da pimp
New member
Don't wait - do it now!
I went thru the same range of thoughts and worries. Had total replacement of left hip in May 2007, right after ski season. Did good PT and did not slack off the working out even after I felt pretty good. The second half of my summer I was fully active. Five months later in October I was able to hike up Killington and ski the Rime trail (no lifts open yet) where they had piled up snowmaking mounds as a prep to starting the season. Pretty rugged surfaces with ice, snow, lumps and gullies. Felt fine, and actually surprised myself that I was able to do all the moves I needed to without pain. Of course I was super worried about a twisting fall where my left leg gets caught up going inward and back. That is still the number one risk area for replaced hips.
Every surgeon will harp on you to give up singles tennis, basketball, waterskiing, alpine sports, no skydiving (the landing is too risky) but that is the lawyers talking. You should feel free to do anything you feel physically capable of while remembering that landings, higher speeds, unexpected stops or crashes create more risk versus the average person.
If at all possible demand ceramics. Some surgeons may not be certified thus will not recommend it. So find one that is certified for their application. The old fashioned polyeurethane parts and the slightly newer metal surfaces are not the way to go. The plastics will erode over time, and even within a few years the larger size erosion particles will cause a breakdown in the surrounding bone tissue and loosen up the implants. The metals are better but the concentrations of cobalt and chromium that will accumulate in your body present a long term risk. Some docs think it means nothing, others think it is a cancer risk. Do you want to be a test pilot for medicine? I did not.
The newest ceramics are the strongest and smoothest ever used. At age 51 I was given the prognosis of lifetime expectancy with the lowest rate of side effects or difficulties of any of the materials in use today. The ceramics are the bearing surfaces that are attached to the implants - the acetabulum and femoral rod are implanted, then the ceramic ball and cup go into the implants. My surgeon previously used ceramics on a ski patroller, marathon runner, and karate instructor. I have been totally happy with the results.
Today I ski any terrain at any speed and never think about my hip. My self imposed restrictions are no air, always maintain ski contact with the snow, if I sense a fall starting just get your feet up & away from being twisted up or jammed. A little speed control goes a long way, simply because higher speeds in trees or bumps raise your risk factor tremendously. I still run gates and enjoy ripping early morning runs as fast as I ever could ski them. Moderate speeds with high control can be very fun. Let it rip when conditions are in your favor.
One thing you must make a lifelong habit of is to walk a lot. Daily, or many times a week. Your surgeon will explain why. It is a small price to pay for pain free and enjoying every day.
Tips: Research your surgeon well. Verify that your surgeon is not simply "attending" and letting a junior person do the actual sawing, drilling, and implanting. If the femur cracks, no big deal. They will band it and it will heal up along with everything else. Donate your own blood in advance, so that they use only your own blood during the operation. Do everything possible to prevent infection. Never check in to a rehab place unless you have a critical medical condition that you cannot service at home. Get the surgeon's report from the hospital, accept no resistance on that. Write down the place and date of every X-ray you get (there will be a lot) and demand copies of every single one. They are all electronic. Make sure you get the films for your other "good" leg and hip. They film them as well, so they can reconstruct your repaired side to match the good side just as you had all your life. Find out what over the counter supplements will promote bone growth to help the healing process. Listen to what they say about restrictions immediately after surgery and do not think you know it all. I would wish you good luck but luck is not needed. Just use common sense, patience and be a good patient by following the rules.
I went thru the same range of thoughts and worries. Had total replacement of left hip in May 2007, right after ski season. Did good PT and did not slack off the working out even after I felt pretty good. The second half of my summer I was fully active. Five months later in October I was able to hike up Killington and ski the Rime trail (no lifts open yet) where they had piled up snowmaking mounds as a prep to starting the season. Pretty rugged surfaces with ice, snow, lumps and gullies. Felt fine, and actually surprised myself that I was able to do all the moves I needed to without pain. Of course I was super worried about a twisting fall where my left leg gets caught up going inward and back. That is still the number one risk area for replaced hips.
Every surgeon will harp on you to give up singles tennis, basketball, waterskiing, alpine sports, no skydiving (the landing is too risky) but that is the lawyers talking. You should feel free to do anything you feel physically capable of while remembering that landings, higher speeds, unexpected stops or crashes create more risk versus the average person.
If at all possible demand ceramics. Some surgeons may not be certified thus will not recommend it. So find one that is certified for their application. The old fashioned polyeurethane parts and the slightly newer metal surfaces are not the way to go. The plastics will erode over time, and even within a few years the larger size erosion particles will cause a breakdown in the surrounding bone tissue and loosen up the implants. The metals are better but the concentrations of cobalt and chromium that will accumulate in your body present a long term risk. Some docs think it means nothing, others think it is a cancer risk. Do you want to be a test pilot for medicine? I did not.
The newest ceramics are the strongest and smoothest ever used. At age 51 I was given the prognosis of lifetime expectancy with the lowest rate of side effects or difficulties of any of the materials in use today. The ceramics are the bearing surfaces that are attached to the implants - the acetabulum and femoral rod are implanted, then the ceramic ball and cup go into the implants. My surgeon previously used ceramics on a ski patroller, marathon runner, and karate instructor. I have been totally happy with the results.
Today I ski any terrain at any speed and never think about my hip. My self imposed restrictions are no air, always maintain ski contact with the snow, if I sense a fall starting just get your feet up & away from being twisted up or jammed. A little speed control goes a long way, simply because higher speeds in trees or bumps raise your risk factor tremendously. I still run gates and enjoy ripping early morning runs as fast as I ever could ski them. Moderate speeds with high control can be very fun. Let it rip when conditions are in your favor.
One thing you must make a lifelong habit of is to walk a lot. Daily, or many times a week. Your surgeon will explain why. It is a small price to pay for pain free and enjoying every day.
Tips: Research your surgeon well. Verify that your surgeon is not simply "attending" and letting a junior person do the actual sawing, drilling, and implanting. If the femur cracks, no big deal. They will band it and it will heal up along with everything else. Donate your own blood in advance, so that they use only your own blood during the operation. Do everything possible to prevent infection. Never check in to a rehab place unless you have a critical medical condition that you cannot service at home. Get the surgeon's report from the hospital, accept no resistance on that. Write down the place and date of every X-ray you get (there will be a lot) and demand copies of every single one. They are all electronic. Make sure you get the films for your other "good" leg and hip. They film them as well, so they can reconstruct your repaired side to match the good side just as you had all your life. Find out what over the counter supplements will promote bone growth to help the healing process. Listen to what they say about restrictions immediately after surgery and do not think you know it all. I would wish you good luck but luck is not needed. Just use common sense, patience and be a good patient by following the rules.
