DefinitelyDressage.com

Hello fellow horsepeople - I'm looking for stories/experiences from anyone who's had surgery to fix a torn hip labrum. I see an ortho specialist next week, but having had my shoulder repaired two years ago, I know to start my research NOW lol.

I had an MRA last week that showed a tear about .8cm x 1.7cm x 2.0cm big (is that big??? It sounds big). It also showed moderate cartilage tearing and deep fissuring with debris (I guess this is bad). Oh and a paralabral cyst. The pain goes from tolerable/moderate to "someone's stabbing me and I can't walk or think" bad. I'm pretty sure the "flap" folded over at some point, then unfolded itself...that was a very interesting feeling.

I initially "hurt" it last February (yes, 17 months ago) while geocaching/hiking. I thought it was hip flexor tendonitis, but the pain just won't go away 100%. Riding is not really comfortable...actually, not comfortable at all, and at this point, I'm thinking I'm damaging the joint further by doing so.

Anyhooo. How screwed am I? I hear anywhere from 4-6 weeks on crutches. What about driving? Riding? Using the toilet? Anyone? Bueller?

Signed - I'm 43 and falling apart.

I haven't but on TOB (Chronicle of the Horse) there is a lengthy thread on repairing labral tears. It is under the Riding with Health Issues forum. I haven't seen any action on that thread in a while so you would have to search for it. People have had mixed results and the rehab is pretty lengthy but very necessary. Soft tissue problems just take a long time, even if repaired.

I am older so I skipped that procedure and had my hip replaced. Doc said my labrum was shredded so at that point beyond reasonable repair. I too had that sudden 'someone is stabbing me' pain. More than once I about fell down. I can totally sympathize.

Jingles for a good outcome.

Susan

Kyra's Mom wrote:I haven't but on TOB (Chronicle of the Horse) there is a lengthy thread on repairing labral tears. It is under the Riding with Health Issues forum. I haven't seen any action on that thread in a while so you would have to search for it. People have had mixed results and the rehab is pretty lengthy but very necessary. Soft tissue problems just take a long time, even if repaired.

I am older so I skipped that procedure and had my hip replaced. Doc said my labrum was shredded so at that point beyond reasonable repair. I too had that sudden 'someone is stabbing me' pain. More than once I about fell down. I can totally sympathize.

Jingles for a good outcome.

Susan

Thank you...I'll go over to CoTH and do a search.

I'm hoping to avoid a FHR...but I'll know more when I see the surgeon next Wednesday. I figure if I can make it through shoulder surgery, this should be a piece of cake (I guess shoulders are the worst, followed by knees, THEN hips. Go figure).

I've had 2 shoulders and 2 knees done. The knee replacements were a walk in the park compared to the shoulders. Was back on the horse in 6 weeks with the knees so if you have your hip replaced, barring any complications you should be OK.

Dapple Field wrote:I've had 2 shoulders and 2 knees done. The knee replacements were a walk in the park compared to the shoulders. Was back on the horse in 6 weeks with the knees so if you have your hip replaced, barring any complications you should be OK.

My understanding is that the hip replacement surgery is much easier/less painful than the arthroscopic repair surgery. I'm not sure if I'm a candidate for the replacement, though, as radiographs didn't pick up any arthritic changes. My concern is that I'm damaging the joint by delaying surgery of either kind, so I might be headed for a FHR anyway...I just don't know. It's one of MANY questions I have for the surgeon next week.

I agree though - shoulder surgery SUCKS. That's why I figure if I can come through that ok, then hip surgery will be a cake walk (pun intended).

My mother's hip replacement went extremely well. She did all of the rehab (needed because she'd been limping and accommodating it for 3-4 years at that point, plus still running on the sore hip) and is back to riding, with much better hip and leg position than pre-surgery.