Well 1 more appointment left and things are progressing nicely. My therapist worked at really stretching the "bands" on my outer thigh again today. That is what seems to get "tight" and makes me stiff at times. She also did some soft tissue work on my upper leg and added a couple of new exercises that include 2lb weights on my one ankle. This will add strength to my hip on the outside as it works those muscles that have been out of commission for a while.
Aside from a small setback mid-week, I am feeling better as the weeks go by. This is not to say the Hip Dysplasia doesn't hurt because it does. This surgery, "arthroscopy" was only to clean up the cartilage and get ready for the Osteotomy.
I am driving around town and took my first walk around Walmart alone with just my crutches and a cart. It was so good to stretch those quads and work the legs! Granted I couldn't turn quickly to the right yet, it was a small accomplishment to go shopping solo and not have to depend on someone. Soon I should have my full range of motion back, they say 6 weeks that should return!
DIAGNOSIS - HIP DYSPLASIA
I decided to start this Blog as a way of sharing and educating others as well as keeping my friends and family updated on my progress.In the Spring of my 37th year, I started having severe groin pain which eventually deferred into my left knee. There were days when I could barely walk 1/2 a block with a cane. Simple daily chores and personal care became very difficult to perform. I had xrays and a CT scan where we discovered that I have Hip Dysplasia. I tried pain medication while waiting to see an orthopedic surgeon locally. After my visits to the surgeon, he referred me to another orthopedic surgeon for an Osteotomy. These were only performed in Vancouver or Calgary in Canada. I chose Vancouver for a matter of convenience and so that my family could visit easier.I have an awesome surgeon who performed the Osteotomy on my left hip. Preparation for this surgery involved xrays, and trips to Vancouver for workshops, working with physiotherapists, the surgical team, several nurses and the anestheisiologist. The outcome has been phenomenal! I got my life back and the pain is gone! I will, however, require hip replacement surgery on this hip further down the road. My right hip will need surgery also.
HIP DYSPLASIA: an abnormal condition affecting the hip socket, or acetablum and the thighbone or femur. In someone with hip dysplasia, the hip socket is too shallow, or the femur is in the wrong place. Hip dysplasia can exist from birth or can develop within the first few weeks, years or later in life. 80% of people with DDH (developmental dysplasia of the hip) are females.
Depending on the severity of the situation, this can result in pain, osteoarthritis, difficulty walking or inability to walk. It can also contribute to a marked deterioration in a person's basic quality of life.
For more information, check out this link http://health.howstuffworks.com/hip-dysplasia.htm
HIP DYSPLASIA: an abnormal condition affecting the hip socket, or acetablum and the thighbone or femur. In someone with hip dysplasia, the hip socket is too shallow, or the femur is in the wrong place. Hip dysplasia can exist from birth or can develop within the first few weeks, years or later in life. 80% of people with DDH (developmental dysplasia of the hip) are females.
Depending on the severity of the situation, this can result in pain, osteoarthritis, difficulty walking or inability to walk. It can also contribute to a marked deterioration in a person's basic quality of life.
For more information, check out this link http://health.howstuffworks.com/hip-dysplasia.htm
Saturday, April 4, 2009
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1 comment:
Hey Dawn! Glad things are progressing well. Why would you choose Walmart !!!!!??????????
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