Information from a patient of FAI (Femoroacetabular impingement)

I had right hip FAI removal (CAM type impingement) / labral tear repair surgery on June 14, 2010

My image states I was able to run like I could before FAI came into my life after 33 weeks.

Feel free to visit my left-hip surgery info from Jan 13, 2014

What is FAI AND WHAT WAS DONE TO GET RID OF IT?

Femoroacetabular impingement or FAI is a condition of too much friction in the hip joint. Basically, the ball (femoral head) and socket rub abnormally creating damage to the hip joint. In my case, there was extra bone on my spherical head of my femur bone (it is called the neck of the femur bone) (larger than the size of a chickpea) that was tearing away at my hip socket. In fact, when my surgeon Dr. Parvizi went inside, he said my extra bone area was larger than the MRI images projected. Also, if I understand this right, at the time of surgery I had two surgical screws inserted inside me for holding my formerly torn labrum in place that disintegrated with time. I had a large cyst on my cartilage removed as well. Luckily, Dr. Parvizi found no serious cartilage damage - he smoothed out the mild cartridge damage and I have now have a smooth hip acetabulum and femur head region in my right hip. I count my blessings that I found out what was wrong in about 8 months. I have FAI in my left hip too, but I do not feel a thing. Dr. Parvizi hopes my left hip will not become an issue because I have a lot2 of joint space and my left leg is not my dominant one.

What did I do to give myself FAI?

I am a 34 year old male that has been running, bicycling, and swing dancing at various levels of intensity for 18 years including competitive. Nevertheless, I believe this condition congenital - (thanks mom - thanks dad) - I was born with it. I guess that my outdoor activity levels were so high that my FAI came out on my early 30's instead of my mid-50's. I suppose a really sedentary person may never be diagnosed with it. I did a lot of roller skating and I played some soccer before I was twelve - I guess I could have done this myself at a young age, but it's more fun to blame mom and dad.

My history of FAI

First off, let me say that I never knew how serious my condition was until I got my official diagnosis in May 2010. Signs of my condition started in August 2009 during marathon training. I saw a Penn Sports medicine doctor who told me to take a couple weeks off the training. It made sense to me - more mileage than I ever ran, I've probably tightened my sacroiliac joint. I was given a list of stretches and the symptoms subsided a bit. I continued training for the marathon - I won a 25K road race during the early stages of my condition. It was still just a major irritant at this time. I ran a great marathon four weeks later (2:59:10). I remember saying to myself afterwards that maybe I finally strengthened the weak muscle that was causing the pain because I could barely feel the mysterious pain after the Philadelphia Marathon. One week or so later I tried to ride my bike feeling optimistic that this mysterious pain was abating. I tore my hip open again on the bike (although I did not know what was wrong at the time) while commuting a mile to work. This one event made me give up bike riding. A week or so later, I went to my gym to do some easy miles on the elliptical machine. I tore my hip socket open again. I did not know the pain was coming from tearing inside my hip at this time. I avoided the elliptical machine. Ultimately I checked myself into physical therapy. By time I started physical therapy in January 2010, I had stopped biking and running all together. My physical therapists knew I had a lot of strength, and they could not figure out what was wrong. They thought it could be nerve damage. I found swimming the only sport I could do comfortably with my FAI condition. After a couple of months of what seemed like up and downs my physical therapists sent me to another sports medicine specialist, the British born Dr. Maenpaa. He gave me hope, telling me he seen worse and we would get to the bottom of it. I had some x-rays done. I found out I had leg length discrepancy and Dr. Maenpaa sent me to get orthotics from the Philadelphia Eagles and 76ers professional sports teams specialist. I admit, the orthotics helped a bit with my FAI symptoms. On Easter I did some short dashes chasing my niece making me think my body was getting better. However, that evening my hopes were dashed due to the burning in my hip, groin, and gluteus on my right side. Eventually, my third visit to Dr. Maenpaa led him to request an MRI which revealed the problem. As far as I know, everyone has to get an MRI of their hip to check for tears. Basically, the medical staff put a numbing agent with another type of fluid in my hip that increased its visibility. I told the MRI doctor right at that time that my pain seemed to have stopped, but I could not even believe it myself at that time. He told me there was definitely something wrong with my hip if the numbing agent was removing my pain. A week later, it was confirmed. My MRI report said, "Complex tear of the labrum, symptoms consistent with those of cam type impingement of FAI." Dr. Maenpaa recommended I take cortisone shots and wait as long as possible until the surgery was mature (FAI has only been diagnosed and performed in the past 10 years). After a couple weeks of discussing my options with myself and my various mentors, I decided that I'm young and I don't want to lead a sedentary lifestyle and this is the best chance I have to control my fate.

Where is (was) the pain?

My pain started in the right side of my lower back. I remember telling a co-worker that it spread to the front, which was my hip and groin. I would say it typically was 2-3 out of 10 on a pain scale. Eventually, I could flare my pain up to a 8-9 when I rode a bike, but not every time I was on a bike. Sometimes I would have some mild pain. I tried to run 3 miles near the end of my 2 months of physical therapy. My hip, groin and lower back all burned with pain for several hours after I stopped. My pain was bearable while I ran, but when I stopped, I will never forget it.

What was my rationale for having this surgery

I had a simple choice: Get busy living or get busy dying. I could try cortisone shots hoping the steroid wouldn't destroy my bones as I tore more of my hip apart or I could have the relatively new surgery to try my chances at what may be a full recovery. It became simple for me the more my mind coaxed over it: Nothing ventured - nothing gained.

What advice would you give to me as someone soon to have FAI surgery?

I don't know how you can stop your muscles from atrophying. My ankles and (believe it or not) my neck were the worst. In my normal life, these are two of my weaker areas - prepare for your weaknesses to get weaker for awhile... You can try to strengthen them beforehand, but the bottom line is they will get weaker. (edit 12-26-11: my back definitely must have gotten weaker during this time too. If you read this blog carefully, you will see that I complain a lot about my back, but I have no problems with my back in my current life.)
take the iron supplements - food tasted weird (especially spicy food) for a couple weeks after surgery - someone told me it could have been the lack of iron
remember that you're probably not going to be your 100% true physical self as you know it now for more than half a year... have patience with your body while it heals ... let pain be your guide for awhile, but after 6 months, start pushing through it - don't give up - I now believe the time I spent recovering was totally worth it
Do not hesitate to elevate! Elevate your legs off the floor as much as possible your first six weeks of recovery. While sitting in a chair, extend your legs straight out on a chair or footstool as much as you can tolerate. I found this reduced the swelling in my FAI treated leg more than anything besides my eventual return to walking again.
One of your roughest recovery experiences will probably be getting in and out of the car on the way home from the hospital after surgery. It probably took my wife and I about 10 minutes entering and exiting the vehicle for me to avoid/work through uncomfortable pain. Once I sat in the seat I was fine, it was just bending carefully learning how to work with my new condition to get on it comfortably.
Your pain is invisible to everyone else. I do not think anyone will truly understand how your body feels inside or what you are going through. You will be frustrated before and after surgery for months. Nevertheless, your payoff is immeasurable. If your surgery and recovery were successful like mine, in the long-term you will be grateful you took care of your FAI condition. After you have surgery, you will feel pains, think you relapsed, wonder if you made the right choice to have surgery months into your recovery. However, after 6 months you will really start to notice your pre-FAI lifestyle returning. 8 months was my magic number.
[three years later] Unfortunately for me, this surgery was not a cure-all I envisioned, but I am extremely pleased with my outcome. It gave me back my athletic freedom and mental relief from the constant unwelcome pains in the groin and butt. You are introducing voluntary trauma (surgery) to your body for a great payoff. I now believe my hips will be an area of concern for the rest of my life. Your post-op hip(s) will let you know when it is time to back off from one or more types of activity. Nevertheless, the pain is vastly less than it was before surgery. Know that your hips might feel totally "normal" for awhile, but you may eventually come to have good days, okay days, and a few bad ones. That being said, I am probably more aggressive with my body than the average person. In short, I have no regrets. I did my research; it is the best solution out there. Just do it - get your freedom back
[seven years later] Consider purchasing an adult kick scooter for some mobility. I have hurt one of my hips in a temporary, but serious manner four times now since surgery. My kick scooter keeps me sane.

My self-determined psychological profile (to help you evaluate my thought process)

I put together this web page to give you meaningful information about my FAI recovery. I felt like I could not find any resources or blogs that truly explained what FAI recovery might be like. FAI was a mystery to me - a condition I never heard of any human being ever having. Being physically healthy means everything to me. Health is wealth! I am an anxious person, so every setback I had was communicated in my weekly thoughts below. When I felt a hip/groin/or back pain, I generally stopped all activity until I was pain-free. Eventually, after seeing Dr. Parvizi for a checkup after 6 1/2 months, he told me to push through the remaining pain and do my lunges. I recovered to be able to run outdoor mileage again much more quickly. Nevertheless, all the physical therapists I saw said, 'let pain be your guide.' If I was not so afraid of hurting my hip, I believe I could have recovered more quickly. Nevertheless, I am back to pre-FAI normal. I hope your own journey through FAI recovery goes quicker and less stressfully than my own. All the best - Allen!

How did you feel shortly after surgery?

I felt better than I expected. I spent one night in the hospital, mainly to recover from the anesthesia. My overnight stay in the Bucks County Specialty hospital was a pleasurable experience. I found the staff wonderful and attentive. I felt quite good on the Endromorphine they treated me with on-site. My pain was 1 or a 2 maybe overall. When you get in the car for the ride home from the hospital, that's when your recovery condition really hits you. Nevertheless, when I came home and went on weaker medicines, the real pain started!

What did the surgeon fix?

My surgeon performed osteoplasty on my femur bone making it spherical shaped. He said there was more bone that needed to be removed than my MRI showed. He removed a big cyst that had formed in my right hip joint. Also, he sewed my labrum back together and held it in place with two surgical screws which should disintegrate with time. [edit three years later] I have two metal surgical screws holding my labrum in place. They were detected by security in my airport recently. Also, my MRI doctor in February 2013 told me they were there when an imaging scan had some trouble with pictures in that area.

Where is the pain area(s)after surgery?

During the first week or so, I felt burning pain in the center to the right center of my thigh near the right hip. Also, I feel pain my my left knee, left tricep, and right calf from compensating for keeping weight on my left. My pain continued to change with time. During the third week, most of my pain is in the lumbar section of my back and occasional sharp shooting pain near the incision area of my hip.

How large is the incision?

I had a mostly arthroscopic procedure. My incision starts about one inch below my underwear line. It is 2 1/2 inches long. My external stitches naturally decayed probably within 2 weeks. (I never examined my external stitches. When I took off the dressing from the hospital after 2 1/2 weeks, my stitches were gone). My internal labrum stitches will naturally deteriorate.

What is your doctor's recovery plan?

My recovery plan is NOT what my surgeon alluded to before surgery, but I do not mind. I have only one chance to heal right... I have six weeks of complete rest, but I can walk on crutches as much as I can tolerate.

10% of my body weight can be on the leg with hip repair the first 2 weeks.
50% of my body weight can be on the leg with hip repair during week 3.
60%, 70%, 80% of my body weight can be on the leg with hip repair during weeks of 4,5, and 6 respectively.
After 6 weeks, I return to the surgeon to assess my condition for physical therapy.

How much does FAI Surgery cost in 2010 US Dollars?

Without health insurance, here are the costs of my CAM impingement/labral tear surgery in the Philadelphia, PA metropolitan area below:

FAI Procedure by itself: $10,633.97
Price of the whole process with a one night hospital stay: $15,055.02
Side note: I think the hospital took some creative liberties on the itemized charges on the bill they sent me
By the way, my Independence Blue Cross health insurance plan paid about $5,500 and (as far as I know), the matter is settled.

What did you not expect THE FIRST FEW WEEKS after surgery?

I did not realize how important it is to have someone around to help you - please have someone available that has great patience with you
Something is cracking in my hip area when I twist it inwards.
My right leg was swollen and off color - from my thigh all the way down through my foot - I do not think my shoes would fit
I drop more things than I ever thought - you never know how much you drop till you cannot bend over to pick things up
Stool softeners and yogurt are helpful
Acid from the anti-inflammatories make your teeth feel horrible after lemonade or spicy foods. (I need to eat ice cream and milk products to neutralize the acids.)
Expect to sleep a lot
Your mind can be pretty useless at times on pain killers
Barometric pressure changes (significant changes in temperature and/or weather conditions) may make you feel awful temporarily
Do not skimp on buying the shower chair! Some recovery issues I have written here have resolved themselves with time, but I used the shower chair 6 weeks into recovery.

worst things about First few weeks of FAI surgery recovery time:

The pain: sometimes more pain in the other body parts compensating than your hip area!
No 'indoor sports'
Can't bend over to pick up or reach anything
The hard raised toilet seat for the first two or so weeks
Feeling like you want to sleep all the time the first several weeks
Can't carry anything with crutches
Dry mouth/halitosis/acid reflux from the medicines (while you need them)
Being hot: it is summer and I don't like sweating at all with this condition
The concentrated effort it takes to do simple things to keep the weight off your leg: things like getting out of bed, dressing, shaving, or using the toilet
Sitting in a chair the first couple weeks, trying to keep the weight off your right leg
Patience: the lack of patience - you want to feel better and resume your normal walking life, but you just cannot for awhile

Best things about first few weeks of FAI surgery recovery time:

I don't have deal with stress at work
Feeling like I have done everything I could to take control of my FAI condition by keeping my eyes on the prize: running, biking, walking and even sitting again without pain
I hear more from my friends and family
I am catching up on sleep: I never knew I could sleep this much
Ice cream: I never wanted it so much and my guests have been more than happy to provide it

Physical therapy exercises I tolerate & enjoy (some)

side extensions (my favorite exercise, with ankle cuffs/elastic band, pull your leg sideways as far as comfortable. Don't let the resistance go. Instead resist the other leg touching your originally extended leg as long as possible
monster walks (my second favorite exercise - reach forward with your legs as far as possible using the ankle cuffs.
hackey sack (extend your leg in front of your body as if you are going to dribble a soccer ball or kick a hackey sack 30 times.
3 way hip strengthening (using a ankle weight - 1: lie on your 1. back one knee flexed, the other leg extended. Reach your extended leg up to height of your flexed knee on the other leg 20 times. 2. lie and your stomach and lift your legs from your hips times each 3. lie on your side and extend your hip slightly back. Lift your leg 20 times.
single knee to chest (pull your knee to your chest)
squats against wall (Put your back against the wall. Squat into a seated position. Hold as long as possible three times.
pyriformis (cross your leg over your other leg parallel to the knee and hold for 30 seconds
karate kid crane kick balance (lift your leg you had surgery on up to a 90 degree angle and hold it for 30 seconds - bend at knee
hamstring strength (position yourself like a crab, extended in the air with your arms and legs, lift each of your legs 20 times)
core strength (modified pushup)
back stretch (lay on stomach, push up with arms directly under shoulders)

How did you feel 1 week after surgery?

My body was getting really fed up by my new muscle uses by this time. My foot turned blue once from lack of movement. My hip started hurting more because I assume it was healing. I found week 2 harder than week one. I'm a little bit more flexible than last week. I have been waking up from the pain sometimes at night. I hope it's healing! I could not imagine going through this without the support of my wife. Please consider temporarily moving in with someone who has a lot of patience with you if you live alone.

How did you feel 2 weeks after surgery?

By the end of week 2 my muscles have somewhat adjusted to using alternate muscles. Some days are good and relatively low pain, other days I do not know what I did to trigger pain.
Occasionally I forget I had this surgery and put weight on both feet causing a shooting pain for a moment as a reminder
I learned to keep my foot up on a chair to keep it level to reduce the severe swelling in my right leg
I started eating yogurt which seems to help my constipation problems caused by the pain killers and the acid from the anti-inflammatories.
I can bend over to pick up some things, but I stop myself and sometimes pay for it with pain when I do it
I learned to avoid acidic foods - I cannot enjoy spicy foods or foods with citrus acid using the anti-inflammatories. My aunt says it is caused by a lack of iron, so I started taking my pre-surgery vitamin supplements with iron again.

How did you feel 3 weeks after surgery?

I could feel a positive difference in my right leg and its tolerance to impact with the ground
I need a lot of water, especially when I leave my home.
I went for walks on my crutches this week and I needed a decent nap after each outing
My crutches have caused wounds where I press them against my body. My left (weight bearing side) has the biggest cuts.
I undressed my incision for the first time since I left the hospital. My stitches have totally disappeared!
It is not a rule, but I seem to have 1 day I feel really good for every 2 bad days
My back often hurts from laying in bed in the same position all night
My pre-surgery pain in my lower back came back for several days when I started taking walks with the crutches. Amazingly, it has stopped.

How did you feel 4 weeks after surgery?

I have regained a lot of physical strength. I can get out of bed more quickly. I walk on crutches more efficiently. What a relief!
I still need a nap after walking anywhere substantial on crutches.
I did not use any pain medications this week, except after a serious back spasm during my sleep.
I am using only aspirin to thin my blood and keep me from clotting near my hip internally.
I pushed myself and drove a car at the tail end of the week. It was big mistake - my back hurts from it two days later. It is waking me up at night.
I do not usually eat much meat. I found eating more meat seems like it might be a good idea during recovery.
I cannot explain it exactly, but every time I push myself, my body has a way of fighting back.
My right leg continues to be swollen from hip to toe, but my swelling has subsided a little.
My most frustrating problem is constipation. I can handle the crutches, but not being stuck.

How did you feel 5 weeks after surgery?

I can stand up without the support of crutches! I can stand getting off the toilet. I can stand in the shower! I find this my happiest feeling I had since the surgery. Admittedly, I feel uneasy on my two feet. I cannot walk a step without the aid of my crutches.
I felt more confident and comfortable moving this week. I had no true bowel troubles this past week. Thank goodness! I think walking around substantial distances (I probably crutch walked 3 miles this week) has helped with constipation problems.
I still need a nap after using the crutches for walks, but I feel stronger while using them.
Only 1 of the last 7 nights I slept a full night without waking up to back pain. I called the doctor's office and we mutually decided my pain is not related to the surgery. I think its a combination of laying in a fixed position in bed for too long, my posture while on crutches, and/or mild scoliosis I was diagnosed as having when I was a kid. Ironically, I sit in a chair and my back pain slowly disappears.
Each week I have gained more flexibility in bending my my right leg and hip without agitation. In part, I think my range of motion has improved due to decreased leg swelling. I believe I have found safe way of bending while sitting to reach objects near the ground.

How did you feel 6 weeks after surgery?

I am hesitating less to bend over, it is getting easier, especially in a seated position. I cannot yet reach my toenails (while seated of course!) on my hip repaired leg.
Careful indoor sports are back!
I am still having consistent back pain when sleeping, but I think it is from the reasons I mentioned last week
I still feel the need to keep my right leg up on a chair or stool while sitting for comfort
I do not feel comfortable in normal sitting position with my foot on the floor. If I leave it on the floor at a right angle, I move it constantly to take the weight off of it.
My right leg is still swollen and off color red, but I think my foot could now fit in a sneaker.
I am running out of patience sitting around, but I want this surgery to be successful more than anything! I will sit and rest as long as necessary.
I see my surgeon for my six week evaluation on July 28, 2010. I will make a special progress update on my site after my visit.

How did you feel after your FOLLOW UP surgeon visit?

Some of the other patients were already walking with one crutch, I felt annoyed that I did not get the memo
I found out I could have been swimming after the second week of recovery, but I learned there's a big difference between the thoughts of the surgeon and the conservative hospital speak that was offered to me over the phone
I went home and walked my first steps in a safe environment- the only way the swelling will go away is using my right leg
I have 6 millimeters of joint space and my femoral head is nice and round. My sutures are gone and my incision is healing nicely.
You cannot image how happy (and physically tired) I was to be able to walk again
I was cleared to swim and bike immediately. I cannot run for at least 6 weeks.
After I sat down after my first steps, I believe my spine moved back to its "normal" position. I did not wake up from back pain the next morning.

How did you feel 7 weeks after surgery?

I can walk again with an antalgic gait - I am using a cane sometimes for support
I am walking with a gait in part because my right foot hurts when bearing my body weight
If I take small steps, I have less of a gait problem
My back seemed to be completely fine for a couple of days, I almost believed it was back to normal. However, after a couple of days the back pain returned. However, I am performing movements that I have not done in almost seven weeks.
Sometimes I wonder if I will be able to run again, sometimes I am sure I will... pains in my body wax and wane day-to-day.
I continue to get tired during walks, but I am glad to not have to use crutches!
Unfortunately, I can walk faster with crutches than I can walk freely.
Every week I have made some gains and experienced some pains with the new mobility. I can now walk. I think my pain/gain cycle will continue when I bike and eventually run again.

How did you feel 8 weeks after surgery?

I am starting to walk with more balance since I completed 2 physical therapy sessions
I have riden twice on a bicycle - I feel more stable on a bicycle than on my feet walking
Just once (8/9) I have woken up with severe mid to lower back pain
I am working on my flexibility at physical therapy - I lost a lot of it
My ankles seem weak - if I step on an unlevel surface, I know it
I have rotated between heat (before activity) and ice (after activity)
I am regularly tired after walking, biking, or physical therapy

How did you feel 9 weeks after surgery?

After learning to walk heel toe again at physical therapy, I have become much more stable while walking
I no longer use any kind of assisted walking device (basically I do not use a cane)
I have biked once again this week, this time nearly 9 miles in one session with more strength and speed
I continue to get tired after prolonged walking. I generally do not feel like exercising after a full day of work (this is atypical of me pre-surgery)
I continue to get an extreme feeling of tiredness as the day wears on, but it's getting better every week
After stretching and exercising, I feel a burning spot in my lower back where my primary symptom of pain was located pre-surgery. I worry about this, but the pain always goes away with heat.
I am a fast walker and someday I am sure I will return to my speedy ways. However, since I have returned to work two weeks ago, I have operated in a tired state. I have no qualms about taking my time. I am really surprised how accepting I am of my slowness from my healing state.
I can do 85% of a quadriceps stretch (runner's stretch - pull my operated leg up to my lower back)

How did you feel 10 weeks after surgery?

I have no doubt about it - I AM GETTING BETTER! Break out the trumpets!
Friends, family, and my physical therapist see a noticeable difference in my walk and energy levels
I walked and biked this past week at a good pace moving respectable distances with zero to mild discomfort
I went for a long walk and I did experience a non-FAI like lower back pain, but it went away after a couple hours
My balance is almost what it was pre-surgery
I can feel something is slightly off in my walk, but I believe time will fix it
I have felt the urge to run twice during my lead up to 10 weeks, a good sign. I trotted across the street a couple of times with no troubles.
My main complaint is stiffness in my upper leg/hip... I think the stiffness throws off my walking balance after I sit for awhile.

How did you feel 11 weeks after surgery?

There were days this week I forgot I had surgery
I walked, swam, and biked this week mostly trouble free
My ankles continue to be slightly weak
I got a common cold late in the week and my hip was a little unhappy
I am not out of the woods yet - I ran a mile on an elliptical machine and my body told me it was too much

How did you feel 12 weeks after surgery?

I performed a new hip strengthening exercise at physical therapy that I believe really hurt me
All it took was one pain to lose my confidence that my surgery was successful
Also, I ran a mile again on the elliptical machine this week which could be causing the pain
By the end of the eleventh week, I adapted to familiar tolerable pain, mostly in my lower back
I keep reminding myself that every stage of recovery, from bending to sitting feet down to crutch walking to walking with a cane to walking normal I have experienced this lower back pain for awhile
I walked a half marathon - the further I walked, the better my hip area felt - I guess it warmed up
I am worried, but I think I will get better

How did you feel 13 weeks after surgery?

All my fears from last week are gone - I am running on an elliptical machine for 20 minutes without issues
I went to the beach in cold ocean water and my hip tensed up while swimming
Something about unleveled surfaces, such as sand agitate my hip briefly
I'm coming back

How did you feel 14 weeks after surgery?

I managed to gain about 9 pounds after returning to work 8 weeks ago. It was very stressful being on my feet so much and tired. I was eating a lot of comfort food. I am happy to say that I have been active enough to lose 6 of those pounds.
Sometimes when I feel stressed, my hip area twinges and I feel a bad pain temporarily. After the stress is out of my mind, my hip soon returns to normal.
Sometimes after I exercise, I feel sore in my hip. My pain in my lower back has been mostly gone - I did something once this week that briefly triggered my pre-surgery back pain. However, my back pain went away very quickly.
I am biking and swimming about 4 days a week. I have a little bit of pain sometimes, but I am getting used to it and the pain continues to get less intense.
I am still attending physical therapy. I hope to be discharged within two weeks.
I can run on the concrete about 10 seconds trouble-free. I am not confident I am ready for more.
I ran 1.5 miles at a 7:30 mile pace on the elliptical machine with almost no hip pain once this week.

How did you feel 15 weeks after surgery?

I started running on treadmills again this week at physical therapy. I read that treadmills could be a bad thing during FAI recovery, but I used them all the time from week 15 to my present FAI free life! I never felt a treadmill did me any harm during recovery, although I generally used them on a grade at first...
My physical therapists have cleared me to RUN this week starting from 5 minutes up to a maximum of 15. I was scared the first time, but afterwards I iced down and I only had a minor irritation in my hip.
It suddenly dawned on me that I seem to be able to climb up stairs by double-stepping - the way I used to climb before surgery.
Sometimes I completely forget about the surgery because I do not feel the pains any more. In reality, I think I have grown used to the small pains that remain.
Temperatures have dropped in my city as autumn has arrived. I found the temperature and humidity differences have caused little irritation in my hip.
Sometimes I feel a little awkward about my walking/running gait. I have been getting stiff. Consequently, it may have something to do with autumn.

How did you feel 16 weeks after surgery?

I am doing so well that I am losing interest in maintaining this web page
I have run my first 2 miles outside with no issues
I ice my hip after every run
I told my physical therapist that I am about 95%
I had one run on a treadmill that hurt my hip. I ran 1.25 miles and it hurt me a day later, but the pain in my lower back went away.

How did you feel 17 weeks after surgery?

I ran 3.5 miles (5K+) this weekend outside. It was my longest run of 2010. I iced afterwards. I had no direct pain!
I have not mentioned this before, but my hip has been noticeably tender to the touch for weeks. I think it happened when I started running. Indoor sports cause me irritation when my hip is repeatedly bumped by my wife.
It is not constant pressure that irritates my hip to the touch, it is the initial contact that causes the temporary irritation
Sometimes when I am stressed, I get a shooting pain in my hip for a moment
Sometimes when I look at my scar, I believe it looks like new small bruises appear once in awhile.
When I run, I am using a shorter stride, but my speed seems to be as fast as it was pre-surgery. In fact, I feel faster sometimes. Time will tell...
My physical therapist who has worked with FAI patients said it takes about 6 months (24 weeks) to really start to feel 'normal' again
Unlevel surfaces seem to no longer be an issue for my hip
I am a little surprised that the bruises on my sides from using the crutches in the first six weeks or so of my recovery have NOT completely healed on my left or right side.

How did you feel 18 weeks after surgery?

I ran a few hills this weekend, maybe four miles total in Connecticut. It was not good for me.
While driving four and a half hours home from Connecticut a couple hours after my run, my hip was stiff and slightly agitated as I kept it mostly firmly on the gas pedal on the drive home.
When I woke up the next day, my groin, lower hip, and back were in an agitated state. I am icing down everyday.
We're having a weird warm humid autumn weather system, so this may be part of the pain
I can function fully, but I am scared - I have been here multiple times. I'm worried about my groin pain.
Doctor said 4-6 months until I could really run again. I have just crossed the 4 month threshold, so I should not be too hard on myself for this minor setback.
I was discharged from physical therapy two days before this run. My therapist said I am 'ahead of the curve.' Time will tell if he is right.

How did you feel 19 weeks after surgery?

Last week I was worried about my hip agitation. After two days, my symptoms went away. They were my most severe symptoms in a long time.
I am having doubts I will be the runner I was back when I was healthy.
I feel like I have great days, good days, and bad days with my hip
I ran twice last week - a two mile, then a 6 mile day. My 6 mile day was sort of an accident. Ice is my best friend.
My 6 miles one day were fun like old times. I iced immediately afterwards, but the next day during my my physical therapy hip strengthening exercises, my hip got aggravated.
I feel like I do things to aggravate my hip, but I never know when it is going to happen
Currently my lower back is slightly irritated as I sit here and write this post and there is occasionally a shooting pain in my quadriceps.
I am happy I had the surgery. However, I am not happy about the roller coaster ride of recovery. A part of me says, just stop running for awhile. My surgeon said I could run a long time ago. I am trying to let pain be my guide. Hopefully I can share with you that my hip feels the way I want it to next week.

How did you feel 20 weeks after surgery?

My hip is in better shape than last week. My mental state was not good. I feel like I am on the mend again in the roller coaster ride of recovery. I am generally upset about the condition of my hip. I do not know if it was the coldest weather of the year, the sudden change back to warm weather, overuse of my hip, finishing physical therapy or what, but my hip is slightly annoying me. I feel a little bit of groin irritation as I sit here writing today.
My lower back frequently had a light dull pain on several days of the preceding week
I have not intentionally gone out running, but I find myself running across street corners, rushing for trains, taking short running dashes... It is almost subconscious ... I really want to run and the more I try to stop myself, the more I seem to trick myself into doing it. I have ZERO immediate pain when I do these little runs and I do not think they are making my current hip irritation any worse...
I can walk and bike and swim without my hip reminding me a lot that it is healing. Nevertheless, I wish it would heal and let me have my physical life back without serious restraints.

How did you feel 21 weeks after surgery?

Over the previous 2-3 weeks I was frustrated, but I am happy to write that I feel "normal" again. I have no regular back or hip pain. If I were to be hypersensitive, I would say my groin is a tiny bit off of normal. My hip is not noticeably bothering me everyday. Actually it is more fair to say that new "normal" for my hip since surgery seems to be when it does not call attention to itself by way of back and hip pain. Some days in the past week I generally have forgot about it. I think the combination of very little running, physical therapy exercises, extra sleep from having a day off from work, and a mild warm air mass that has come back to the area this late autumn is helping my hip tremendously. My hip and back are not the same as they were pre-surgery. My surgeon said I would probably reach 100% recovery. I have not seen that happen for me. At least things looked better in my mind in week 16. Oh well, I must have patience, patience, patience...
Over the last week, I have biked about 40 miles over three outings and I swam twice - my only change has been no running. Often I ice after my bike rides.
My hip area is still tender to the touch
When I get very stressed, I continue to get a shooting hip pain temporarily.
My hip scar from the incision is still very red and defined. My primary care doctor said it could take years to become dull pink.
I still have the some of the bruise remaining on both sides on my torso where I used my crutches the first six weeks. If my bruises have not fully healed in 15 weeks, I should not be so hard on myself to believe that my hip should be fully healed by now.

How did you feel 22 weeks after surgery?

My current pattern is the same: if I run, I injure my hip - I was volunteering at the Philadelphia Marathon this past weekend. I jogged about a mile to the volunteer check-in station from my home with no problems. Later I was jogging across the grass about 200 meters helping a spectator with directions when I suddenly felt a small spot of pain kind of popping up in my hip. I stopped jogging immediately. My lower back, hip, and groin quickly went into their pain/something's wrong warning state. It is not the same pain I had before surgery. The worst symptoms went away after a couple hours, especially after I sat down for a little while. I cried on Sunday. I am upset. I iced down a couple of times. I am seriously starting to doubt long distance running will be part of my future.
After a couple of days, the pain reduced, but my hip is not in my 'normal' state again
I have not given up all hope, but letting pain be my guide, my body is telling me not to run
biking - no problem - swimming - no problem - walking - no problem - running - problem....
By the way, my hip area still cracks sometimes. It does not hurt. It is just a new situation I expect to deal with for the rest of my life.

How did you feel 23 weeks after surgery?

I was sick this week, so my hip felt better in general because I was performing less physical activities
I got on my bicycle today and without fail, my hip does not feel as good it did before I worked it out. My hip and lower back are burning a little bit as I sit here and type this post. (Edit next day: my pains are stronger today)
It does not look like 6 months (24 weeks) is going to be my magic number for recovery as my surgeon suggested
I believe I am better off than I was before surgery, but all I have left is time and hope for full recovery. It seems far away.

How did you feel 24 weeks (6 months) after surgery?

I read a book, Born to Run, by Chris McDougall and discovered a wonderful food called chia seeds with great natural anti-inflammatory powers. Chia seeds have increased my energy level and helped me comfortably be more active. My hip is far from perfect, but I am doing a lot more pain-free exercise after adding about a teaspoon of chia seeds each day to my morning cereal. I recommend chia seeds to anyone during their FAI recovery once they can walk again.
I have nagging symptoms with my hip, sometimes concentrated in my lower back, especially when I run any distance outside. I am finding the chia seeds indirectly help make my pain go away faster.
I spent about 5 or more hours on an elliptical machine (it is a running machine with no impact) this past week. I was not exercising at a hard resistance, but I was able to enjoy myself without hurting my hip. I believe I did over 18 miles (29 kilometers) on the elliptical machine this past week.
If I run on the sidewalk more than a short distance, my hip flares up. Nevertheless, the duration of the pain seems to be lasting less. I am feeling more optimistic my hip will healthy enough someday to run again.

How did you feel 25 weeks after surgery?

Believe it or not, I seem to be able to run about 2 miles on a treadmill on a grade... it seems like the incline is the important part. I ran 2 miles on a 6 percent grade twice in one week.
Stressful situations continue to cause a temporary stinging pain in my hip
I still recommend eating chia seeds each day to help with inflammation

How did you feel 26 / 27 weeks after surgery?

I was on a cruise ship in the Caribbean most of the last two weeks. Needless to say, the warm humid air definitely helped my hip.
I found I can use a PreCor elliptical machine up to a resistance of 8 out of 20 for up to about 3 miles before my hip starts complaining.
For a few days of my cruise, I had almost no hip trouble. However, I did one high jump in the air for a photograph and that is all it took to upset my hip. After several hours, my hip started to relax again.
I swing danced every night for 10 nights. Swing is a pretty hip/knee intensive dance ... I had no pain from dancing.
I ran about 300 meters around the deck on my last night on the cruise ship. Although I felt no immediate pain in my hip, as the night moved on, I realized I hurt it.
Before I left for my cruise, I planned to see Dr. Parvizi. I am concerned that my hip is not healing as planned. I have an appointment for a 6-month checkup on 1/12/2011. New X-rays are going to be taken. This is fairly routine after 6 months post-surgery. I look forward to sharing any details I learn after my visit.

How did you feel 28 weeks after surgery? (Dr. Parvizi 6 month checkup visit)

I visited the talented Dr. Parvizi, my hip surgeon, and his team of young proteges this past week. It was a very productive visit. Dr. Parvizi is a very bright man. I told him my symptoms. He seemed understanding and he gave me advice and remedies.
I told Dr. Parvizi about my back and hip pain. I explained to him that when I crouched down, even just a little bit, I would feel stiff and sore in an area near the top of my right quadricep. Sometimes when I would attempt to run, this area would be the first to clench up. Dr. Parvizi attributed this pain to my hip adductor muscles. He said it is normal for these muscles to tense up at my stage of recovery. He showed me a couple stretches to help relieve the tense area, one of those being a lunge stretch. I explained that I still get short episodes of pain in my butt, groin, and hip area. He was not worried. However, he was concerned about my back. He believes my back my be spasming from my gait and not necessarily related to my hip surgery. He recommended I call him to get his immediate approval for an MRI on my back if my symptoms do not stop. He told me not to stop exercising with any familiar reasonable hip pains I encounter at this point in the recovery. Basically he suggested I will only lose muscle mass if stop working out my legs. I am having a little bit of knee trouble, and he suggested I take glucosamine tablets. I am working on it. Dr. Parvizi is a good man. I almost felt a brief father-son bond. He cared enough to listen and sift through my hip and running concerns.
My joint space in my hips looks great. I misunderstood something about my cartilage earlier. Apparently their was a cyst on my cartilage, but it has been removed and smoothed out. My cartridge is in great condition and the damage has been removed. Parvizi showed me the extra bone that exists in my left hip on an X-ray. I am happy it is not an issue. However, despite the small odds, it always will be scary to think I might have to go through all this again for my left hip.
I have been doing the lunge and adductor stretches that Dr. Parvizi suggested. I have run 2 miles Tuesday, 3.1 miles Wednesday, 3.1 miles Friday and 3.1 Sunday. I ice down afterwards. I am having no serious hip pains. I am very happy! Dr. Parvizi has given me peace of mind. I now know what is going wrong. I still prefer running on a grade for hip comfort. All of my runs were on a treadmill on a 5 percent grade or higher.
My hip incision scar has been changing colors over the past six weeks or so. I'd say about 40% looks like a pink scar and 60% still appears its post-surgery fleshy color. My scar healing is kind of weird; the incision is turning pink in a straight line, there are spots of pink and spots of fleshy red like a zebra's stripes.
Special Note: several kind people reading my thoughts have been emailing me (Thank you) about this condition none of us probably never heard of until it happened to us. One man confided that that 6-12 months is what he heard was the time period it took for you to finally start to get your regain your true trouble-free mobility. I believe it may finally be happening for me.

How did you feel 29 weeks after surgery?

I ran for 12.5 miles this week, generally three miles at a time at a 6 percent grade on an elliptical machine. I iced afterwards every time. I had no abnormal pains in my hip the next day.
I ran about half mile to catch a train I was afraid I would miss one night. Like clockwork, my hip tightened up - the adductor muscles, just as Parvizi said. My hip irritated me probably for the next 36 hours. I did some lunge stretching and my pain near the top of my quadricep (adductors?) completely subsided.
I seem to have two different types of back pain. This week I suffered from the pains reminiscent of those I got when I laid in bed for too long during recovery. (trust me - I have not been sleeping enough) My current pain is all over my lower back. It is completely tolerable, but it wakes me up sometimes at night. I do not know if my running is exclusively the problem, but last week was my highest mileage since I had surgery.
My hip itself feels surprisingly good. I have a tiny amount of groin irritation, but nothing to complain about. My hip feels no pain at all to the touch. If I smack it with my hand, it is still a little tender. I think the running has motivated me to stretch and do my physical therapy exercises. I wish my lower back would cooperate.
My bruises from my crutch walking the first few weeks are almost completely gone!

How did you feel 30 weeks after surgery?

I ran another 12 mile week on a treadmill. I am running a pace between 8 and 9 minute miles. I did a Stairmaster workout as well (I think the Stairmaster is really good for the muscles surrounding my hip). I was brave enough to put down the treadmill to a level three grade. My hip adductor muscle started to tighten the front of my quadricep, but there was no lasting discomfort after I got off of it.
I must admit to you, the reader, that I have some secondary pain problems going on: my back and my knees. My back is annoying but the pain usually goes away. My knees are bothering me, but I almost believe my problem is stress induced. Dr. Parvizi recommended glucosamine, but more for my knees than my hip. I do not blame my knee problems on the surgery. My knee and back pains are mostly minor, but they make me feel like an old man sometimes. I wonder if my body is compensating somehow.
Overall, I am feeling really optimistic I will be performing a little distance running outside this spring.
A lot is going on at the moment in my life, but I believe a couple days this week I forgot about my hip completely. Get the surgery if you think you need it - I have no regrets.
I noticed the muscles in my left thigh were much thicker than my right thigh while I was stretching recently. I guess my right leg has some rebuilding to do. I hope my left leg is still not compensating for my right.
Sometimes I wonder if the FAI in my left hip is a ticking time bomb. Time will tell....

How did you feel 31 weeks after surgery?

On Monday night, right before I usually try to write an update on this site, I went for a run outside. I hoped to brag that my run went really well. It actually did go well - my hip did not react too negatively (a had some of the upper quadricep tightening I mentioned a couple weeks ago - but completely tolerable discomfort) to the stress of impact with the concrete. I guess I ran between 2 or 3 miles total. After the run I noticed a mild pain in my lower back. I had trouble sleeping. My back seemed to be spasming from the bottom up. Today is Thursday and I am mostly better. Maybe I should have started out easier with just a mile. I have called to get an MRI of my back just to be safe.
I called my surgeon's nurse and she said my gait could be off (I believe it could be true), but I should get an MRI on my lower/lumbar section of my back just to play it safe. Also, I have mild scoliosis, so I could have some secondary problem unrelated to FAI.
I read a lot of things about my health problems on the Internet. I try to communicate my joys and fears post operation. This is my journey through FAI recovery. Please do not think you will have a similar journey. I have read some reviews on Facebook and other sources that show patients that have recovered more quickly than I have.
Although I had a mostly perfect week previous to my back trouble before running outside on concrete and asphalt, I continue running on a treadmill, bicycling, and a using Stairmaster. My hip itself has been almost no trouble to me in the last couple of weeks.

How did you feel 32 weeks after surgery?

On Monday I had an MRI focusing on the lumbar section of my back. My whole back was scanned once as well. I am happy to say that my lower back pains are not directly related to my hip impingement surgery. In fact, they found almost nothing wrong with my back - my 4/5 disc is a little agitated, but the back specialist told me a healthy 25 year old might have the same condition - "life" is what has irritated the disc in my back. Finally I have some peace of mind. Let me repeat that - FAI did not directly mess up my lower back. I saw a back specialist and he said my back muscles might be causing the pain. Also, he said that if we were to perform many tests with lots of needles, he would only have a 60% chance of finding the exact area that is provoking the pain. I started doing physical therapy stretching exercises and I am already recovering quickly.
One overwhelming message I have gotten from the doctors and older/wiser people: it takes awhile to recover. I am not 25 anymore and my body will not do whatever I want anymore. I have to start slow and build back up. My back/neck situation could have happened from overdoing it too soon.
My neck has been stiff and irritated for more than 8 days. It is improving with stretching and heat. It started two days after my run that I performed right at the end of my 31st week. It was worse than the back pain. My neck pain got me to the doctor, not my back pain.
The back specialist says this pain is probably from running on the cold ground and pushing myself too hard too soon outside. He also told me that scoliosis does not cause back pain, so I can rule that out as a cause of any of these problems.
I was very unhappy, sleep deprived and my mental state was not good. I was not sleeping well for about 10 days. I decided to throw caution to the wind. I went out and ran a glorious 7 miles on a 66 degree day on 2/17/11. I ran 3 more miles outside in 66 degree February weather on 2/18/11. I am stretching everything: back, quads, hip, neck, gluts, calves, etc. I am doing so much better. My hip acted up a little while running, but I iced and it is less of a problem than ever. I believe my hip is almost fully recovered - it took about 8 months time.
I noticed how weak I am while running and stretching. I really lost a lot of my athletic ability. I am starting to believe I lost a lot of muscle and flexibility. It makes sense. My muscles in my core and quads are doing that involuntary vibrating contractions when they do something they have not been forced to do for awhile. It is going to take me awhile, but I believe I can build my body back to strength it used to have. My body's performance means a lot to me.
I got on a Wii balance board to see if I am favoring one leg over the other. Yes, I definitely favor the left (47%/53%) I noticed when I did rapid weight changes with one balance game, my upper quadricep was not happy. The hip irritation stopped a minute or two after I finished the game.
I got a massage for the first time in my life. I noticed the left side of my body (the non-FAI treated side) had double the amount of muscle tension than my right side.
When I was running my crazy 7 mile outdoor run, I noticed I was favoring my non-FAI treated leg, the left. I tried to carefully put more effort into using my right leg.
It could be my imagination, but I feel like I can move my hip/leg that I had surgery on further forward than I could pre-surgery. My hip feels looser.

How did you feel 33 weeks after surgery?

I am running from 12-16 miles a week. 8 months was my true mental and physical turning point. I have confidence in my hip. It is not perfect, but I had no sustained pains for almost a month and I am pushing it.
I was deeply stressed about my back last week. Nevertheless, I saw my great sports medicine doctor, Dr. Maenpaa this week. He worked with me over several visits and originally found my FAI. If you live in the Philadelphia, PA region and need a good sports medicine doctor, call Dr. Maenpaa at (215) 334-5346. I visited Dr. Maenpaa about my back. He analyzed my posture, back and neck, checked my orthotics, tested my body through a series of exercises, demonstrated some exercises on the floor, and basically told me I have severe muscle imbalances. In fact, some of my muscles in my back are now compensating for some muscles I use in my legs. When I had FAI surgery I sat atrophying for about for 8 weeks. I have already been doing rows, lats, and core strength exercises this week to start building back my old body . I was recommended I attend a gym boot camp to build my muscles. I am considering doing it at a gym called Fusion.
I have not been as confident as I am now that my FAI problems are over since week 16. I ran 4.25 miles tonight, a half a mile at 6:18 pace - my fastest yet by far... I had minor irritation in my hip, but I did not even feel the need to ice. I pulled out the ice as I write to be safe...
Our air masses have been changing quickly here in Philadelphia over this odd mild, cold, mild February. I had no noticeable trouble with my hip.
My hip incision scar continues to get less prominent, but it is not a dull pink.
My hip rarely cracks when I twist it inward. I cannot remember the last time it happened.

How did you feel 34 weeks after surgery?

I ran 9.5 miles on the asphalt, rowed 1 hour, swam 1200 meters, and biked 20 miles last week. This week I have already run 13 miles on the asphalt. I can't say my hip was 100% after every workout, but I can say it was 90-95% at worst and almost 100% after some ice and rest.
I think the song "Don't stop believing" by Journey sums it up - my FAI nightmare is over!
I have expressed my honest feelings on this page - I really thought my outdoor running future was over at week 22. I cannot believe the difference I see 12 weeks later.
Dr. Parvizi was right - he told me to push through my hip pains. I pushed through the hip pain/agitation and I do my stretches (especially the lunge stretch) properly. I recommend him for FAI surgery.
Dr. Maenpaa was right - I have to stretch my back and strengthen my muscle imbalances. I really like these back stretches and they help: http://video.about.com/backandneck/Back-Stretches-for-Back-Pain.htm
I am eating my omega 3 filled chia seeds and taking my glucosamine. I probably will take both of these supplements for the rest of my life.
I have signed up for a 5K, and 10 miler, and a half marathon

How did you feel 35 weeks after surgery?

Thank you Dr. Javad Parvizi for giving my back my athletic freedom! I ran 21 miles ran in the past week with cross training
I joined Fusion cross training gym and I have been fighting back against my muscle imbalances to help with my manageable but annoying back pain
My athletic body is back - my weight is down to 147.8 pounds - less than 2 pounds more than my marathon weight - I never thought I'd get back here again - I briefly went all the way up to 159 during the hardest period of my recovery. When was my hardest part of recovery, you ask? I imagine it was when I was trying to master walking again when I was back at work being up and down on my feet all day (weeks 6 to 10).
I am not going to lie. I hurt my hip this current week. I am feeling it in my upper quadricep, groin and lower back, but I am not worried. Its an old familiar feeling that I know goes away as I progress in my recovery. I have pushed myself hard this week - for example, I was running at a 6 minute mile pace on a treadmill at a 14 percent grade for sustained bursts of time. I'm doing my lunges, continuing my exercise as normal and I expect to feel 100% again in a couple of days.

How did you feel 36 weeks after surgery?

I have nothing new to report... I ran 7.5 miles or so in one outdoor run on asphalt overdoing it a little - it hurt my knees, but not my hip
I find myself cross-training more. I am not running everyday. I am changing my exercises to be safe. Any hip pain totally demoralizes me.
My body is functional again. Sometimes my hip feels about 90% of the way it did pre-surgery. Some days I do not think about my hip at all. I consider the 90%+ pre-surgery normal as my new 100% normal. Overall, I hardly notice when my hip is unhappy. Maybe with more time this my surgery recovery will become even more of a happy to be over with memory.
My hip incision scar is still healing. I think it is great that some of the scar seems to match my skin and not look too pink.
My advice: get the surgery, expect mental and physical pain at varying degrees for 8 months, and get your athletic freedom back!

How did you feel 37 weeks after surgery?

My right hip FAI problem is history thanks to patience during the 8 month roller coaster ride of recovery, Dr. Parvizi, and some cross training and supplement lifestyle changes on my part - I have resumed my 100% pre-surgery active lifestyle. I run less to be safe, but I can do it.
For all of you math lovers out there, think of your recovery like linear regression. You are generally getting better [less pain/more functionality (X) with time (Y)] however, you have days with pain setbacks that fall below the average of where you should be at that time in recovery. Mentally, these setbacks feel awful and you think the surgery did not work. However, after a few days, you recover back to the mean. Sometimes, you feel great and think the surgery was a complete success and you can conquer the world. Then you have a setback and your mental state deteriorates. Have patience with your body. It will repair itself with time. Non-doctors said I was younger (34 years old) and I should heal faster, but I do not know if that was true. Dr. Parvizi told me I should make a full recovery and he was right.
I will continue this blog/page only if something interesting comes up. I plan to post my 5K, 10 mile, and 13.1 mile race results as a motivational tool. Google Analytics told me roughly 144 people were following this page over many weeks. Thank you for following my thoughts. I wish you the best of luck and patience with yourself as you recover and get your active lifestyle back! You're totally worth it! Do it!

How did you feel 56 weeks after surgery?

I want my information about my recovery to be as real as possible. I hate to dash anyone's hopes, but I am having trouble with my FAI treated hip area again. I have tried to deny it, but my recovery time symptoms have come back.
My hip is sore. My groin pain comes and goes. My lower back pain is the most annoying part. It comes and goes too.
I keep asking myself how this happened. I have three guesses:
1. 1. I took a functional movement test and agitated something my hip was able to avoid doing until that test
2. 2. I got a new mattress. I had a firm Temperpedic mattress and I bought a not-as-firm replacement
3. 3. I slept on an air mattress and maybe I agitated it
On the bright side, I do not feel it is necessary to restrict myself on any activities. I have pain, but it is not stopping me from much physically. Nevertheless, the mental impact is tough. I can run, do yoga, swim. I am struggling with a few strength movements that really use my right hip that I cannot do right now. Nobody would perform these movements on a normal basis.

How did you feel 58 weeks after surgery?

My hip pain still exists. It mentally makes me worry: will I have up and downs for the rest of my life? It is less severe. I am a far healthier than I was before surgery. I think I am back to about weeks 26-30 as far as my progress.
Although I have restricted myself, I ran about 25 miles last week, did about 14 miles on a Stairmaster and biked about 25 including daily commuting to work
I am doing all the old tricks: ice, and elevation
Honestly, I do not rest very much. I like to exercise everyday. I truly think exercise helps me relax and my hip seems to like it too. I spend too much time worrying.
I do not regret anything I have done and I would not do it differently - get the surgery - I do not take it back. I am functional, but with light burning in my hip. Sometimes I feel the pain in my groin, butt and lower back.
Please do not give up or get discouraged. I know it gets better.

How did you feel 60 weeks after surgery?

I continued maintaining this blog to give all people hope that have experienced FAI. My hip pain still exists, but at a lower intensity than before I believed I was fully recovered. I am living with it. It has not forced me to stop any of my activities.
I have to admit that I think my left hip (the non-FAI) treated hip may be starting to go. I have been feeling an odd pain in my groin area in my left hip. I went in-line skating at a roller skating rink and I think this might have been a trigger.
My knees are bothering me. I almost feel like I run differently to protect myself FAI treated leg.
I noticed my hip is cracking again - especially when I wake up in the morning. I was at a yoga class this afternoon and something in the FAI repaired area cracked again.
I elevate my legs and ice just about every evening after my workouts. I believe this helps me more than anything.

How did you feel 62 weeks after surgery?

I had intense week of workouts in week 61. I ran about 30 miles, biked about 20 and performed cross-training exercises such as lunges and step-ups with 25 pound weights. I feel like there is no direct correlation in how much I exercise and my hip recovery.
I think I am recovered again - I will update again if I start having troubles. I want to continue as much as a realistic picture of my experiences with life after FAI surgery as I can for you.

Familiar Right Hip Pain 3/30/12 [I recovered, but this event changed my exeresis habits]

I intend for this blog not to be bull$hit, so I have to write this. I wouldn't admit to myself, but I acknowledged my hip was injured around 3 weeks ago
I have symptoms similar to pre-FAI surgery, just not as extreme
I cannot bicycle and (for the most part) not run
something about the motion of bicycling sets my hip off
I am not sure what I did. Not sleeping enough, using heavier weights for squats, running hills, I tried partially minimalist shoes for a 2 mile run and one day walking. There was no a-ha moment that I can point to realize when my hip injury began
I ice my hip almost everyday and I have seen some improvement
I have an appointment with my FAI surgeon 5/2/12
5/5/12 - I was not able to see my surgeon on 5/2 due to an information technology emergency at work. It took me a month to get that appointment.
I am having trouble looking at my website - I am so upset about my hip... my hip is a lot better, but I always have a 1 or 2 (out of 10) right hip pain everyday at all times. I ran a little last night, and iced immediately. Swimming is still my best friend... I will not even try a bike.
Crazy enough, I have a 10 mile race tomorrow 5/6 that I never missed in 20 years except the 2010 FAI year - my surgery year. I plan to run walk run tomorrow and ice ice ice and keep my leg elevated all day afterwards.
[update 11/14/13: I finished the race - I ran all of it - I iced immediately afterwards - I did recover yet again to run many more races, but this injury was the beginning of the end of my regular running. I stopped attending my intense cross-training gym. Basically, I was 36 years old and I started to believe that it was time to back off for the longevity of my hip.]

Familiar Right Hip Pain 2 [It was a new hip pain - tendonitis] 3/1/13

[I had tendonitis in my gluteous medius which was treated with prolotherapy. I am oversensitive now to any pain in my hip] Although my wife tells me to wait and not comment until the MRI results come back, I believe I re-tore my labrum on 2/26/13. I did not have an "OUCH!" moment of an activity that created excruciating pain. However, I was carrying some boxes at work, maybe 15 pounds each probably about 300 feet between buildings at work. I was lifting properly, with a squat through my legs.
I could not sleep most of that night because my lower back was in pain. I notice numbness sometimes in my foot and strangely enough in my hands. (I have carpal tunnel) I have no pain to the touch anywhere on my hip; the injury must be deep internal.
Back in early February I was out running and I noticed nothing wrong during my training. However, I did notice my right foot was falling asleep / tingling (from no circulation) after my workout. It was a sign that something was wrong, but I ignored it.
My hip is in constant pain with every step. It is nothing like the pain I felt last year around this time. My sports medicine doctor thought it could have been a stress fracture, but the x-ray did not show any pelvic/pubic stress fracture.
I got my MRI results - NO LABRAL TEAR or stress fracture! I could not explain my hip pain at the time, but the MRI revealed tendonitis. [update 11/14/13:] My sports medicine doctor administered three treatments of prolotherapy once a month and my tendonitis pain symptoms are 95% gone.

Post FAI recovery miscellany

4/1 - 4/15: I ran a 5:27 mile this week and regular intervals on treadmills at flat & up to 12 percent grades at 6:00 minute mile pace - no hip pain of course
I have a full range of motion in my hip and leg - my leg comes all the way up to my chest with ease - no pinching pains - no hip popping noises- just the good old feeling of a free range of motion
my hip incision scar continues to heal - about 30% of it is not skin pink color - my scar has been the same (30% not pink) for months
5/1/11 - I ran a 10 mile race in 59:54 seconds (5:59 mile pace) finishing 161st out of 30,000 runners
I never mentioned this, but I trained on a treadmill all through winter as I was recovering. I started on the treadmill during week 15. I use a treadmill almost every rainy day in my current life - no hip pain!
5/27/11: I ran about 40 miles, biked about 10, and did about 150 lunges in the past 7 days. I am a member of a 10-week boot camp and a cross-training gym doing cardio, strength, training and yoga 4 times a week. I registered for a half marathon (13.1 mile race) once per month through November 2011. Last year at this time I was a mental mess two weeks before the surgery. This year I am working out, eating better, and enjoying my full athletic freedom.
6/10/11: I returned from rock climbing and trail hiking in Alaska - no hip problems
6/14/11 8:17AM EST: ONE YEAR SINCE SURGERY TODAY! I ran 5 miles with Lemon Hill repeats and did a half hour of yoga this morning before work.
7/13/11: I aggravated my hip a little during a FMS movement test in late June. (I have a tiny bit of groin irritation). I have not stopped a single activity. I am not worried - I am rocking and rolling, but I thought I would mention it to you. After you get better, you will probably have short reminders of your FAI recovery: weather and (now I know) abnormal/unusual movements can trigger minor bouts of your old symptoms.
9/18/2011: I ran a 1:20:33 half marathon (13.1 miles) today and a 1:21:47 half marathon two weeks ago. I am back in my prime shape. My hips irritated me a little bit in both races, but barely worth mentioning. I am running at my prime. I have not had a half marathon race time this good since 2003. You can regain your full fitness and speed after surgery. Today I cried joyous tears at the finish line because a year ago when I volunteered at this race, I was afraid of the possibility that I would never be running a half marathon again.
11/16/2011: I am running the 26.2 mile Philadelphia marathon this weekend. During February 2011 I was finally starting to rebuild my athletic life. Now I believe I have more than a 50% chance for a Boston marathon qualification on Sunday 11/20. NO REGRETS - MY SURGERY WAS TOTALLY WORTH THE 8 MONTHS OF DOUBT and UPS AND DOWNS. If my other hip ever fails, without a doubt, I will go through this recovery all over again.
11/22/2011: I ran the Philadelphia Marathon setting a new personal best by 2 minutes and 14 seconds: 2 hours 56 minutes and 56 seconds! Last year at this time I was crying over the shocking hip pains I got after running less than 1 mile while volunteering at the event. This year I was crying at the finish because I kicked a... asphalt! I finished 202nd out of 10,800+ marathon finishers. I have no hip pains at all - not even an inkling of one. Check out my race picture - this could be you!
A fellow FAI recovery friend has sent me a link to this 11/15/2011 New York Times article spreading doubt about the hip impingement operation: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/16/health/hip-impingement-grows-popular-but-remains-unproven.html I just ran a marathon and 17 months ago I could not run at all and hardly pedal on a bike - even if my pain-free lifestyle lasts a couple years (which I doubt) ... it was worth it! Comment #11 in the article sums up my thoughts.
3/13/2012 - It has been three days and I hate to write it, but I have done something to activate my lower back pain and my hip area again. My butt, groin, and lower back are all having symptoms. I do not know what I did. I slept on a mattress at a hotel that might not have been good for me and I was not sleeping well for a couple of weeks. I know I will get back to normal, but it's driving me a little bonkers having these pains after such a long absence.
5/16/2012 - I do not want to jinx myself, but I think I am getting better. It's as if I started my recovery period all over again. I still have some hip pain, but it does not get worse with running or bicycling. I am not feeling groin or back pain at all. I have slowly started to run again. I do not think I will need to have surgery. I find these setbacks so mentally challenging. I am recovering back to my full active lifestyle. It took about 7 weeks.
5/20/2012 - I can hardly believe it, but I am recovering. If you knew where I was mentally on March 30, you would have seen a scared unhappy athlete. I cannot the difference 8 weeks made in my recovery. If I can recover from the setback I had, I think it's definitely worth the risk having this surgery. I biked 30 miles today - no joke. I cannot say I'm 101% healed and active, but I'm definitely able to enjoy my athletic lifestyle with no additional hip pain after the exercise. I'm cautious about long distance running. Nevertheless, I have to say, if you are active like me, you will have setbacks years after surgery. I've had two setbacks, a mentally devastating event happening once a year, and I seem to be recovering from my second one.
10/1/2012 - I ran 4 half-marathons this year (and one more in late October) despite my scary hip injury in March 2012. I have acceptable hip pain from 0-1.5 out of 10 max pain possible at all times. Once in awhile I get my FAI-treated hip unhappy. It goes through stage one that I acknowledge and try to reduce impact activities. Sometimes it gets to stage 2 and I definitely change my activities. Once in awhile i get to stage three where my hip yells at my brain telling it to 'cut it out!'. At this point I stop all heavy impact activities. I rarely get to stages 2 or 3. I let pain be my guide. As I'm writing this, my hip has about a 0.5 pain (out of 10). It doesn't stop me from anything and I basically ignore it.
1/28/2013 - I had no serious trouble for awhile now - I have occasional periods where my hip acts up - it is like a see-saw - I sometimes get in trouble for a little while, nothing that stops me from exercising, then it stabilizes again. I am sure I built up a natural tolerance to my slight hip pain. After all, it has been through trauma and my body rebuilt it with scar tissue. I am building up my base mileage again for the running season. 3 to 4 miles a day, 5 days a week, no lasting hip pain to report.
2/16/2013 - Musician Lady Gaga, 26 years old, was diagnosed with a labrum tear and cancelled her whole North American tour. She tweeted: "I've been hiding a show injury and chronic pain for sometime now,over the past month it has worsened. I've been praying it would heal I hid it from my staff, I didn't want to disappoint my amazing fans. However after last nights performance I could not walk and still can't"... too bad for her... I ran 26 miles so far this week - she'll get her groove back in due time. Also, Alexander Rodriguez's left hip failed him 3 years after right hip surgery.
3/9/2013 - Thankfully my MRI on my hip checking for a new labral tear was negative. Instead, I have cartilage damage "degeneration and undersurface fraying of the superior acetabulum remnant" from the original bone before my 2010 surgery. Also, I now have mild "insertional gluteus medius teninosis" near my right hip. (I have tendonitis near my butt at the rear of the hip. I am considering prolotherapy.) I am on a strong anti-inflammatory which is helping me walk better. I have been unable to run for about 3(?) weeks now. I'm doing okay, but I am not doing my normal activities.
3/19/2013 - I cannot believe it, but I am getting better. I feel the tendonitis in the rear and the arthritis pains in the front of my right hip (if that is what caused all the groin pain). I am walking with my normal gait and speed. I can see myself running again in the future - however, this event in my life is going to make me change my outdoor running habits. I never want this to happen again. I went away to Salt Lake City, Utah for work where it was nice and warm for 4 days straight - I think it helped my hip heal.
3/26/2013 - I felt confident enough in my recovering right hip to go for a bike ride. I biked about 4 miles. I felt some moderate pain, mostly afterward. It was nice to do some cardio work. I'm also moving to a bigger apartment right now where I am carrying a lot of objects. This is causing me no hip distress. I cannot wait until we get some warmer weather here in a prolonged winter weather pattern in Philadelphia. I am sure it will help.
4/7/2013 - My right FAI treated hip does not feel 'normal.' I have the lower back pains I mentioned so many times in my early recovery, especially when sleeping. I can walk without any limp or regular gait. I can run across the street without a problem. However, I am not sure I am ready for high impact activities.
4/14/2013 - I am biking again unlimitedly. I never thought I would make it back this far. I ran 2 miles and ICED immediately afterwards. My hip is not "normal," but I am headed back in the right direction. I am so happy I am healing again. Bills are coming in for the MRI, contrast dye, x-rays - annoying! I plan on starting brief physical therapy next week for my hip. I think I need it to build up my hip area.
4/24/2013 - I ran 2 miles yesterday. YES! I have been attending physical therapy and they are trying to help me break down the scar tissue in my right hip flexor. My physical therapist thinks the scar tissue has built up from years of impingement. I am not perfect yet, but I am becoming optimistic I will recover yet again. I was in a lot of pain in late February that made me get a MRI. Nobody could tell me what was causing the pain, tingling in my foot (pinched nerve) or my odd gait. However, I think I will live to run outside again.
5/2/2013 - I have run about 7 miles this week over three outings. I have biked about 10 miles. I cannot believe how much better I am getting after 6 visits to physical therapy. Sunday I am running a 10 mile race. I cannot believe it myself. I really believed I was done in February 2013.
5/13/2013 - I ran a 10-mile race on 5/6 in under 1 hour. I iced afterwards - mostly the tendonitis was bothering my - not my groin. I am able to run again, but I do it with care. I have a new "normal" for my hip which does not inspire my confidence in regular running.
7/17/2013 - I have cut back on running due to the craziness in life (I have moved and I am moving an elder parent this summer). I participated in a 4 mile obstacle race called the Spartan Sprint and did quite well again for the second year - no hip pain - also, I received my third prolotherapy treatment for my hip tendinitis and I believe it is working. I do not know if its just summer warmth ... time will tell...
8/13/2013 - I changed my mattress and I hurt my lower back. I believe it is related to the surgery. I never had lower back problems before surgery. I increased my running as well. I have some constant mild right groin pain. I am still doing most of the activities I want.
9/9/2013 - I ran a half marathon (92 minutes) with almost no training on 9/1. My hip held up fine. However, I went for a 3 mile run a few days later and I got some groin pain. I am considering blood platelet therapy. Check out this article: http://www.drmagaziner.com/does-your-young-athlete-need-hip-surgery/ I read a number of other people with FAI blogs saying that blood platelet therapy did not work for FAI, but I still might try it someday. I want to run for life. You may be interested to know that it costs about $1,100 for one treatment. It is not covered by USA health insurance plans. Edit 11/17/13: I talked to my sports medicine doctor and he agreed this was too expensive. He is having me try a cortisone shot. However, now that I know I have FAI in one hip, it may indirectly be the true source of my troubles.
9/19/2013 - I ran a second half marathon (87 minutes) with no training and my hip continues to be doing okay. I have not trained this summer due to other events going on in my life. My right hip, treated for FAI, is usually noticeable to me, but it has not hindered any activities. It's my lower back at the bottom of my spine that has been causing me all the problems. I blame this familiar mild pain on the hip surgery. I have been doing a lot of quadricep stretching while laying down on my belly on the floor that seems to help.
10/19/2013 - I pretty much have backed away from regular running. I still run a few miles several times a month, but I have been avoiding impact exercises whenever possible. Currently the lowest part of my back has been the trouble the last couple of months. I found it interesting that my wife sat on my lap and it irritated my hip for a full day. Right groin pain (level 3 out of 10), pain in the middle of my upper right quadricep (2 out of 10), butt pain (1 out of 10)... they all happen sometimes, but go away within a day or so. Piriformis stretching usually helps me get temporary immediate groin pain relief. I do not believe I have said this before, but I have been getting spells of groin pain in my left side, my non-treated FAI hip. Sometimes I think I change my gait to compensate for trouble with my FAI treated side. As usual, no regrets about the surgery. I would take my present lifestyle any day to the inactive one I experienced 3-6 months before surgery.
11/5/2013 - I ran 5k race for brain tumor research in Philadelphia this past weekend. It was our true first taste of fall weather here in Philadelphia. I do not know if it was the cold, but I now accept my left hip, the good one I did not have surgery on may have FAI. I went to my sports medicine doctor, Dr. Maenpaa yesterday and he did some him testing. I could feel some popping, grinding, and pain when he pushed down on my leg. Also, I was unable to hop up and down on my left foot without a severe shooting pain for awhile after his test. I am having an MRI with contrast dye on Friday on my left hip. I am completely bummed out. I am not looking forward to 8 months of rehabilitation to get back to where I want to be with my body. Hopefully things are going to be better than they seem at the present. This year I bought a new mattress, cut down on my running dramatically, went back to my "safe" brands of shoes. I experiencing mysterious lower back pain for about 5 months. I've ignored these signs. I cannot wait to have the MRI to validate or debunk my fears.
11/12/2013 - I received my left hip MRI results from 11/8/13 faxed to me hours ago. My report reads: "Findings of cam type and pincer type left femoral acetabular impingement anatomy, notable for a bump at the anterior femoral head neck junction and acetabular retroversion. A left hip labral tear results in labral detachment of the anterior/superior labrum." Want to know how much I believe in the surgery? Tomorrow morning at 9:00am I have a consultation with my original surgeon, Dr. Parvizi at the Rothman Institute in Philadelphia. Also, I will soon be starting a second web page now relaying my experiences with my left hip. In some ways, I am having noticeably different pain than last time around.
11/14/2013 - My left hip FAI surgery is scheduled for 1/13/14 - I am frustrated I have to go through this whole healing process again. I asked and the procedure has changed in a couple of ways since 2010. 1. I will have sutures to hold the labrum in place that will biodegrade with time as my hip heals. 2. I will be weight bearing on my newly treated left hip (off crutches) in 7-10 days.
1/1/2014 - I have been walking around with an odd limp for more than 1 month. I am protecting my left hip from normal weight bearing while walking. I believe my right hip hurts because I have been compensating for the problems with the untreated FAI in my left hip. I am nervous about having surgery again on my left hip in 1/13/14. Actually, I am more nervous about the recovery. It was a long process that required a lot of emotional and physical resilience. I am 37 years old now, but I have little doubt of a full recovery. It's just my fear of the the LONG road ahead to getting back to "normal." Thank you for all of the support from your comments; I wish you well in your own FAI recovery paths.
1/12/2014 - It is less than 24 hours before my right hip FAI surgery. I have been using chlorhexidine solution on my hips as requested. It does not matter I have been through this before. I am scared of the future and I am going to live today as if it was on purpose. My right repaired hip has been hurting. I believe its mainly because I have been favoring it for more than 2 months now. I keep asking my wife if I really have to go through with this recovery again. She says "Do you really want to walk around with a limp being unable to dance, run, or even walk the way you want for the rest of your life?"
Despite anything I say here that may discourage you, you're better off with the surgery. Unfortunately, it seems to me that your surgically treated hip will always be an issue of varying degrees of annoyance for the rest of your life. Nevertheless, time is your friend always post-op - reclaim your pain-free active lifestyle... just do it!
I have more details about my present condition. I occassionally update my site if my it relates to what I have shared here. Feel free to see my date stamped comments after my second surgery.

ONE YEAR POST FAI SURGERY

One year after surgery I am feeling great. When our atmosphere outside is unstable (thunderstorms, changing air masses), I sometimes feel my original lower back pain at a low level temporarily. It does not prevent me from any activities - I see it as my body's gentle reminder that it went through trauma.
I am 35 years old now - I was 34 when I had right hip FAI surgery. My operation made me appreciate my health and fitness more than ever. On the advice of my sports medicine doctor Dr. Maenpaa, I had a functional movement screening test done to look for other weaknesses in my movement patterns to help me avoid future injury. I scored 13 out of 21 possible points. I think I developed poor movement patterns to compensate for my right hip instability over my lifetime. I scored very poorly with hip rotations and I actually irritated my hip a little (mild groin and lower back pain) during the FMS test for the first time in months. Nevertheless, it's nothing serious and I have performed a respectable load of heavy running, yoga, and bicycling since it happened.
All of the PTs, sports medicine doctors, and even Dr. Parvizi (my FAI surgeon) hinted that I need to strengthen more than just my muscles used for running. By working out my whole body at a cross-training gym as I have been doing the past 5 months, I feel securer than ever about my running future.
I never mentioned this, but I no longer ice or perform any intentional PT exercises or stretching for my hip. I stopped icing after runs around 8 months. I belong to a gym and I do plenty of strengthening exercises.
I don't know why anyone would limit themselves by not having their FAI condition treated, but be prepared for a lot of work to get yourself back to pre-FAI strength and flexibility.
If you look at my photo, you will see my scar has healed better than I expected
If you're at home healing reading this blog, worried like I was that you would never recover, keep doing what the surgeon or your PT's told you to do. I experienced new pains after surgery while I was healing, but they went away too. Try not to do anything crazy. I know it's hard to resist. If you can't hold on - hold on - I believe with rest, time, and hard work you will probably get back the lifestyle you want. All the best! Allen

My FAI related photos

4/15/10 Right hip MRI
My wound from crutches with an underlying bruise lasted many months
6/10/10 and 11/2011 FAI recovery scar comparison
7/2010 Swollen red right foot till I started walking again
11/20/11 26.2 mile marathon 17 months post-recovery
11/8/13 Labral tear MRI photo in my LEFT hip to be treated 1/13/2014

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Information from a patient of FAI (Femoroacetabular impingement)

I had right hip FAI removal (CAM type impingement) / labral tear repair surgery on June 14, 2010

Feel free to visit my left-hip surgery info from Jan 13, 2014

Pre-operation (I was 34 years old - Male - 5' 9" 152 lbs.- 180cm 69kg)

Post operation / Recovery

Weekly recovery updates with lessons learned

Familiar Right Hip Pain 3/30/12 [I recovered, but this event changed my exeresis habits]

Familiar Right Hip Pain 2 [It was a new hip pain - tendonitis] 3/1/13

My FAI related photos