Hip Labral Tear Surgery - 7 weeks

Permission to (butter)Fly!

Time to get back in the water!

​Well I had a computer mishap that delayed last week's update, and since I was seeing the doctor soon I just pushed it off to today.  So, today I had my first follow up appointment with my surgeon. After a near 45 minute wait followed by a three minute chat with the Doctor, my immediate prospects for returning to athletics have been given a huge boost!  Over the last two weeks, my rehab sessions have been becoming more and more like a workout, complete with dripping sweat and me having to wipe down machines and tables (ALWAYS WIPE DOWN WHATEVER YOU SWEAT ON AT THE GYM).  My brief foray into dieting was obliterated over a couple of beautiful weather weekends, and a general lack of self-control.  I eat when I’m bored or frustrated, and I’m bored and frustrated all the time because I can’t exercise.  Despite my best efforts, this has been my cycle for pretty much ever, and even though I’m testing the limits of my wardrobe, I’m tired of beating myself up over it.  Let’s get to the good stuff!

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• I am cleared to start swimming again!  No flip turns, no aggressive kicking, no breaststroke.  I’m not excited about how I’ll look not doing flip turns, as I am a flip-turn snob and immediately discredit anyone that doesn’t do them, but now I’m one of them, at least for a little while so I’ll just suck it up.  I haven’t been in the pool since January, so I am filled with an excitement about getting back in the pool, but also a bit of dread because getting back into swimming after an extended layoff sucks.  I mean, swimming sucks enough already, but it really sucks when you haven’t done it in a long time.  On the plus side, the last time I got back into swimming I had taken 20 years off, so 7 months is basically yesterday.  My last time trial, I broke a minute for a 100yd sprint and my 3000 yard pace was 1:15/100.  I will get back there.  I just realized that I can swim in the lake without worrying about flip turns!  Problem solved and my pool cred is still intact!
• I can now be “that guy on the elliptical.”  You all know that guy...some of you probably are that guy, and it's totally OK!  Now, so am I!  I did .75 miles in 10 minutes last week at rehab and I was exhausted!  I’m looking forward to getting that heart rate up again though.  Plus, I still can’t run.  Speaking of which……
• NO RUNNING!  I dislike swimming, and I don’t really like biking all that much, but I really hate running (all good traits for a triathlete!).  I actually used to like running quite a bit…..when I lived in Virginia….and the weather was nice.  Around here, I was mostly running in my neighborhood, which is boring, and has a lot of traffic, and terrible sidewalks, and was killing my shins, knees, and hips.  I was in so much hip pain that I started to run in a local park, and that was nice.  I don’t like having to drive places to workout though as it’s just one more barrier to overcome to get the run in.  However, I think it’s in my body’s best interest to get on a track, a treadmill, or a trail.  No more concrete runs.  I kid about no running being a good thing (kind of), but I can guarantee you that by the time I can begin to run (4 months post op supposedly), I will welcome it.
• I am cleared for a return to resistance training!  No deep squats, no deep lunges, light weights, and “just be smart about it.”  We know that that last part is asking a lot from me!  It sounds like I have permission to pretty much get back into a regular training plan, albeit a modified, lighter version of one.  I cannot tell you how excited I am about this (so are my jeans)!  I know that I’m still injured, but I can now put a schedule in place and begin a structured return to training, and as long as I ease into it, it will be the first time in 8 months that I’ll be actually be triathlon training.
• Here’s some notes on my rehab:
  • Hello elliptical machine!
  • Single leg squats, single leg leg-press, single leg “step-downs,” single leg calf raises, single leg deadlifts.  I’m definitely focused on making some Buns of Steel!  I feel like I haven’t used these muscles in almost a year (because I haven’t), and my glutes are getting crushed.  The legs are still feeling decently strong, but lacking any semblance of endurance.
  • I freaking love the Graston tools.  I could have them hit up my quad, hip, and hamstring for the entire hour.
  • Lateral steps and lunges….nice to go sideways again!
  • My balance has disappeared.  I used to have ballerina like balance (ha), but with two pins and loads of scar tissue in my ankle, a titanium rod in my foot, plus my gluteal imbalance and hip surgery, I am really unstable on one foot.  As an athlete that was once highly athletic, it’s very frustrating not being able to do the things you used to be able to do well.  Getting old sucks, and my body is about twice as old as I am.
  • I’ve been able to increase my bike intensity enough to feel like I’m working out, and hit 30 minutes at 75 RPMs last week.  Some of my other injuries are still there (high hamstring strain/bursitis) and are actually the limiting factor right now, not my hip.  That is the positive way to look at it.
  • The majority of my pain is coming from mobility movements, and they really do hurt.  I have to spend more time with them each day, but they suck, and I don’t want to!

​There are a lot of good things going on right now and they certainly outweigh the bad.  I do have some concerns, which I brought up to the Doctor, but he said “these other things just take time to heal.”  I guess if he’s not concerned too much, then I guess I shouldn’t be either?  (Genuinely asking)  Here are some of my concerns and things that still suck about hip labral surgery recovery.

• Pivoting!!!!!  I challenge each one of you to consciously think about picking your foot up EVERY SINGLE TIME you turn around, or get up from a chair, or roll over in bed.  You do it all day long, in every facet of your daily life.  At least 4 times a day I turn a micro-second too quickly without shifting my weight off of that foot, and I get crushed by a wave of intense pain.  It is the number one causer of f-bombs in my life right now.
• Previous injuries feel like they’re returning.  My hamstring and bursitis hurt more than anything on me right now, and I’m barely using them.  I’ve been having some crunching, popping, and discomfort across the back of my hip/femur, which has now been brushed off by the Doctor and the physical therapist, so I guess even though it hurts, and I’m very concerned about a re-occurrence, I should just be aware of it and continue to rehab.  This pain is being attributed to scar tissue, my hip beginning to move more normally than it has in a very long time, which is going to cause the muscles and surrounding soft tissues to react differently.  I am satisfied with that reasoning though….for now.  We are also addressing it in PT sessions.
• The fat attack continues.  Pizza is life.  Too much free time right now without training, but now I’ll be getting back into a routine and that should hopefully abate my fiendishness.  It’s much, much easier to eat healthy when you’re working out regularly, especially when you start to notice the gains!
• My tri bike is not very comfortable on the trainer since I can’t get into the aero position and it’s not built for an upright position.  I should probably switch it out for my road bike, but that’s more effort than I am currently uncomfortable, so for now, it’s fine.  I definitely need to get the bike back in for another fit, and also upgrade my saddle.  I paid for another fit and was due to get one, and then my local tri shop went out of business and I never got an opportunity to make any adjustments….that I had paid for.  So now I get to pay for another one at another store.  Cycling is expensive!

7 weeks down, at least 7 more weeks to go!  The more I can do, the more I want to do, but I still can’t do it!  That is frustrating.  I’m trying to remain patient and positive, sometimes something’s got to give, and I have to sulk it out for a day or two.  Wine helps.

When rehab starts to feel like a workout.....I love the pain!

​Honestly, the therapist and the surgeon both said I’m well ahead of schedule, so that’s pretty positive!  Plus I’ve still got a month to go with my handicap pass.  I need to go to some big events; I’ve barely utilized it!  All in all, 7 weeks out, this surgery has been relatively easy compared to my others, and I wish I had pursued this remedy long before I did.  If you’re out there with hip pain, go see a doctor, get the surgery.  Thanks for checking in, I’ll be hitting the open water soon enough and working diligently on the comeback!  There’s some new gear available at lovethepain.com, and you can get 15% off by using the code IDIPHON at checkout!  Best of luck out there hipsters and triathletes!