I just realized that I never wrote an update following my post-op visit with my surgeon last month!
To Recap
In May I had surgery on my hip to repair a torn labrum as well fix an impingement issue and debride a bone cyst (no arthritis! yay!). I also had scar tissue on my joint capsule that was most likely from one of the times my hip was dislocated. It was done arthroscopically and wheels in to wheels out took 90 mins. My surgeon said surgery was “unremarkable” although the scar tissue on my joint capsule was “cool”. I did a lot of research on recovery protocols and made a system for myself that centered on the “slow is smooth, smooth is fast” methodology.
My surgeon is a sports specialist (as is my PT) and I was allowed to start doing highly modified drilling work around 8 weeks post-op mark. That’s may not be typical for someone else so soon after this surgery, but my recovery team determined that with my fitness and sports experience level, it was something I could integrate safely. As I proved that I was able to safely navigate drilling moves wisely without causing myself any pain or inflammation afterwards, I was able to slowly progress.
Post Op Visit:
Getting right to the point, my surgeon gave me the all clear with no follow up appointment! He said that I did a great job graduating and moderating my activity levels properly and had one of the smoothest recoveries possible as a result. From a surgical point of view, I am completely cleared. He had to wait until the 6 month mark as the earliest possible release date to check imaging to make sure there was no calcification forming in my joint post-op (I was good). He left me with a standing PT order that I could do whatever I wanted with, so I consulted with my PT and she agreed that since I do a good job at moderating my activity and have proven good patterns of doing my own adaptations as needed, she is comfortable with cutting me loose as well but gave me her card. If I run into any issues, I can call and schedule for a check in session.
I have spent the last several weeks gradually increasing my Jiu Jitsu training intensity and frequency, while still fitting in hip mobility and strength exercises as well. I have a specific warm up routine that helps me activate and mobilize all the muscles, and then a routine in the evening to check in and address any muscle imbalances or inflammation that might be popping up. As long as I keep up with these things before and after training, I am able to slowly increase training demand.
My range of motion would be considered really good for most people, although rotationally it still is not quite where it was before surgery. Strength-wise I’ve never felt better, and my team mates have told me that they can tell a significant difference from before surgery. It’s amazing how much more efficiently a joint works when the labrum isn’t torn halfway around the socket.
As of now I have about 6 weeks to go until the European Championship tournament in Lisbon, Portugal. I’ve never been one to ease my way into anything – must go full throttle or I might psyche myself out with the small things. I’m currently floating between light weight and feather weight as far as weight classes are concerned so I’m considering dropping a couple kg to make feather for the event. I’ve decided to just wait and see what amping up training over the next few weeks will do to the scale numbers and make my decision based on that.
All told, I’m sparring normally with training partners within 30 lbs of my size. I am looking forward to competing but my main goal is still to continue recovering – the competition is for proving to myself that I am back again after this.
I have a few benchmarks for myself to work toward before I consider myself fully recovered. I’m most definitely significantly better than I was before surgery so it would be very easy to write myself off as “all better” at this point already, but I know there is room for improvement and I’m still at a critical stage for getting those improvements. I won’t settle for good enough when I know there’s better to be had!
All told, I am super happy that I had this surgery and it was worth taking the time this year to have done. I no longer feel like my hip is sliding out of the socket while I’m sitting in a chair, I can train without pain for the first time in a very long time, and actually move in ways that I didn’t even realize that I hadn’t moved in over a decade. I’m looking forward to how this will affect the years to come!
Monday started off with warming up on the stationary bike for the first time which made me feel pretty awesome! Then back in the main room my PT told me she was going to push my range of motion, which made me nervous because I had flashbacks to painful months of attempting to push flexion back into my knee post op (it healed stiff by surgeon’s design). Thankfully since this procedure didn’t require ligament immobilization/support for an extended period of time, my range of motion hasn’t suffered too badly. 
Up until this point I had been sticking to the post-op hip movement restrictions since I hadn’t been told otherwise, other than the end of last week when I was told I could start bending past 90 degrees if comfortable. So, she sat me down at the end of our session and clarified for me that those post op restrictions are pretty much lifted and now I’m at the phase where movements are allowed, provided that they are controlled, not excessively uncomfortable, and no impact. Still no aggressive isolated hip flexor engagement, single foot per stairs on ascent/descent, etc. Thursday we did start adding some shallow straight leg lifts to start strengthening my hip flexors again, and also added a band around my ankles for my standing hip extension/flexion/abduction reps.
I’m a bit slow to post this update (I usually post it on a Friday but today is Sunday), but I wanted to wait and add on my Saturday adventure before posting. A friend came to visit and I was able to (slowly) walk all over our local farmers market. I brought my cane of course and it was exhausting, but I did it and had no pain – waking up this morning feeling just fine.
Coach's Killer 