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Sore right hip/groin (Read 269 times)


Hip Redux

    Well, so, here's my line of thinking based on the research I've done and the original consult with the ortho.  Everyone's situation is different of course.

     

    It's likely I have a tear because of a structural issue with my hips (called an FAI).  If that is the case, then I am basically at the start of degrading the labrum via repetitive movements (walking, running, etc).  My doctor explained that this then leads to degradation of the cartilage within the hip.  And puts you on the track to an early hip replacement.

     

    There's really two ways you tear the labrum - trauma (like a car accident or fall) or FAI.  I haven't seen many that have fallen outside of these two, but I suppose there are cases that do.   Right now I am inconclusive for FAI, but mostly because my ortho doesn't do a lot of these cases and I believe once the specialist reviews that that will be my problem.

     

    I've spoken to a few people who tried for a long time to stick with the conservative treatments, and their main regret was not getting it fixed sooner.  One ended up with a fairly large tear and most of her labrum was removed, and so her next step is a hip replacement if she starts to have issues again.  Of course, surgery is a big deal and rehab is a long process - ~6 months for FAI repair.   But a hip replacement isn't a ton of fun, either.

     

    So I do think it's worth at least knowing what it is, if nothing else so you can at least make a call at what path you want to take.  I was originally diagnosed with adductor tendonitis, btw.

     

    MadisonMandy


    Refurbished Hip

       

      After the MRA showed a tear, what did you do?  I agree, I'll probably get the MRA if for no other reason than to KNOW what's going on and not just have my chiro say "it's very likely a small tear."Mine is now basically better but mentally it's super annoying in the sense that it's "there" and while the pain is almost nonexistent, the tightness is persistent and annoying and I do feel a bit of pain if I change direction quickly (or, slip on ice and catch myself before falling).

       

      It's annoying in the sense that it just isn't magically going away like I'm used to injuries doing!  So, while I can live with this, and seem to be able to run fairly well, in the back of my mind I dread this always being there, and I also dread it keeping me from running to my full potential. I was winning a lot of race, I'd like to keep doing that until I'm just tooo old and I don't personally believe 37 is old.

       

       

      *If* you have a torn labrum, it won't heal on its own.  If you have femoroacetabular impingement (FAI), which is the most common cause of tears, it's not going to heal on its own.  Many, many people have small labral tears that are asymptomatic.  Maybe through PT and chiro visits, you can become asymptomatic.  That didn't work for me.  I've been dealing with mine for almost 2 years now.  I am having surgery in less than 2 weeks.

      Running is dumb.

      MadisonMandy


      Refurbished Hip

        And what Oski says.  I was also misdiagnosed for a while.

         

        MTA -- I also never had a catching sensation.  Just a dull ache deep in my groin.  The clicking has starting just recently, but I still have no catching.

        Running is dumb.


        ultramarathon/triathlete

          Yeah, I realize it won't get better on its own.  Which sucks :-(

           

          Please keep us posted after your upcoming surgery!  And good luck!

           

          My mom had her hip replaced when she was young, and had it replaced a second time a few years back.  I've always worried this would happen to me.  Not fun.

          HTFU?  Why not!

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          Prince of Fatness

            Not sure where to post it but here seems to be as good as any place.  I have been dealing with a torn labrum for a while.  Last post here.

             

            https://www.runningahead.com/forums/post/20c526c81ec243e98cf5ea1e16f22798#focus

             

            Anyway, just to update.  Even though I have a torn labrum I had other symptoms that were atypical of this so the hip specialist wanted me to get a cortisone shot, for possible relief but also as a diagnostic tool.  If the shot really does not help with the pain then surgery most liklely will not either.

             

            I had mixed results with the shot.  It helped around the joint and also the radiant pain that I experienced in the hip flexor area.  However, I still have pain from what we believe is an impingement of my sciatic nerve.  That could be trickier to tackle as the impingement could be in my back or it could be in my hip (I believe that it is hip).

             

            Anyway, the shot provided enough relief that the specialist thinks that surgery will help me.  I am over 90% sure that I will go that route and am trying to find a time when I can deal with being out of commission for a while.  Would prefer to be done with it by summer.  While I am not sure that this will completely make my problems go away I feel quite confident that things will only get worse if I do not have surgery.

            Not at it at all. 


            Hip Redux

              Bummer.  Sad

               

              MadisonMandy


              Refurbished Hip

                Not sure where to post it but here seems to be as good as any place.  I have been dealing with a torn labrum for a while.  Last post here.

                 

                https://www.runningahead.com/forums/post/20c526c81ec243e98cf5ea1e16f22798#focus

                 

                Anyway, just to update.  Even though I have a torn labrum I had other symptoms that were atypical of this so the hip specialist wanted me to get a cortisone shot, for possible relief but also as a diagnostic tool.  If the shot really does not help with the pain then surgery most liklely will not either.

                 

                I had mixed results with the shot.  It helped around the joint and also the radiant pain that I experienced in the hip flexor area.  However, I still have pain from what we believe is an impingement of my sciatic nerve.  That could be trickier to tackle as the impingement could be in my back or it could be in my hip (I believe that it is hip).

                 

                Anyway, the shot provided enough relief that the specialist thinks that surgery will help me.  I am over 90% sure that I will go that route and am trying to find a time when I can deal with being out of commission for a while.  Would prefer to be done with it by summer.  While I am not sure that this will completely make my problems go away I feel quite confident that things will only get worse if I do not have surgery.

                 

                I was wondering how you were doing.  You can't take the shot as a complete diagnostic tool.  Plenty of people don't get a lot of relief from the shot, yet still have successful surgeries.  When do you think you'll make a decision?  Although it sounds like your mind is pretty much set.  I think your bolded line just says it all and is exactly how I feel.

                 

                I also have occasional back pain/psoas pain and I'm super curious to see if this surgery winds up helping either of those.

                Running is dumb.


                Prince of Fatness

                  When do you think you'll make a decision?  Although it sounds like your mind is pretty much set.  I think your bolded line just says it all and is exactly how I feel.

                   

                  Yeah I would say that my mind is just about made up.  I think that now it is a matter of finding a time slot that fits in with both work and my personal life.

                   

                  I will be curious as to how your recovery progresses so please keep us updated.

                  Not at it at all. 


                  ultramarathon/triathlete

                    I just spoke to two very fit running friends who had hip labrum tear surgeries done.  One was about a year ago, one was when she was in college, several years back.

                     

                    Both are extremely fit still and both are competing in triathlon and running (at least the half marathon distance) and both are pain free post surgery.  I can see if they'd pop on here and write something if people might find their experience helpful.  I certainly find them both reassuring since they're both fit post-surgery and continue to compete and a pretty darn good level.

                    HTFU?  Why not!

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                    ultramarathon/triathlete

                      This is what one of my friends wrote me:

                      ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

                       

                      I'm like you and always want to know for sure what is wrong for fear of making things even worse in the future. I definitely think you should get the MRA and find out IF you have a tear for sure and if so, HOW BAD the tear is. I know fitness professionals who've and tears and opted not to have surgery based on the severity and limitations they were willing to live with. Mine happened to be severe enough that I would not have been able to run long distance, cycle long distance or keep up my level of teaching/ training and was not willing to live with that.

                       

                      My labrum was fully torn by the time I had pain (stupid high pain tolerance...you'd think that's a good thing!) and I needed several additional procedures in addition to just the labral repair. Even so, I've been really lucky and had an amazingly smooth recovery. It hasn't even been four months since the procedure and I am  cycling, teaching bootcamp classes and trail running. (Not super long distances yet, but I'm able to enjoy doing what I love) Running will be the last thing you can return to as the impact affects your hip negatively while healing. I had 3 anchors put in along with the sutures for the tear and that made it even more of an issue. All of that being said, every single person heals differently and at a different rate. But I do think the most important thing is to find out exactly the extent of your tear if you have one and go from there.

                       

                      If your chiro is able to help you that's wonderful. You may not even need surgery! I had already been doing PT, etc. for months because of my stress fracture (which was caused by my hip that I had no pain in...ugh!) so the two PTs I saw agreed that additional PT or strengthening would not help me at all. I knew I'd rather deal with the recovery process and eventually return to my full training level/ load. Not to mention it's how I make a living!

                      ~~~~~~~~~~~~~

                      HTFU?  Why not!

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                      MadisonMandy


                      Refurbished Hip

                        I just spoke to two very fit running friends who had hip labrum tear surgeries done.  One was about a year ago, one was when she was in college, several years back.

                         

                        Both are extremely fit still and both are competing in triathlon and running (at least the half marathon distance) and both are pain free post surgery.  I can see if they'd pop on here and write something if people might find their experience helpful.  I certainly find them both reassuring since they're both fit post-surgery and continue to compete and a pretty darn good level.

                         

                        That's awesome.  Thanks for the info, Dave.  There's not a whole lot of good success stories out there for this surgery, but it's still a new surgery and I try to remember that people like to complain on the internet.

                        Running is dumb.


                        ultramarathon/triathlete

                           

                          That's awesome.  Thanks for the info, Dave.  There's not a whole lot of good success stories out there for this surgery, but it's still a new surgery and I try to remember that people like to complain on the internet.

                           

                          I totally agree, and my chiro did not have great things to say about the surgery, other than I should avoid it at all costs.  BUT I really want to stress (maybe to make myself feel better!) that the only two people I know who have had it done, are 100% better and back to competing.  Very small sample of two but still.

                          HTFU?  Why not!

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                          Hip Redux

                            I don't think chiros ever think surgery is a good idea!

                             

                            I know three people in real life who have had the surgery and all have no regrets and are doing really well (two who went to my surgeon).

                             


                            ultramarathon/triathlete

                              Getting a better scan next week.  Hip arthrogram, which I believe is the whole X-Ray, injection MRI combo thing.

                               

                              We'll see what this is, but I will say I managed 13.75 miles pushing my twins in the double stroller this past Sunday (slower than normal, but faster when I met up with some running friends for a few miles, probably averaged 8:20 pace (garmin died) and I got 8.5 miles on the treadmill at my lunch hour today with no pain, just a slight burning-ish sensation deep in the groin area.  I'd rate it a 1 on a pain scale of 1-10.    Can't really complain about that!

                               

                              My chiro thinks I had an impingement that may be mostly worked out.  I'm WAY better, almost fully better, but it's persistent and not gone and it's been since mid December (according to a note in my running journal).   Which makes me believe there is something there, however small.  We'll see if the MRI shows anything.  I just want to know that I'm not going to make it worse with the continued running, albeit low pain.  Am I going to wear things down over the months or years and need a hip replacement?  Or will it totally be gone in a matter of months.  Who knows.

                              HTFU?  Why not!

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                              Empire Tri Club Coach
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                              Hip Redux

                                Yep, that's the MRI + dye.   It'll give you the best images to identify what's up.  The shot really isn't bad.    Fingers crossed for you!

                                 

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