Hi folks,
I just wanted to talk a little about this procedure that I had done 7 1/2 weeks ago. I had stage 1 avascular necrosis (dying bone) due to a traumatic hip injury suffered 5 years ago. I broke the hip and then started pretending I was a lost soul mid ager tri addict. Nevertheless I irritated the hip and as such it rebelled. I visited the best hip guy in Austin and he told me to get in the water two weeks post surgery (I love this doc!). I worked up steadily, first 1000yds, then 1500 then 2000, then joined a group, now, in a 6 week period I'm up to four times a week (last week) and Saturdays with Longhorn Aquatics. I made my second practice with them last weekend and loved it so much.
I know a lot of people don't know about this and most swimmers won't have this problem or condition but if you are a tri person or a lifelong runner you may get to this point. It's very rare but you never know who has questions and I wanted to be up front with anyone who has them. Please feel free to email me or pm me. I'm early post surgery and will have to see how this progresses as I age. I'm told this is an irreversible condition and will eventually need a total hip replacement in 5-15 years depending on my body.
I noticed there are tons of info about hip replacements but virtually nothing about the core decompression procedure or possible outcomes. I want to let whoever is seeking to know that I'm a friend you can talk to about this situation. I am and will always be an optimist so I have goals still, never more so than swimming goals these days, and want those to know that there is life with this diagnosis.
If you have been cut off from the land and must now face life looking at a black line to get your cardio fix you will enjoy it so much since I (at least in my condition) never feel pain in the water.
All the best,
Swim
Former Member
Hi Swimbody,
I've been diagnosed with AVN (stage 1-2) a few weeks ago after 4 painful months of not knowing what I had. I was passed from pilar to post and made to feel like a time waster, etc. Then wen I got some answers, I then had to get used to te idea of having a dead area of bone in my body and possibly 3 months downtime. It realy was a horrible period of my life.
Well I seem to be on track since the diagnosis and am now very happy about moving forward. My specialist seems competant and advises me to go ahead with this op or I could face total femur head collapse in the near future.
Do you think the op has been a success? How was the recovery?
I note your points about swimming. I live in Mallorca, Spain and have 4 kids so we spend a lot of time in the sea. I completely agree when you say you feel no pain when your in the water. I just worry as there seems to be this idea that imobilizing the leg is the best way forward for 4-6 weeks. I will go nuts keeping still for so long!
Any tips for getting through this would really be appreciated....
All the best
