Cause of hip deterioration

[Karen54]

I discovered this forum several days ago and have spent hours reading! I think it is just great - the moral support and advice everyone is willing to share. I am scheduled for RTHR on Feb. 4, and frankly I am scared to death and excited at the same time. I was just diagnosed in late October, so this has all been a real shock to me. I thought I was way too young for this. I was born with a congenital hip (I think it might be called hip dysplasia now). It was caught and treated when I was 13 mos. old, but the dr. told my parents I might get arthritis early in that hip. I am 54 years old, and it caught up with me! It happened so fast that I really haven't had time to get used to the idea so I have definitely run the gamut of emotions! I'm thinking I will recover pretty well - I am in pretty good shape physically (although a little overweight), I have worked out regularly for years, although not nearly as intensely the last few months when the pain got so bad. Luckily my husband just retired at the end of the year, so he will be here for me. Anyone else out there born with a congenital hip that is probably the cause?

 

[Jamie]

I'm from the knee side, but wanted to write to you anyway to let you know that your fear is quite normal before surgery. But, don't worry.....I'm betting once it is done and you are into recovery you will wonder why you were so concerned! Let us know how you get along and when your surgery date is. You will always have support here!!!

 

[Josephine]

You did well to get through to that age without any problems, Karen! Obviously your hip was more than adequately treated at the time. Did you know that they now require midwives and obstetricians to carry out a small test on a baby within hours of birth to check for CDH? That's because if it's found, the condition can often be easily corrected with the very simple process of using double terry nappies (diapers!). There have been several members with dysplasia but most of them don't come anymore.

Glad you have found the forum helpful and more, that you actually registered!

 

[Laurie]

Karen, I had my RTHR Aug 26 and I am 56 and in very good shape (better now since my HR!!) The worst part for me was the first 4 days--you could have shot me on day 3, think mainly from the narcotics--after that it was all up hill. I continue to be amazed at how normal I feel after years of pain (unlike you from what you say) One interesting thing for me is that now when I go to the gym and use the elliptical for 50 minutes, I burn 600 calories. Before, due to my hip, I was lucky to get in a 400 calorie burn.

I also had a length discrepancy--about an inch before surgery. The DR was able to get my right leg w/in 1/4 inch (still little shorter) but I don't notice now and walk straight for first time in many years.

Trust you will have the same success--jitters are normal. Stay on line here and you will get much support.

Josephine, my Dr. told me the same thing about pediatricians checking babies for hip displasia. I think that that was my problem though it was never diagnosed. I know that I started feeling pain in my early 20's---for a long time I thought it was my back--sciatica or something. In any case, fortunately for me (at least now) all my other joints are holding up.

Take care--this forum is very addictive I must say--lots of great people all over the world to keep in touch with.

Laurie

 

[jaz]

Hi Karen, I am another hip dysplasia victim as such. Mine wasn't picked up until I was eight unfortunately (limped at four but misdiagnosed) so had a bone graft to build up the socket when I was about nine and was told I'd need a LHR at about 20. I am 39 and had my left hip replaced a few months ago. Both my children have been checked out given that my mother and I both had hip dysplasia and subsequent replacements.

Your concerns are pretty normal. The younger and fitter you are the quicker you seem to bounce back and you are fortunate to have your husband on hand to help care for you in those first few weeks. I did aqua aerobics right up until the surgery then returned to classes three weeks later which I believed helped the recovery.

 

[Karen54]

Wow, thanks for all the support, everybody!

Laurie - I know what you mean about this forum being addictive. I think I got addicted several days ago when I first found it before I even registered!

Josephine - I knew they checked babies right away now, and had heard it was a simpler fix than what mine was - a year in a cast up to my waist with both legs out at right angles and a hole in the middle for the diaper! My poor mother!

 

[Josephine]

Yes - those frog plasters! How many of those have I applied in my time! We'd put a length of broom handle as a strut between the legs so mum could easily lift the baby.

 

[Karen54]

Thank you so much for posting that picture, Josephine! I had never seen one, and my mom never took a picture of me back then. I'll have to print this one off to show her.

 

[mvo]

Hi Karen,

Another youngish dysplasia person here in New Zealand! I am just over four months out from a left THR and I feel great. The only downside is that now the left hip has been dealt to, the right one is starting to hurt quite a bit more.

My sister, Kris, had the same surgery (we are both in our 40s), on the same leg on the same day (but in she is in Perth, Australia). She had a THR on her right hip last month and a revision on that hip a week later to correct a leg length discrepancy.

The need for surgery was a bit of a shock to my sister as well - like you she described a range of emotions! I knew mine was needed for some time, but as she is 5 years younger she thought she was at least that number of years behind me. I had looked into resurfacing and sent her some material so off she went to see her orthopedic surgeon. He was rather horrified at the state she was in and three weeks later she had her left hip replaced and was booked in for the right one.

The condition was not picked up when we were little. In fact, the first indication I had was when I went to see an orthopedic surgeon in my early 20s as my left hip started to hurt then. All he said was “these are not normal hips but we won’t even consider surgery for years and years.” I figured out what the problems were from subsequent x-ray reports and talking to other surgeons.

My sister and I are both really really happy with our new hips, we should have done this earlier – the lack of pain is wonderful, and we both feel we have got our strong legs back, and that we are walking properly. People have said to both of use that we look better and brighter and even younger!

All the best with your preparation and surgery,
Monica

 

[jaz]

Monica - isn't it interesting how people say you look better, brighter and younger. A friend phoned me a month or two back and said there was no pain in my voice anymore.

 

[mvo]

Hi Jaz! yes, indeed! I have heard it so often (and so has my sister) that we are beginning to believe it. A comment I never hear anymore is "Gee, you look tired."

So Karen, there you go, another reason to look forward to the surgery
Monica

 

[Karen54]

Hi Monica,

And maybe I'll even stop groaning with almost everything I do! I guess I'm lucky in that my left hip is fine - it has only affected the right one. The funny thing is my mom can't remember which hip was bad, but my dr. said there is no doubt in his mind!

Thanks for the good wishes! I still have the bad moments when I dwell on it for too long, but reading all these good post-surgery discussions helps me to actually look forward to it.

Karen

 

[TBONE]

Hi Karen--I am not a dysplasia guy, at least I don't think so, but I have finally been diagnosed as to cause: "Slipped Capital Femoral Epiphesis." Apparently, it happened at 12 or 13 or so and was never diagnosed. The specialist told me with certainty that that was the cause of my arthritis. He said it is not that uncommon, but it is unusual not to have any pain symptoms, either in the knee or hip. I can't remember any at all, but I am 51, now. He said it had little to do with my sports, and left untreated, this was bound to happen. It's funny, but I actually feel relieved to now know.
Tom

 

[Josephine]

In the UK, we call them SUFEs or slipped upper femoral epiphyses. They are a strange phenomenon, commonly happening in adolescant boys who are often a tad overweight!

In growth, the end of a long bone, called the epiphysis, has a growth plate called the epiphyseal plate where special cells cause the shaft to create length and the ends to produce bulk and shape. It's made of a special cartilage which is, of course, a lot softer than the bone. It's a weak point in the structure of the bone and can give way under certain circumstances. There is a thought that an inherent genetic weakness contributes to this. Mostly the displacement of slipped epiphysis will be reduced and it will be fixed with small pins which won't cause the epiphyseal plate to seal prematurely.

Here you can see A the normal placement, B a slipped but barely displaced epiphysis and C a badly displaced epiphysis which needs internal fixation.

 

[Peta]

Jo both of my children (now 21 and 19) were born with dislocated hips requiring double nappies for their first 6 months. Does that mean that they are both more likely to have problems with their hips when older? My hip arthritis has been caused by something totally different, but after reading the previous posts here, I thought I'd ask.

Peta

 

[Josephine]

They were obviously caught during their immediate post-delivery exam and treated immediately which is as it should be, so no, they should have no risk of late onset arthritis connected with the CDH. Problems arise if they are either not detected early and treated promptly or undiagnosed and go on to weightbear on them - as I suspect TBone did.

 

[Peta]

That's a relief - thanks Jo!

Peta

 

[Josephine]

My pleasure! Like to end on a nice note - I'm off to bed now. Night night all!

 

[Karen54]

Peta, you are so lucky (or your kids are!) that theirs were caught right after birth! I wished they had checked for dysplasia at birth when I was born, but I do feel lucky that my mom caught mine when she did at 13 months. And the way she caught was that my little fat rolls on my legs didn't line up, and I kind of dragged one leg when I crawled. She happened to read an article in a magazine and knew immediately that was my problem so off to Childrens Orthopedic Hospital in Seattle we went!

Karen

 

[Josephine]

Alert mom! At least you were still only crawling! Real problems are caused when the baby starts learning to walk.