Seems like success! 18 weeks post-op
Hi all - After getting a second opinion from another specialist, I decided to move forward with surgery in early January 2026 (right hip arthroscopy labral repair and femoroplasty). I'm an active 35 year old female by the way. The surgeon I ultimately chose diagnosed me with borderline hip dysplasia in my right hip. Interestingly, the other specialist said there were no signs of dysplasia, not even borderline - I actually preferred this surgeon because he had more experience and came across as very positive and confident, but he was booked out another 4 months and located an hour away.
Surgery day itself was exhausting. I was at the hospital for around 9 hours, though the actual procedure only lasted something like 2 hours. I received a nerve block beforehand, but unfortunately it didn’t help. I woke up in intense pain and puked a lot from IV pain medication they gave me afterward. The day after surgery, I was completely out of it. Friends and family were texting to check on me, and while my phone says I responded, I honestly don’t remember doing it. I barely worked the following week because I felt so sick, likely from all the pain medication. Even small hip rotations were painful at that point.
I felt like I only needed crutches for about 2 days. After that, I mostly had to force myself to use them because my surgeon wanted me on them until my 3-week post-op appointment. By the time that appointment came around, I was more than ready to ditch the crutches. That’s also when I started physical therapy twice a week.
I was honestly skeptical about whether the surgery had helped until after my first week of PT. Once I started moving more, things gradually began to improve. Before surgery, I had been in pain 24/7 for years. Around 1.5 months post-op, I started having moments with zero pain, which felt (still feels) unreal. I’ve only had a few minor flare-ups since then, mostly lingering groin or hinge area pain after starting something new in PT. My surgeon reassured me that my hip and leg had been compensating for so long that my body (especially my hip flexor and glute) was simply adjusting, finding its new normal, and rebuilding strength. Overall, I have felt significant improvement month by month.
Since starting PT, I’ve stayed consistent with my at-home exercises and going to the gym. I was surprised to find that my balance needed a ton of work early-on, and my right leg felt so weak that I was surprised it was not the size of a twig in comparison to my left leg. For a while, I was only cleared to use the stationary bike outside of my PT sessions, but eventually I was allowed to ease back into limited upper body and core work. I go to a crossfit gym, and my coach has been instrumental in making sure I abide by doctor's orders and don’t overdo anything.
At 3 months post-op, my surgeon cleared me to gradually return to my normal activities like running, crossfit, and horseback riding. I’m still avoiding sharp turns/pivots and very heavy lifting per his instruction, but I’ve started running short distances (no more than 1 mile) and can even now do squats and leg raises completely pain-free. The difference has honestly been incredible and such a huge relief. My last day of PT is next week at 4.5 months post-op, and until very recently, I haven't felt ok about ending my sessions.
Looking back, I was VERY nervous about surgery but also at my wits end because of the pain. When my labral tear was discovered via MRI by my OMM doctor, she did not believe it was the cause of all my struggles. I'm glad I went with my gut and visited the surgeon, and I'm glad I got a second opinion before moving forward with the surgery. I may post another update after 6 months post-op. For now, I hope sharing my experience can help others who may be considering surgery. I'm happy to answer questions if anyone wants more details.