I'm a competitive masters swimmer (mid 40s) with an osteoarthritic hip. It's a question of when not whether I'll need to get a replacement. Are there any swimmers out there who have personal experience, advice, insight which would help with the making the choices of what to do and when to do it? It would also help to hear where the best sources of research information are which might help answer questions like - "will I have difficulty with racing dive starts, tumble turns or breaststroke kick (ie actions which place high stress forces on the hips)?"
Thanks and happy swimming.
Guy
Thanks Ian for the further input and Jim for your thoughts. Ian your reference to "putting a steel cap on the ball of the femur which would go in a steel socket attached to the pelvis" is , I think, resurfacing. I have been looking into web info on this - see www.activejoints.com/resurfacing.html Not yet FDA approved but seems to be getting there. The aspect that seems particularly interesting are the claims regarding "athlete" experiences with this approach. See www.midmedtec.co.uk/case_studies.htm
However, I feel the need to be cautious because there can't yet be much long term experience.
Jim, will look into hip labral tears - which I had not heard of. This was a good starting point for me.
uconnsportsmed.uchc.edu/.../
G
Thanks Ian for the further input and Jim for your thoughts. Ian your reference to "putting a steel cap on the ball of the femur which would go in a steel socket attached to the pelvis" is , I think, resurfacing. I have been looking into web info on this - see www.activejoints.com/resurfacing.html Not yet FDA approved but seems to be getting there. The aspect that seems particularly interesting are the claims regarding "athlete" experiences with this approach. See www.midmedtec.co.uk/case_studies.htm
However, I feel the need to be cautious because there can't yet be much long term experience.
Jim, will look into hip labral tears - which I had not heard of. This was a good starting point for me.
uconnsportsmed.uchc.edu/.../
G
