or indeed if you are one of the few where it does not go so well.

    There are some things you can't do now but you still sound like you can do quite a lot!

    Good luck in your decision.

    by the way my first when I was younger healed really quickly - this one is taking longer though at 5 months I can garden, walk, climb ladders etc -though if I do too much the muscles do ache around the joint and it feels a little strange.

  • sassybees
    sassybees mark26805

    Posted

    Simple... you say no pain yet......

    pysical pain no. Mental pain yes or you wouldnt be here.

    Ask yourself. Do you want to live the full life youve grow accustomed to.

    Think.....while your unbalnced and waddling. ....what other damage are you doing and to what part of the body.

    Good luck in your decision

    Thougoughly recommend thr. And im youngish

    • mark_s
      mark_s sassybees

      Posted

      Well said Sassybees, couldn't have put it any clearer myself, as you can probably see from my rant above! 😁
    • mark26805
      mark26805 mark_s

      Posted

      No. I really am in no pain at all. when I say slight discomfort that is all I mean and believe me I don't tolerate pain well at all smile

      I was never one to enjoy running, I only cycle for fitness as I do not enjoy any forms of torture.... I do miss 5 a side football at work and indoor tennis, but it does eem that everyone at work stops playing those at 50ish and they do not have hip problems, usually knees!!!!

      I am concerned that if I have it done too early and stay active, it will only last 10 years and I'll need a second and then in 20 years maybe wheelchair bound. But the older you are when you have it done, the less likely you will be running around abusing the new joint, so it will last longer than the expected 10. Also the longer it takes the better the joint, only 5 years ago they would have fitted metal on metal happily. Not any more, what will they decide in the next 5 years.

      Decisions, decisions....

    • mark26805
      mark26805

      Posted

      ...as for pain relief injections, not even considered those yet, apparently I have good joint seperation, no bone on bone, which seems to be the painful point for most people. I never feel my bone spurs, they do not actually touch or click together. My leg feels fine except for a more limited circle of movement which I only notice when comparing with my other leg, which surprisingly has the same bone spurs in the same places on X-Ray, but cause no problems at all....YET!!
    • louise2602
      louise2602 mark26805

      Posted

      Mark

      Luckily yr hip/leg is a novice. Hope it stays that way. It's taken 3 years from ok to ridiculous. Time to get them both sorted.

  • jason42777
    jason42777 mark26805

    Posted

    Hi Mark, I have fai , tho only in right hip now and that gives me no trouble, left hip had deteriorated to point of having to have thr. Tho I was referred to the hip preservation service at Coventry uhcw, they specialize in treating impingment issues by grinding off spurs, unfortunately years of horse riding had worn away the cartalidge in my left hip as the infringement pushed the joint out of position . But I did get a total ceramic done by superpath method. My advice would be try to get to see prof Griffin or his team.

    Regards Jay.

    • louise2602
      louise2602 jason42777

      Posted

      Jason yes I too have fai, flipping painful. Was ok ish till the groin pain began now I'm almost disabled so it's now time to press ahead. I have a brill dr Professor Haddad University College London. He n his team are brill so far. I always say yr body will tell you when it's had enough and can no longer cope. Good luck. Btw did anyone explain how yr FAI came about? I've read it happens in puberty yet others say it starts with the onset of osteo?
    • mark26805
      mark26805 jason42777

      Posted

      Yes, the name Prof. Damian Griffiths (I think!) keeps coming up but my Doctor says my condition is not suitable. I considered paying to go private to see him and the initial consultation would have been about £1000 due to MRI, and X-Rays plus initial fee. That would have been OK, but my own Dr was of the opinion that as long as you keep paying, they will keep operating, but it would not help me due to my specific condition. Too many bone growths, I think they used the term osteophytes, all the way around my hips. I really did not expect it to drag on for this long, 5 years now; but seeing as I still ski every year....well it can't be that bad can it? The official position is after the operation I should not go skiing again in case I fall in the wrong way... Many people do go skiing again, but with great care I expect.
    • jason42777
      jason42777 louise2602

      Posted

      I don't think they know the reason for the extra bone growth, as I say in above post , mine only came to light due to my hriding riding, getting on uses the inward rotation of the hip, I was doing this from 5 to 16 and this probably started the wear and tear process . I never knew I had a problem until about 3 years ago I was having a kick around with my son then 11 when my thigh gave a pain like an electric shock and then gave way on me. I picked myself up and limped home thinking I'd pulled a muscle and treated it as such, then about six months later same thing, then everyone and then leg would go so went to see doc... practice nurse sent me to physio... he knew after 30 seconds it was my hip not thigh.... pushed knee to chest and in on both sides, right, no problem, left , owwwww! Referred to prof griffin , unfortunately too much damage done to leave joint stable after arthroscopy so went straight for thr as was only going to get worse. My actual consultant was Mr Michael Cronin. Took nearly 2 years from diagnosis to surgery but worth it . He did superpath tissue sparing so I can have two or three ops if required. Tho he thinks hip should last 20 to 30 years. No muscle cut ... no dislocation precautions. Worst problem now... my knee got used to pointing out when walking now point forward and is taking time to retrain muscles, but getting there, hip better than ever. I had pain I was subconsciously ignoring. U only know you had it when it gone. Sounds weird I know but after surgery I felt sooo much better.
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