r/hipdysplasia

Hi there!

I'm a 39F based in London UK, and was dx with bilateral hip dysplasia in September by a hip specialist after a lifetime of hip pain that has recently got extremely bad. I'm in a general fit of RAGE that it took one basic x-ray to see that I had hip dysplasia and didn't just have "bad posture" as had been suggested countless times. I also don't have arthritis which I see as a miracle and have had a lifelong dx of hypermobility which has recently been "upgraded" to hEDS!

I've been put on an "urgent" waiting list for PAO surgery. Not thrilled about the prospect of PAO surgery... or any surgery tbh! but I won't be seeing the surgeon until the end of January 2027, and until then I can't access anything for pain relief.

I'm taking dihydrocodeine with paracetamol at night, but it doesn't do anything. I can't sleep due to the pain.

I also can't walk as much or as well as I used to and used to be able to walk 20k a day with little to no pain or aches, now I hardly leave the house unless necessary, to go to work (have a hybrid office job, wfh most of the week) or to go to the shops or see friends). I'm just limping all the time, and feel like my hip joint and legs are splintering outwards about to burst out of my skin.

I'm struggling with the pain while walking so much. All I want to do is go on a nice, long walk but after 5000 steps (about 2.2 miles) my hips start to seize up and the pain is agonising. It's destroyed my mental health, I'm so completely drained and feel like a shadow of myself snd the person I was a year ago.

I feel like the Tin Man when he goes rusty.

I was given physio in the Spring but it made it worse (which was when my physio suggested I see a specialist and thus the dysplasia diagnosis) and I was previously a regular gym goer. Swimming is okay, but sadly incredibly impractical with a 9-5 (the swim times for adults is 6-7am and 8pm to 10pm!) and the extreme faff of swimming generally....

I miss being able to stay active, and I miss being able to SLEEP.

My GP can't seem to help. Ice doesnt work. Heat provides comfort but not pain relief. I also have endometriosis (which is managed and not an issue at the mo) and the tens machine I have for that just seems to irritate it. I try and get regular massages (they comment on how stiff my muscles are!) I try and do myofascial release with massage balls, I have an acupressure mat. I'm on the waiting list for NHS Acupuncture and might fork out privately but money is tight!

I just don't know what to do anymore. My mobility has become so restricted and I can't even sleep. I keep begging for help, but it's all so far away and caught up in waiting lists.

Any advice would be really helpful! Thank you.

Hi all- Im 29F and grew up a figure skater... always been hypermobile and chronic neck/back pain. Back in Feb, I had a fall/what they thought was a seizure at first, and woke up never being able to move my hip the same and terrible pain. First it was just osteoarthritis/dysplasia of the left hip... Everything got worse VERY rapidly the past 8 months.

Now I have severe dislocation/osteoarthritis/dysplasia of both - complete bone-on-one, no socket left. I FINALLY found a surgeon willing to do one hip at a time: he specializes in reconstruction. There haven't been any surgeons willing to do it until now because im severely underweight/malnourished due to other health issues.

I lost the ability to walk without heavy reliance on a walker back in July and even a small bit is extremely difficult and so painful. I've lost pretty much all independence and my entire life because of this.

Still trying to decide which hip to do first, but really praying that I'll at least be able to walk again with having the one done. They said everything goes well, it's possible I can get both by the end of the year though!

Also just had major emergency spinal surgery so my whole body is pretty much being replaced at such a young age...

Suggestions which I should get first?

Anyone else need to get both done very badly and taking a staggered approach? How has it been after your first?

https://preview.redd.it/y5n8gbc6oeuh1.png?width=910&format=png&auto=webp&s=d7004b396a530b63c6655c3b69792d007563cda1

Hey there has anyone had a total hip replacement after having labral repairs with what surgeons will call a normal x-ray? By okay I mean no bone on bone arthritis and having visible spacing between the joint . I am 36.

I have had labor repairs with femoral head debridement bilaterally. Both sides are painful the left side not as much as pre-op the right side is extremely painful. I have been told I have reverted hip sockets as well. Osteoarthritis was prevalent via scope on both sides during labor repairs and if I remember correctly was classified as mild to moderate although I believe this was downplayed. Seeing the pictures it looked like stage two or three arthritis to me although I'm not a doctor.

I am currently out of work trying to figure this out as I got to the point where I couldn't work. I am seeing one of the hip surgeons that is the best in the region. He initially seemed to think a replacement was a viable option and then I verbalize some of my overthinking which seemed to psych him out. I did a hip injection which seem to help during the 4 to 5 hours after the injection and the steroid might have helped after a week for a one to two week timeline. I am getting bilateral SI joint injections in a couple weeks to rule that out.

Bottom line I don't want to waste my time with another labral repair my initial ones were almost unreparable massive tears with osteoarthritis despite x-rays looking okay. I'm running into replacement surgeons essentially blowing me out after looking at my x-ray and not seeming to spend the time to look into the bigger picture of my case. Have any of you had a similar experience with prior labor repairs, status of x-rays, and gotten total hip replacement with good results in the end?

Has anyone traveled out of state, or specifically to HSS, for a revision total hip replacement? What was the experience like? When were they able to safely fly back home?

I just got my surgery date for December 17th. Ive been on the waitlist for 14 months and im so upset thats the date i got. I live on the other side of the world from family and alot of my friends wont be around over the holidays.

Its my second PAO, so I know much it sucks.

I have to take the date, I cant put it off any longer pain wise/patience wise. I think i just need a crash out and ill sort my life out next week but for now..... how shit is hip dysplasia!

Our 6 week LO was diagnosed with hip displaysia today 😮‍💨 from what I looked up, seems like the common treatment at this age is the harness for 6-12 weeks.

For other parents that went through this, how was the treatment process for you and your LO?

My son’s been to the doctor and he’s had x-rays done and it didn’t show up anything. He had blood work done and no major red flags. It seems like it’s getting worse every day he can barely walk. He’s actually had to learn how to walk in a different way. What do I do? It went from his knees hurting really bad to now his hips are hurting really bad.

Hi all! I just went to see the PA for a hip specialist today and apparently I have an LCEA of 3 degrees in my right hip and 6 degrees in my left hip. I also have a labral tear. This is the first time in my life I’ve been told I have hip dysplasia.

Some background: the only reason I found this information out was because I slipped and fell at work January 2026. Went to numerous doctors, and 2 1/2 rounds of PT, until finally a spinal specialist made me get a MRI with contrast for my hip. It was found that I have a “partial-thickness superior labral undersurface tear” in my left hip. Finally got in with a hip specialist today, took some X-rays and was told I have 3 degrees on one side and 6 degrees on the other. I was given a steroid injection to see if it will help, but if it doesn’t I will most likely need to get surgery.

I’ve come here today because I haven’t really been able to find any examples of that degree of LCEA, or anyone really close to it; though I may not be looking hard enough. I’m honestly just confused and kind of upset because I’ve never had any pain in my hips until the injury, they’ve always just been a little weird but not painful. I honestly didn’t think there was anything wrong with them, I just thought I was flexible. Now I’m finding out all these things about hip dysplasia and PAO surgery and I’m not sure where to go from here 🥲

I wasn’t given any other measurements regarding the dysplasia, just the LCEA. If anyone has had a similar measurement then I would really appreciate if you could share some of your experiences. I’m only 22(F) and I really just wasn’t expecting this 🥲

Just something interesting that happened to me after my surgery! I have never in my life had a regular menstrual cycle and never sought medical attention purely because it’s convenient to only bleed once every few months. Since I had my left PAO in June, I have had my period every month on the dot. I didn’t expect this to happen but I guess the PAO relieving some of the inflammation in my pelvis area may have onset this? I wasn’t on birth control prior to or after the surgery, and haven’t made any changes to my diet. I just thought it was interesting! Have any of you guys also experienced this or have any better reasoning for why this may have happened?