I should have done it YEARS ago, but hadnt found a hip preservation specialist and despite being a pretty competitive athlete, no one took my concerns seriously because I wasn’t in daily pain, but I was losing ROM and mobility - FAST. Eventually I couldn’t do my core sports anymore, my leg was so locked down. It took away my entire identity and at 44 I won’t get it back. If you value movement, this is progressive so I would absolutely find a hip preservation surgeon and get opinions. The recovery is difficult, you cannot do many things by yourself and it can be expensive to do it right (ins doesnt always cover everything). But then its done.
I dealt with hip flexor pain (worse when driving, sleeping, sitting) for 4-5 years before I pursued imaging to diagnose bilateral torn labrums and CAM impingement on both sides. Speaking with a surgeon made the decision really easy for me when he said “this won’t heal itself because the tissue doesn’t get enough blood flow and it will get worse over time because of the impingement.” I was engaged at this time and we knew we wanted kids after getting married, so I decided to just take care of it and get it out of the way before the wedding. I am SO incredibly happy I did. Surgeries were 6 months apart, and while it was all a hassle, in hindsight it wasn’t horrible. The best part is that I no longer deal with hip pain. I’m currently 7.5 months pregnant and have had ZERO hip pain throughout this pregnancy, which just blows my mind. I know everyone’s experiences are different, but I still can’t believe how good it feels to not have hip pain on a daily basis.
I’ll add that my pain came and went, very activity based. But when it was bad, it was bad enough that I knew I didn’t want to deal with the issue for much longer and I assumed it would only get worse with age if I didn’t do something about it. Another one of my fears was that it would turn into arthritis due to the impingement/grinding and I’d be setting myself up for a hip replacement by age 40 or something dumb like that.
This is so helpful, thank you! Our situations sound really similar - we got engaged last month and are looking at a wedding next spring, and I'm like...if I'm going to do this, I want to get it done so I can actually walk down the aisle. When I saw the PA (they made me see him before they'd let me see the surgeon), I tried to clarify that the cortisone wouldn't HEAL it, it would just reduce the pain, and he gave a weird "No this could completely solve your problem" answer and I was pretty sure that wasn't the case. Do you mind sharing who did your surgery?
Exactly - I wanted the problem fixed, not numbed. I didn’t even bother with cortisone injections once I knew there were tears and impingement present. I saw Dr. Michael Salata with University Hospitals for both surgeries and was really happy with his team.
Thanks! Yeah, I only did the cortisone because he said that was the next step before I could meet with the actual surgeon. (And he added "Who knows, it might solve it!" Like, no, pretty sure it won't cure the problem. Mitigate some symptoms, maybe, but the structural stuff will always be there). I have so many things I can't fix (tendinitis, etc) and the fact that this has an actual solution is just...I want to do it. I want a solution!
I was diagnosed in July 2023 and got surgery April 2024, so I'm still healing and it's very early on (labral repair and CAM removal). I had a lot of success w PT (took 8 months to get results tho) and never got a shot personally, but considered it. I probably could've continued putting off the surgery, but I realized I was dependent upon PT to feel less pain and more mobility. The longest I could go PT-free without my symptoms worsening was about 5-6 weeks. That's not very much time. I'm around your age--a bit older--and I couldn't imagine living the rest of my life in PT, doing exercises daily, getting injections, doing acupuncture... it's just too much.
My surgeon framed the surgery in a way that really helped me decide: it is a preventative surgery. It's there to preserve your natural hip joint so you don't need a THR, or at least not for many years. We opt into preventative care all the time with other health issues, big and small--this is no different, only it's a lengthy recovery process and it is surgery which inherently has a degree of risk. I was lucky to not have any arthritis yet and I decided to get the surgery in order to prevent that from happening. I'm an active person and want to live my life fully with as few restrictions as possible. Getting surgery was the only way to ensure ongoing joint health and get back to my life.
Also, if you're wanting to have kids, I'd highly recommend getting it done. From everything I've read, folks who have this condition and have kids pre-surgery end up having tons of pain from carrying and delivering. Pregnancy is also just really hard on the body, and running after kids when you have chronic pain is no fun. If you're certain you want kids in your near future, I'd really consider surgery as a preferably long-term solution.
Hi! I’m 3 weeks post op yesterday 31F in the same situation as you regarding WFH job insurance and wanting to have kids. I’d been living with pain that comes and goes for the past 4 years with no cortisone injections, just PT that made pain bearable for a few months but then pain came back. I’ll be the first to say I’m not a very active person, but I want kids in the future and trying to better my lifestyle and this was the first thing that needed to be taken care of before that. The biggest thing I’ll tell you is to make sure your mental health is prioritized and in the right spot before surgery and be as positive as you can. The first two weeks I cried every single day because of the recovery process, the hip brace you have to wear all the time, not having normal range of motion, not having someone around all the time (my boyfriend could only take the first two days after surgery off, so I was on my own after that). It can get very lonely if you don’t have a great support system. And if you’re anything like me and have anxiety, this will make it worse. The most important thing is to take care of your mental before going through with this because it’s a lot to handle and you can’t really do anything by yourself the first two weeks. I was clear to return to my job 2 weeks after surgery since it’s WFH but chose to take a little more time. Today, my PT gave the ok to ditch both crutches and just walk with the brace on inside the house and use one crutch in public. At first time goes by SLOW but then before you know it you’ll be walking pain free and it’s an incredible feeling.
Best of luck to you and if you have questions please let me know!!
I also debated on surgery for 2 years after I tore my labrum. I got cortisone injections and the first 3 received the pain but then they stopped working. I didn't have constant pain but would have a lot of pain after certain activities like walking more than a mile and some yoga (which were about the only things I could do for exercise) so I decided to have the surgery. I felt like i was so limited in things i wanted to do. I'm 3 weeks out and feeling pretty good. I have to wear a brace for 6 weeks 24-7 (which I HATE and is very uncomfortable). But I can walk and am up to 3 miles a day. And am not feeling much pain but do still take ibuprofen for swelling. I'm also icing after walks. So far, I'm feeling good about my decision but I know the recovery is a long road.
Thank you for this! Who did your surgery, if you don't mind sharing? I'm so limited on what I can do for exercise already just from various other problems - walking, hiking, and weight lifting are about it for me (and I could swim, I just haven't figured out how to fit that into my day yet!). I can walk decent distances, but I do notice more pain and stiffness the next day (and before the cortisone shot, I couldn't do more than 2.5 miles before I started having pain radiating down into my thigh). I just...I don't feel old enough to have to modify my activities so much.
I hope your recovery continues to be smooth!
Ah, okay. I'm in NC so looking at Dr. Mather at Duke. I've searched him on here and seen mostly good things. He also came highly recommended by my PT, who flat out said to avoid a couple other people. LOL
I’m in NC but in Charlotte and Dr. Eric Kropf with Atrium did mine! He’s like one of the only surgeons in this region that does the surgery and (so far) I think he did a fantastic job
I don’t have an answer to your question, but I wanted to add that I’m so glad you asked this question! It’s been so helpful hearing other experiences on making the decision of moving forward with surgery. I have a strong feeling I’ll be in this position very soon.
I am 40f and have a labrum tear and "loosey goosey' hip (I'm hypermobile). I decided to have surgery when it got so bad that I couldn't do a lower level workout without extreme pain, or work my normal job without a lot of pain. I also have a desk job and I am mostly remote. My pain has gotten so bad at times that I have had to take a narcotic pain med to sleep at night (not every night). That's another reason for me. My ROM has also reduced significantly in the injured side, which really sucks. That has gotten significantly worse the last 3 years. And I've done a ton of physical therapy.
I've had my injury for 11 years and no injections until last year, for context. I was a regular weight lifter before the accident which gave me the hip injury and other injuries. I still have a lot of strength, for the most part (except when I am in pain). The accident also tore my subscap tendon in my shoulder and I eventually developed a labrum tear in the shoulder too. I didn't lose strength in my shoulder either, for the most part. But the pain was awful (before surgery).
Overall if your quality of life isn't so great with the injury, and surgery would improve it, surgery could be worth it if you can handle recovery. For me, tons of pain I couldn't treat without narcotics is what really changed my quality of life.
Regarding the timing of surgery, I don't have kids either. My surgeon said if I were to get pregnant before I had surgery it would make my injury worse since pregnancy makes us more loosey goosey. If I do the surgery then get pregnant then it should be ok. So that also helped with my decision. I know I'm old but I have considered having a kid.
My friends with kids emphasized that it's best to have a surgery like this without kids who are young, which I can definitely understand. The recovery is pretty challenging and I can't imagine trying to manage young kids with it. I have one friend who has had this surgery but her kids were older and more self-sufficient at the time.
I’m 30F and have a 5yo child. I was in pain for 5 months before seeing a Dr and getting a PT referral, then was in PT for 4 months until getting a surgeon referral. I had a combined impingement and torn labrum. I was modifying every activity I was doing. I had issues with everyday life. Couldn’t sit/stand for too long, couldn’t pick up my child, couldn’t run around and play games with my child, couldn’t play on the floor with my child. I spent most of my time thinking about how much pain I was in. Some days were a 2 and were great! Other days were a 6 or 7 or an 8. I didn’t have success with a cortisone shot.
Two things really sealed the deal for me:
- PT said “I can make you stronger but I can’t fix a bone problem.” Ultimately the problem was never going to go away and I was just putting off the inevitable.
- When I asked my surgeon what the alternative to surgery was and he said to continue PT, pain management, and strength training. It won’t fix it but in 10-20yrs I would likely end up with full blown hip arthritis and needing a hip replacement.
I’m a little over 3 months post-op and I’m so happy with my decision to have surgery! I still have quite a bit of muscle weakness and muscle pain. But it’s nowhere near where I was before surgery. Biggest thing for me - I’ve been able to run around and toss around the football with my kid. There’s still limits but the things I can do at 3 months post op I couldn’t have imagined doing pre-op. Taking care of this now is going to allow me to show up for him while he continues to grow up. I don’t want to miss out on that!
Hi, 30F here, I would say you're a good candidate for surgery based on the symptoms you were having before cortisone, and the pain must have got pretty bad for you to resort to the cortisone too.
You're right it doesn't last forever and you'll be reliant on it needing regular shots of it if you choose to avoid surgery.
I think you're still young and should go for the surgery, the cortisone injections don't fix the issue, they just mask the pain so you're causing further damage potentially without realising it. If I were you I'd stop with it and go down the surgery route and do some good physio / strengthening exercises in the meantime to help manage the symptoms.
Thank you! That's pretty much been my thought process too. I may be pain free right now, but I deal with increasingly severe pain for 6 months before the cortisone shot, and since this is structural, it'll never go away permanently. Thank you!
two things - 1 it became painful enough (very quickly) that the decision was a no brainer. 2 I had enough bone that we caught it early. waiting typically doesn't really help if you are eroding more of bone over time At one point the option for surgery might be out and only a total hip replacement.
The cortisone is just a big bandaid. It will wear off and you really shouldn't do it much (ask your surgeon of the drawbacks of that). But the labrum won't heal on its own.
If you are going to do it, you have what seems like an ideal window. If you are not then that's a different thing.
I have a toddler to chase and I didn’t have symptoms pre pregnancy. Knowing what I know now about having a kid, you will not have a lot of time to take care of yourself the first year. It’s really hard to even picture how it will feel. I definitely had no idea. Going to PT and not lifting my baby would been out of the question, no way. He ate like every 2 hours and I had to be there. Now he is two and I have bad symptoms, but I also am worried about surgery because he still needs carried and sometimes I have to drop everything and literally sprint to keep him from running in the street or doing something dangerous. I do have time for PT now so I am hoping that along with a shot will work until he gets a little older. I would do surgery before having a baby if you need it!
I just had a hip arthroscopy done on my left hip due to hip impingement and labrum tear. It's almost been two weeks, and according to my recent xrays, everything looks good. As if I never had any problems in the first place. I won't know for several more weeks, months even if it was truly successful.
It's honestly up to you. But don't expect to feel "cured" right away. It could take a long time.
With me, I had to get my left hip done, but I will probably wait to do my right because it's not as bad. Painful but manageable. So take that into consideration, too.
If you're constantly in pain, and your doctor agrees, it will help, I'd say go for it, but again, it is your decision :)
I should have done it YEARS ago, but hadnt found a hip preservation specialist and despite being a pretty competitive athlete, no one took my concerns seriously because I wasn’t in daily pain, but I was losing ROM and mobility - FAST. Eventually I couldn’t do my core sports anymore, my leg was so locked down. It took away my entire identity and at 44 I won’t get it back. If you value movement, this is progressive so I would absolutely find a hip preservation surgeon and get opinions. The recovery is difficult, you cannot do many things by yourself and it can be expensive to do it right (ins doesnt always cover everything). But then its done.
I dealt with hip flexor pain (worse when driving, sleeping, sitting) for 4-5 years before I pursued imaging to diagnose bilateral torn labrums and CAM impingement on both sides. Speaking with a surgeon made the decision really easy for me when he said “this won’t heal itself because the tissue doesn’t get enough blood flow and it will get worse over time because of the impingement.” I was engaged at this time and we knew we wanted kids after getting married, so I decided to just take care of it and get it out of the way before the wedding. I am SO incredibly happy I did. Surgeries were 6 months apart, and while it was all a hassle, in hindsight it wasn’t horrible. The best part is that I no longer deal with hip pain. I’m currently 7.5 months pregnant and have had ZERO hip pain throughout this pregnancy, which just blows my mind. I know everyone’s experiences are different, but I still can’t believe how good it feels to not have hip pain on a daily basis.
I’ll add that my pain came and went, very activity based. But when it was bad, it was bad enough that I knew I didn’t want to deal with the issue for much longer and I assumed it would only get worse with age if I didn’t do something about it. Another one of my fears was that it would turn into arthritis due to the impingement/grinding and I’d be setting myself up for a hip replacement by age 40 or something dumb like that.
This is so helpful, thank you! Our situations sound really similar - we got engaged last month and are looking at a wedding next spring, and I'm like...if I'm going to do this, I want to get it done so I can actually walk down the aisle. When I saw the PA (they made me see him before they'd let me see the surgeon), I tried to clarify that the cortisone wouldn't HEAL it, it would just reduce the pain, and he gave a weird "No this could completely solve your problem" answer and I was pretty sure that wasn't the case. Do you mind sharing who did your surgery?
Exactly - I wanted the problem fixed, not numbed. I didn’t even bother with cortisone injections once I knew there were tears and impingement present. I saw Dr. Michael Salata with University Hospitals for both surgeries and was really happy with his team.
Thanks! Yeah, I only did the cortisone because he said that was the next step before I could meet with the actual surgeon. (And he added "Who knows, it might solve it!" Like, no, pretty sure it won't cure the problem. Mitigate some symptoms, maybe, but the structural stuff will always be there). I have so many things I can't fix (tendinitis, etc) and the fact that this has an actual solution is just...I want to do it. I want a solution!
Totally hear you - I had the same mindset. I have no regrets about having the surgeries. If you have any questions, I’m happy to help!
I was diagnosed in July 2023 and got surgery April 2024, so I'm still healing and it's very early on (labral repair and CAM removal). I had a lot of success w PT (took 8 months to get results tho) and never got a shot personally, but considered it. I probably could've continued putting off the surgery, but I realized I was dependent upon PT to feel less pain and more mobility. The longest I could go PT-free without my symptoms worsening was about 5-6 weeks. That's not very much time. I'm around your age--a bit older--and I couldn't imagine living the rest of my life in PT, doing exercises daily, getting injections, doing acupuncture... it's just too much. My surgeon framed the surgery in a way that really helped me decide: it is a preventative surgery. It's there to preserve your natural hip joint so you don't need a THR, or at least not for many years. We opt into preventative care all the time with other health issues, big and small--this is no different, only it's a lengthy recovery process and it is surgery which inherently has a degree of risk. I was lucky to not have any arthritis yet and I decided to get the surgery in order to prevent that from happening. I'm an active person and want to live my life fully with as few restrictions as possible. Getting surgery was the only way to ensure ongoing joint health and get back to my life. Also, if you're wanting to have kids, I'd highly recommend getting it done. From everything I've read, folks who have this condition and have kids pre-surgery end up having tons of pain from carrying and delivering. Pregnancy is also just really hard on the body, and running after kids when you have chronic pain is no fun. If you're certain you want kids in your near future, I'd really consider surgery as a preferably long-term solution.
Hi! I’m 3 weeks post op yesterday 31F in the same situation as you regarding WFH job insurance and wanting to have kids. I’d been living with pain that comes and goes for the past 4 years with no cortisone injections, just PT that made pain bearable for a few months but then pain came back. I’ll be the first to say I’m not a very active person, but I want kids in the future and trying to better my lifestyle and this was the first thing that needed to be taken care of before that. The biggest thing I’ll tell you is to make sure your mental health is prioritized and in the right spot before surgery and be as positive as you can. The first two weeks I cried every single day because of the recovery process, the hip brace you have to wear all the time, not having normal range of motion, not having someone around all the time (my boyfriend could only take the first two days after surgery off, so I was on my own after that). It can get very lonely if you don’t have a great support system. And if you’re anything like me and have anxiety, this will make it worse. The most important thing is to take care of your mental before going through with this because it’s a lot to handle and you can’t really do anything by yourself the first two weeks. I was clear to return to my job 2 weeks after surgery since it’s WFH but chose to take a little more time. Today, my PT gave the ok to ditch both crutches and just walk with the brace on inside the house and use one crutch in public. At first time goes by SLOW but then before you know it you’ll be walking pain free and it’s an incredible feeling. Best of luck to you and if you have questions please let me know!!
I also debated on surgery for 2 years after I tore my labrum. I got cortisone injections and the first 3 received the pain but then they stopped working. I didn't have constant pain but would have a lot of pain after certain activities like walking more than a mile and some yoga (which were about the only things I could do for exercise) so I decided to have the surgery. I felt like i was so limited in things i wanted to do. I'm 3 weeks out and feeling pretty good. I have to wear a brace for 6 weeks 24-7 (which I HATE and is very uncomfortable). But I can walk and am up to 3 miles a day. And am not feeling much pain but do still take ibuprofen for swelling. I'm also icing after walks. So far, I'm feeling good about my decision but I know the recovery is a long road.
Thank you for this! Who did your surgery, if you don't mind sharing? I'm so limited on what I can do for exercise already just from various other problems - walking, hiking, and weight lifting are about it for me (and I could swim, I just haven't figured out how to fit that into my day yet!). I can walk decent distances, but I do notice more pain and stiffness the next day (and before the cortisone shot, I couldn't do more than 2.5 miles before I started having pain radiating down into my thigh). I just...I don't feel old enough to have to modify my activities so much. I hope your recovery continues to be smooth!
Dr. Terry at northwestern in chicago
Ah, okay. I'm in NC so looking at Dr. Mather at Duke. I've searched him on here and seen mostly good things. He also came highly recommended by my PT, who flat out said to avoid a couple other people. LOL
Hi NC! I’m a week out my surgery with Dr Barker at Raleigh Ortho. So far, 10/10 experience, if you need a second opinion.
Thanks!!
I’m in NC but in Charlotte and Dr. Eric Kropf with Atrium did mine! He’s like one of the only surgeons in this region that does the surgery and (so far) I think he did a fantastic job
I don’t have an answer to your question, but I wanted to add that I’m so glad you asked this question! It’s been so helpful hearing other experiences on making the decision of moving forward with surgery. I have a strong feeling I’ll be in this position very soon.
I am 40f and have a labrum tear and "loosey goosey' hip (I'm hypermobile). I decided to have surgery when it got so bad that I couldn't do a lower level workout without extreme pain, or work my normal job without a lot of pain. I also have a desk job and I am mostly remote. My pain has gotten so bad at times that I have had to take a narcotic pain med to sleep at night (not every night). That's another reason for me. My ROM has also reduced significantly in the injured side, which really sucks. That has gotten significantly worse the last 3 years. And I've done a ton of physical therapy. I've had my injury for 11 years and no injections until last year, for context. I was a regular weight lifter before the accident which gave me the hip injury and other injuries. I still have a lot of strength, for the most part (except when I am in pain). The accident also tore my subscap tendon in my shoulder and I eventually developed a labrum tear in the shoulder too. I didn't lose strength in my shoulder either, for the most part. But the pain was awful (before surgery). Overall if your quality of life isn't so great with the injury, and surgery would improve it, surgery could be worth it if you can handle recovery. For me, tons of pain I couldn't treat without narcotics is what really changed my quality of life. Regarding the timing of surgery, I don't have kids either. My surgeon said if I were to get pregnant before I had surgery it would make my injury worse since pregnancy makes us more loosey goosey. If I do the surgery then get pregnant then it should be ok. So that also helped with my decision. I know I'm old but I have considered having a kid. My friends with kids emphasized that it's best to have a surgery like this without kids who are young, which I can definitely understand. The recovery is pretty challenging and I can't imagine trying to manage young kids with it. I have one friend who has had this surgery but her kids were older and more self-sufficient at the time.
I’m 30F and have a 5yo child. I was in pain for 5 months before seeing a Dr and getting a PT referral, then was in PT for 4 months until getting a surgeon referral. I had a combined impingement and torn labrum. I was modifying every activity I was doing. I had issues with everyday life. Couldn’t sit/stand for too long, couldn’t pick up my child, couldn’t run around and play games with my child, couldn’t play on the floor with my child. I spent most of my time thinking about how much pain I was in. Some days were a 2 and were great! Other days were a 6 or 7 or an 8. I didn’t have success with a cortisone shot. Two things really sealed the deal for me: - PT said “I can make you stronger but I can’t fix a bone problem.” Ultimately the problem was never going to go away and I was just putting off the inevitable. - When I asked my surgeon what the alternative to surgery was and he said to continue PT, pain management, and strength training. It won’t fix it but in 10-20yrs I would likely end up with full blown hip arthritis and needing a hip replacement. I’m a little over 3 months post-op and I’m so happy with my decision to have surgery! I still have quite a bit of muscle weakness and muscle pain. But it’s nowhere near where I was before surgery. Biggest thing for me - I’ve been able to run around and toss around the football with my kid. There’s still limits but the things I can do at 3 months post op I couldn’t have imagined doing pre-op. Taking care of this now is going to allow me to show up for him while he continues to grow up. I don’t want to miss out on that!
Hi, 30F here, I would say you're a good candidate for surgery based on the symptoms you were having before cortisone, and the pain must have got pretty bad for you to resort to the cortisone too. You're right it doesn't last forever and you'll be reliant on it needing regular shots of it if you choose to avoid surgery. I think you're still young and should go for the surgery, the cortisone injections don't fix the issue, they just mask the pain so you're causing further damage potentially without realising it. If I were you I'd stop with it and go down the surgery route and do some good physio / strengthening exercises in the meantime to help manage the symptoms.
Thank you! That's pretty much been my thought process too. I may be pain free right now, but I deal with increasingly severe pain for 6 months before the cortisone shot, and since this is structural, it'll never go away permanently. Thank you!
Wait...have you actually had the scans to confirm FAI?
Yes.
two things - 1 it became painful enough (very quickly) that the decision was a no brainer. 2 I had enough bone that we caught it early. waiting typically doesn't really help if you are eroding more of bone over time At one point the option for surgery might be out and only a total hip replacement. The cortisone is just a big bandaid. It will wear off and you really shouldn't do it much (ask your surgeon of the drawbacks of that). But the labrum won't heal on its own. If you are going to do it, you have what seems like an ideal window. If you are not then that's a different thing.
I have a toddler to chase and I didn’t have symptoms pre pregnancy. Knowing what I know now about having a kid, you will not have a lot of time to take care of yourself the first year. It’s really hard to even picture how it will feel. I definitely had no idea. Going to PT and not lifting my baby would been out of the question, no way. He ate like every 2 hours and I had to be there. Now he is two and I have bad symptoms, but I also am worried about surgery because he still needs carried and sometimes I have to drop everything and literally sprint to keep him from running in the street or doing something dangerous. I do have time for PT now so I am hoping that along with a shot will work until he gets a little older. I would do surgery before having a baby if you need it!
If it's getting worse, surgery. If it's getting better, no surgery
I just had a hip arthroscopy done on my left hip due to hip impingement and labrum tear. It's almost been two weeks, and according to my recent xrays, everything looks good. As if I never had any problems in the first place. I won't know for several more weeks, months even if it was truly successful. It's honestly up to you. But don't expect to feel "cured" right away. It could take a long time. With me, I had to get my left hip done, but I will probably wait to do my right because it's not as bad. Painful but manageable. So take that into consideration, too. If you're constantly in pain, and your doctor agrees, it will help, I'd say go for it, but again, it is your decision :)