Why A Hip
Replacement Now?
This operation was done at the
ripe old age of 53 1/2. A bit young for your average replacee. The
reason is summarised nicely in the surgeon's report - where he says he
found no cartilage in the load bearing areas of the socket or ball. It
was bone on bone. While, for some reason, not totally disabilitating,
the pain level was sufficient to have made me slow down or stop many
activities - hiking, biking, walking, standing(!) and to have more pain
than I liked when playing ultimate frisbee and kayaking.
After the fact, I now recognise
symptoms from 10 years ago of loss of flexibility in my right leg -
difficulties in separating my legs; squatting; rotating my right
leg. It got very bad 5 years ago, and I contemplated surgery then, but
discovered physio therapy, including arthritis pool therapy. The
therapy was sufficient to keep me going with a reduced load of frisbee
and other sports. A year ago, it started getting bad again, so I
started large doses of naproxen (pretty much the max my doctor was
comfortable with). And then, this summer it got worse again. Adding up
all the lost activities and clear downward spiral, I was convinced to
replace.