Femoro-acetabular Impingement Disorder

Hi jackie,
I have had a similar problem with my shoulder following a sporting accident over 20 years ago, the articular cartilage surface of the humeral head was worn down by a bony growth, which I had removed in 1998, during same op 3 pieces of "bone" ossifcans dessicans were removed via keyhole surgery, 2 pea sized and 1 2p piece sized, all was fine for about 2 years, but the constant bone/bone contact meant that the surface of the humeral head was always "repairing" by laying down new bone, so the cycle began again, I have since undergone another operation to increase joint space called a sub-acromial decompression, further key hole surgery to reshape humeral head and steroid injections. After the final keyhole surgery I was injected with an enzyme to "eat" the osteo arthritis, one injection a week for 5 weeks,I imagined little "pacmen" munching away on my bones.
To get back to the point I had a umeral head replacement operation Nov 06 which has cured the joint pain and O/arthritis, but caused some capsular problems, resriction in movement and muscular pain and wastage as I cannot use it fully.
I have just this very hour ot back from my latest hospital visit to have a pre op assessmnet prior to key hole surgery on 30th Jan to release the scarrred tissue and have some manipulation whilst out for the count..............
the moral is I think in hind sight is to exhaust non invasive treatment first, once under the knife you tend never to get away from it...

I look at it this way, you were referred to a consultant surgeon who recommended surgery, if you had been referred to a double glazing salesman you would now have a new window........ where do you live incidently?
hope it doesnt sound too negative....

I live in Derby. I have the pain in my right hip so i cant do much around the house, im only 34 and have 3 children so life is very hectic for me, im allso at college studying beauty therapy and am hoping to either work in a salon or set up as a mobile therapist. Im not the sort of person who can sit around all day doing nothing. All my children are at school now so this was my chance for me to do something what i enjoy. At the end of almost every night i am in pain and can barely walk, ive had pain for the past 10 years but now it is really bad so this operation to me is an option what i need to consider very carefully. The doctor said i have very slight arthritus but not enough to cause me any pain. I dont understand what you mean about the space inbetween the bones, i understand about how the growth may grow back but the bones still rubing together?

Jackie X

I would think your gait (ie how you walk) might have caused this problem........so how about finding someone to look at this? You may find that if you train yourself to walk correctly, the pain goes. The bone may have been created in response to the stresses on the joint, (as Gaz is saying) - but if those stresses are changed the bone may diminish again.
I have a couple of clients whose hip pain is managed by our programme of attention to gait, Pilates exercises,Reiki and visualisation exercises.
People who specialise in gait include physios, Alexander Technique teachers, Pilates teachers, sports injury specialists............
Sharon

hi jackie,
I would not consider the op at your age, I am 42 and spent the last 10 years having evermore invasive ops, I wish I had not started.... knowing what I know now, ..... hindsight eh...
I agree with Sharon (as usual) that it is someting that you are doing that is causing this problem, conservative management should be your first option, I now specialise in helping others to overcome their problems by way of treatment, rehab exercises and focusing on correct movement patterns, I would hazzard a guess that you walk with your feet pointing outwards, even a little external rotation of the hip will exacerbate your condition as the head of femur in the acetabulem wll be out of alignment, you may also experience knee problems?
I think you need re education of your gait and other functional movements to aleviate the problem, you should also consider taking a glucosomine supplement for the osteo arthritis. As my name suggests I am from Lincoln, well just outside so not a million miles away, Iwould be happy to give you my opinion after an assessment, PM me if you want more details or want to have a chat on the phone.
I lecture this subject to newly qualified therapists and at FE college, a lot of my work is based on personal experience of these kind of problems and observation of functional movements (daily living activities) and I see clients from all over the country, including professionals from golf, football ,rugby and athletics. I come from a sporting background and work as sports therapist and sports and fitness coach. In my spare time I sleep.

The doctor i saw yesterday said i have a deformity of the bone which ive most likely had since i was born and is causing pain now because my bones are more defined now im older. He allso said that my other hip is the same and may or may not cause me pain in the future.
I feel really confused now!

Jacky

Hi Jacky,
if that was the case you would have had problems all the time is that the case? did you ask the nature if the deformity, is it the angle of the neck of femur, or other problem, were you born breech by any chance, you would be on the borderline of when hip screening became common place, away for few days so will check in when back.

regards
Gaz

I can only remember having the problem for about 10 years. When my hip is in a certain position thats when it hurts it isnt a constant pain and it only comes when im bending ( cleaning gardening ect...a lot of bending) He drew me a picture af my hip bone and there is a big bump on the round socket and its hitting the bone above on the outside corner. If that makes any sence.

Jacky X

Impingement

I can only remember having the problem for about 10 years. When my hip is in a certain position thats when it hurts it isnt a constant pain and it only comes when im bending ( cleaning gardening ect...a lot of bending) He drew me a picture af my hip bone and there is a big bump on the round socket and its hitting the bone above on the outside corner. If that makes any sence.

Jacky X

I know this is an old thread but I have just found it as I was looking for answers! I had exactly the same complaint as you and would love to know if you went ahead with the operation!
I did in February 2008 and am now waiting for a second opinion after a resurfacing and relining, my walking is worse than before the op!

I know this is an old thread but I have just found it as I was looking for answers! I had exactly the same complaint as you and would love to know if you went ahead with the operation!
I did in February 2008 and am now waiting for a second opinion after a resurfacing and relining, my walking is worse than before the op!

Hi Cameranel
Firstly i am so sorry that the operation hasnt worked for you and would be very interested to know what they are going to do with your hip next!!! Secondly i am still sadly waiting for my operation, yes after all this time and im still waiting!!!! I had a second injection into my hip and it hasnt worked, so at the minuite i cant do anything at all around the house without being in extreme pain. I also had to quit my level 3 beauty because, i was unable to carry on, although i am doing a massage cource one evening a week now, which finishes in the next few weeks i am glad to say as i am strugling to do my massages in class. I never had the open hip surgery because my os wanted to take a look inside to see what damage there had been. I have a little osteo arthritus and the pain has been worce since. He thought the arthroscopy would leave me pain free for a couple of years but sadly it hasnt. I had a injection in Sep last year which worked for 3 months but the pain has come back even worce hence having to finish college. I am now waiting for keyhole surgery to reshape my hip bone, but the problem is he is waiting for the NHS to fund my operation, also i have got to go down south for my op because not many surgeons can perform the operation yet. What operation did you have Cameranel, was it the open hip surgery or key hole ? I am also aware that the operation may not work, he has explained this to me, did they explain it to you to ?

Hope to hear from you soon xx Jackie

Hi Jackie,
I'm so pleased you got back to me. I am 60 in October so I gather a lot older than you. I was diagnosed in January 2007 after going to a chiropractor for treatment for a painful hip, which had really only bothered me for 2 months, although looking back I had occasional bouts of hip pain. I had damaged my back/hip about 15 years ago and every now and again my back would go and I'd be in agony for a week or so and then be ok.
The chiro wanted me to see a colleague of his who diagnosed 'hip impingement' he was going to do an arthroscopy keyhole but was worried because of my age I might have arthritis so he sent me to another guy who said he'd have me in and probably do a full hip replacement.This was about October 2007. I went in February 2008 in Bradford, which is near me but had a resurfacing/relining of the joint. I had a 7 inch scar/ bruised black from hip to toe and generally wasn't very happy. I was walking with 2 sticks but was never sent for physio. I didn't go back to see him for 12 weeks and when I did he told me off for expecting too much too soon and physio wasn't necessary!
So that was May 2008, in June my back went and has never gone right, I had private physio in July but nothing seemed to help. I still walked with 1 stick and went back to see him in November. It was a registrar this time who did listen to what I had to say but they took lots of Xrays and said everything looked OK. I tried to explain that it feels as though the metal cup in the socket isn't in the right position and when I walk I am off balance. It aches continually, I can't sleep well because I can't get comfy and I had further physio in Jan 2009. The physio suggested I went back to my GP and ask for a referral to another surgeon, this I did and am going on 20th May.I really do not want to put you off having surgery because I'm sure I have just been unlucky. They are only just realising this is a treatable condition and surgeons are getting more and more cases to practice on. You are the first person I've had contact with but I know lots who have had hip replacements... I'm thinking this might happen to me BUT all I want is to have my leg put straight in the socket and maybe I could throw away my stick!
If you wanted to contact me maybe I could send my email.
Hope this hasn't put you off seeking help. You are so young to be having all this pain.
Nel

Hi Cameranel am pleased to hear back from you and am very sorry for your bad experience, it sounds to me you need a second opinion. Yes its true what you say about surgeons only just recognising this condition and i think the problem is how these surgeons are "practising" on patients without maybe having the know how of how to perform the operation succesfully (if you understand what i mean). My os is sending me to a surgeon who specialises in this area so hopefully i will be in good hands. I am aware that the operation may not work and could be worse, but its worth a try, im only 36 with 3 active children who want me to play football and take them to the park and unfortunatly due to my ip im unable to do this. So anything is worth a try to ease my pain.

I dont know if you use facebook but there is a fantastic group ive only just found on there with other people like you and me who also have this condition and i was amazed when i found it because i felt like the only person who had this because no one else had heard of it. It has got peoples storys on there who have had operations and who are waiting for operations. Its worth joining facebook just for the group and i can add you and we could chat on there. The group is Understanding hip Impingement, FIA. Hope to see you on there soon, i will pm you my email and full name so we can chat further.

Good luck for your appointment, i go on the 28th of May hopefully he will have an operation date xxxx