Skiing with hip replacement

[Buxrus]

Who is skiing with a hip replacement or both hips replaced? Preferably looking for 34.2 MPH, short line skiing……35 and shorter.
Interested to learn: can it be done? Can one ski short line slalom with a new hip? How long did it take to get back to prior buoy count?Etc.
thank you.

[139]

know skiier age 60+, had hip replaced, running 39 1/2 off...surgery done late season, was running 39 by July

[Rednucleus]

My buddy had one done, skiing & barefooting 6 mo later and pb (28 off) same season.I am scheduled for Nov 15 - so excited to not hurt all day & night. I will start a thread of my adventure soon. Interestingly I am skiing just about as good as ever though I pay for it later in the day.@horton sure are alot of folks here with medical posts. Ever considered making a seperate catagory for these?Red

[Rook]

Yes, skiing short line can be done after total hip replacement surgery.

Had a total right hip replacement surgery (my rear foot side) in August 2014 at age 57 and resumed slalom skiing in March 2015. Began skiing into 39 1/2 at 34.2 mph/55K again by early summer.

Skiing short line can done after total knee replacement surgery too. Coincidentally I have my one year follow up appointment this morning with my orthopedic surgeon who did my total right knee replacement surgery (rear foot side) last October 20th, 2021 at age 64.

Resumed skiing in March 2021 and began skiing into deep 38 off again at 34.2 mph/55K by early summer. I turned 65 this past July and now acclimating to skiing at 32.3 mph/52K and I am skiing into 39 1/2.

Still skiing at 55K too. Definitely can't use either joint replacement as an excuse for when I don't ski well. When that happens it has nothing to do with my joint replacements so don't worry about not being able to get back to where you were!

[Buxrus]

Thank you @Rook I appreciate your story and I am encouraged with your outcome. I am scheduled for PRP shots into the right hip but the discomfort and limited ROM is increasing daily.

[liquid d]

Similar to @Rook .....The problem afterwards is usually not the joint; it's the strength of the muscles around it. I was skiing 4 months after surgery, but just mainly working on strengthening. At 6 months , the Dr said I can do anything saying the joint was as strong as it was before the surgery. BUT, I didn't have full strength for about a year. It was about 10 months before i was messing with any 38's, and i wasn't taking hits. I'd ski it clean or let it go. I felt at 12 months, I was back hanging and banging as well as before surgery. I had the Birmingham method.

[lpskier]

Many years ago, Lucky Lowe won MM at Nationals approximately six months after surgery. KLP had both hips replaced at the same time. Most people I know that replaced a joint all say their only regret was not doing it sooner. So, of course I need an ankle and I’m putting it off as long as I can…

[Buxrus]

Thanks to all. I appreciate your insight. Sounds like I am going to be ok. I’m going to try the PRP route first but I know what the inevitable solution is.
Thanks again.

[ktm300]

I have a Birmingham hip. It's awesome and I have no limitations. @"liquid d" was on the podium at Nationals this year with his (Congratulations). When my surgeon said no limitations, I asked him if I could squat 400lbs and he said that if I couldn't it would not be the fault of my hip :)Good luck with yours. There is some good reading material found at the link below. Dr. Gross did mine and he was fantastic. https://www.grossortho.com/

[bko]

Don't worry!At the age of 48 I got my left hip replaced. 10 weeks later I was alpine skiing, after 18 weeks I started the waterski season as in any other year. In the 9 years since I did not have the slightest issue.

[Jody_Seal]

24 hours in to my hip. looking forward to spring.my daughter is a DPT she was pretty amazed with my day today. ibuprofen only. firstPT tomorrow morning.I think that when some one or a doctor says wait as long as you can to have the procedure you probably need it anyway and should go ahead.being in pain for better then 2 years was no fun and greatly impacted my life as well as livelihood.I had a mini posterior approach.

[wawaskr]

Curious - all those skiers who have had hips replaced - were they your back leg hips?

[bko]

@wawaskr Yes, rear leg (which seems typical)But I speculate that the root of my hip problem was a kind of accidental split when I learned the barefoot backdeep start on my own decades earlier

[oldmanskier]

I am an old man 68 soon to be 69.I had my right hip replaced 2 years ago and it did not affect my skiing in a negative way.Deep water starts are an issue at times but that is because I am 30 pounds to heavy.Hopefully I can get the fatty Tom issue under control before spring.I am having my right knee replaced (back leg on ski) this Thursday.Other people that had these procedures I have talked to, including my surgeon said I should be able to start skiing in mid spring or possibly sooner.Of course doing all the Physical therapy required is a must for the best outcome.Hopefully this spring I will still be able to ski like I want with a bionic right back leg.Tom Smothers (oldmanskier)

[oldmanskier]

I am an old man 68 soon to be 69.I had my right hip replaced 2 years ago and it did not affect my skiing in a negative way.Deep water starts are an issue at times but that is because I am 30 pounds to heavy.Hopefully I can get the fatty Tom issue under control before spring.I am having my right knee replaced (back leg on ski) this Thursday.Other people that had these procedures I have talked to, including my surgeon said I should be able to start skiing in mid spring or possibly sooner.Of course doing all the Physical therapy required is a must for the best outcome.Hopefully this spring I will still be able to ski like I want with a bionic right back leg.Tom Smothers (oldmanskier)

[pc]

It’s 8:30 PM and I had direct anterior hip replacement surgery a little over twelve hours ago and am reading this thread with interest! Just one month ago I competed in the Over 35 Worlds in France (6th in Men 65-70) and expect to come back strong and skiing better than ever next March. This winter I’ll be on snow here in Minnesota by January. I think that the key is to go into surgery early and in good shape and follow the PT instructions to the letter and not overdo it.

[pc]

It’s 8:30 PM and I had direct anterior hip replacement surgery a little over twelve hours ago and am reading this thread with interest! Just one month ago I competed in the Over 35 Worlds in France (6th in Men 65-70) and expect to come back strong and skiing better than ever next March. This winter I’ll be on snow here in Minnesota by January. I think that the key is to go into surgery early and in good shape and follow the PT instructions to the letter and not overdo it.

[Rednucleus]

@pc how many weeks out did your surgeon say you could snow ski? I have a nov 15th appt and my doc says he doesn't want any skiing x 6 months (water or snow). Interesting to hear what other THR folks have been told.

[Rednucleus]

@pc how many weeks out did your surgeon say you could snow ski? I have a nov 15th appt and my doc says he doesn't want any skiing x 6 months (water or snow). Interesting to hear what other THR folks have been told.

[Jody_Seal]

my daughter who is a DPT says why take a chance? the healing process takes time. it takes time for the scarr tissues to heal. bone needs to grow back in around the implant. alot of damage is done when essentially the surgeon cuts off the the top three inches of your femur, grinds out your pelvis with a abrasive wheel then basically drives a tie rod end into your leg and installs a receptacle in the ground out portion of your pelvis . long story short no matter the approach give your prosthetic time to get acclimated to your body. give your body time to heal and don't be in a big hurry to get back on your ski. Again though if the dr or someone tells you you will need a replacement go ahead and get it donewaiting only weakens and makes the rehab that much harder.

[Jody_Seal]

my daughter who is a DPT says why take a chance? the healing process takes time. it takes time for the scarr tissues to heal. bone needs to grow back in around the implant. alot of damage is done when essentially the surgeon cuts off the the top three inches of your femur, grinds out your pelvis with a abrasive wheel then basically drives a tie rod end into your leg and installs a receptacle in the ground out portion of your pelvis . long story short no matter the approach give your prosthetic time to get acclimated to your body. give your body time to heal and don't be in a big hurry to get back on your ski. Again though if the dr or someone tells you you will need a replacement go ahead and get it donewaiting only weakens and makes the rehab that much harder.

[Buxrus]

@Jody_Seal your daughter is correct and her advise/opinion should be applied.
My next question to all who have had the surgery…….when did you know? The ironic thing is I can ski with ZERO pain or limitation. I do pay for it during sleep the following two nights. I don’t limp with gait. I do have a constant irritation into both sides of the groin, getting shoes and socks on in the morning is difficult and bending over/squatting down to get something off the ground or floor is a chore.
Hip pain…..meh. More discomfort.
My difficulty in making this decision, especially with all the great outcomes reported via this discussion, is I’d rather do this when my lower extremity muscles are still working and strong.
How did you all make the final decision? Thank you.

[Buxrus]

@Jody_Seal your daughter is correct and her advise/opinion should be applied.
My next question to all who have had the surgery…….when did you know? The ironic thing is I can ski with ZERO pain or limitation. I do pay for it during sleep the following two nights. I don’t limp with gait. I do have a constant irritation into both sides of the groin, getting shoes and socks on in the morning is difficult and bending over/squatting down to get something off the ground or floor is a chore.
Hip pain…..meh. More discomfort.
My difficulty in making this decision, especially with all the great outcomes reported via this discussion, is I’d rather do this when my lower extremity muscles are still working and strong.
How did you all make the final decision? Thank you.

[ktm300]

@Buxrus There is a legitimate issue about how long the implanted hip will last. They do wear out. So, for me, I pushed it out until my hip was no longer functional. I was able to function fine with pain, but eventually just lost so much range of motion in the bad hip that activities like climbing, hiking, running etc became difficult to do. I could still ski with some Advil: the the other activities got too difficult. I don't have the expertise to be making medical recommendations to anyone. However, neither did some of the physicians I dealt with. To me, the biggest decision is whether to do a traditional hip replacement or a Birmingham. I chose the Birmingham after having researched it to death. Most surgeons cannot do these because they don't know how/do not have any experience with doing them.

[ktm300]

@Buxrus There is a legitimate issue about how long the implanted hip will last. They do wear out. So, for me, I pushed it out until my hip was no longer functional. I was able to function fine with pain, but eventually just lost so much range of motion in the bad hip that activities like climbing, hiking, running etc became difficult to do. I could still ski with some Advil: the the other activities got too difficult. I don't have the expertise to be making medical recommendations to anyone. However, neither did some of the physicians I dealt with. To me, the biggest decision is whether to do a traditional hip replacement or a Birmingham. I chose the Birmingham after having researched it to death. Most surgeons cannot do these because they don't know how/do not have any experience with doing them.

[UWSkier]

For you guys who've had these replacements done, what was your diagnosis?

I'm 43 and dealing with anterior and posterior labral tears and inflammation from a cam impingement that's causing some minor OA. I've switched to getting up dragging a leg and kicking in which has made a huge difference in skiing with pain (there is no pain anymore), but I notice the pain if I spend too much time in the office chair, if I sleep on my right side too long, etc. Occasionally I'll step or turn wrong when it's angry and the pain is immediate and sharp.

I don't need replacement, but rehab from labral repairs sucks and docs say avoid if you can.

[UWSkier]

For you guys who've had these replacements done, what was your diagnosis?

I'm 43 and dealing with anterior and posterior labral tears and inflammation from a cam impingement that's causing some minor OA. I've switched to getting up dragging a leg and kicking in which has made a huge difference in skiing with pain (there is no pain anymore), but I notice the pain if I spend too much time in the office chair, if I sleep on my right side too long, etc. Occasionally I'll step or turn wrong when it's angry and the pain is immediate and sharp.

I don't need replacement, but rehab from labral repairs sucks and docs say avoid if you can.

[Buxrus]

@UWSkier that is my DX. However with moderate to severe OA. I’m 61. Your triggers are very similar to what I feel. I’m not ready for replacement yet but I know it’s inevitable.On YouTube look up Upright Health and Squat University. These two fellas have really good stretching programs for cam and impingement.Good luck.

[Buxrus]

@UWSkier that is my DX. However with moderate to severe OA. I’m 61. Your triggers are very similar to what I feel. I’m not ready for replacement yet but I know it’s inevitable.On YouTube look up Upright Health and Squat University. These two fellas have really good stretching programs for cam and impingement.Good luck.

[liquid d]

I had a Birmingham hip resurfacing....it's the way to go if your bones are fine, and just have nothing left between them. 53 when it was done...and a year later was running like i did when 40. Skied easy on it at about 4 months out, but nothing extreme. They now are extending the guesswork on how long the joints last to "more than 30 " years....We'll see!

[liquid d]

I had a Birmingham hip resurfacing....it's the way to go if your bones are fine, and just have nothing left between them. 53 when it was done...and a year later was running like i did when 40. Skied easy on it at about 4 months out, but nothing extreme. They now are extending the guesswork on how long the joints last to "more than 30 " years....We'll see!

[Jody_Seal]

whew! went to my first real therapy session today. walked in free of the walker, free of pain after therapy walked out pushing the walker. they don't call them physical terrorists for nothing. lots of hard work ahead of me.

[Jody_Seal]

whew! went to my first real therapy session today. walked in free of the walker, free of pain after therapy walked out pushing the walker. they don't call them physical terrorists for nothing. lots of hard work ahead of me.

[Rednucleus]

@Buxrus - great question. My doc told me three years ago to come see him again when I no longer enjoyed my every day activities. I can ski with little discomfort, but am miserable for 2 days after. I hurt all day long and wake up several times a night. My bride will tell you I am much crankier than usual, as will my staff at work. I am scheduled for THR (rear leg) Nov 15th and can hardly wait. Everyone that gets THR will tell you they should have done it sooner. If I could get my flux capacitor working I would go back one year in a heart beat and get it done. For me, the last 4-6 months have sucked in terms of quality of life. Your description is where I was a year ago. Two years ago it was just an annoyance. Three years ago I saw the doc to get educated and start thinking about THR.

[Rednucleus]

@Buxrus - great question. My doc told me three years ago to come see him again when I no longer enjoyed my every day activities. I can ski with little discomfort, but am miserable for 2 days after. I hurt all day long and wake up several times a night. My bride will tell you I am much crankier than usual, as will my staff at work. I am scheduled for THR (rear leg) Nov 15th and can hardly wait. Everyone that gets THR will tell you they should have done it sooner. If I could get my flux capacitor working I would go back one year in a heart beat and get it done. For me, the last 4-6 months have sucked in terms of quality of life. Your description is where I was a year ago. Two years ago it was just an annoyance. Three years ago I saw the doc to get educated and start thinking about THR.

[Buxrus]

Thanks again to all who have given their personal experience. I am doing due diligence and based on what I have read, I am thinking get through the next ski season and have it scheduled about this time next year.
This discussion has been very reassuring.

[Buxrus]

Thanks again to all who have given their personal experience. I am doing due diligence and based on what I have read, I am thinking get through the next ski season and have it scheduled about this time next year.
This discussion has been very reassuring.

[Jody_Seal]

like I said a tie rod end jammed into my femur.cleared to drive today. one week in from surgery.my mineral value went up significantly.. titanium baby!!

[Jody_Seal]

like I said a tie rod end jammed into my femur.cleared to drive today. one week in from surgery.my mineral value went up significantly.. titanium baby!!

[Buxrus]

@Jody_Seal Anterior?

[Buxrus]

@Jody_Seal Anterior?

[Jody_Seal]

@Buxrus , posterior approach. they called it a mini posterior. my incision is only about 4" .just above the butt cheek.

[Jody_Seal]

@Buxrus , posterior approach. they called it a mini posterior. my incision is only about 4" .just above the butt cheek.

[slalom frog]

Birmingham hip in each hip. Left one done January 5, 2021 and right one on November 3, 2021. I started skiing In late April, but took it very easy. A bit of free skiing for the first few times out and rode the trick ski a little bit without any tricks. I took my time to build up strength but was running the course all summer and got back to where I was prior to the surgery in July 2021 at some point. My skiing this past summer was mostly like it would normally be in the summer. I started running a lot of 28s and progressed from there as I felt I was ready. My experience is that it takes a full year to get all the strength and flexibility back.

I ski at 34.2 and run through 35 when the muscle between my ears cooperates!

[BTheis]

If you

[Buxrus]

Well I had PRP injection last week to the right hip. I can report the procedure is not painful, just a bit of pressure and burn. There was soreness at the injection site for about 24 hours. Injection site is anterior just inferior and medial of ASIS.
I can also report the hip discomfort I typically experienced with movement, bending down, putting on socks, toweling off feet etc, the deep dull ache and pinch is reduced already. Sleep is much better.
I was told to wait a month to have the left hip down. At this time, I will definitely have it done to left hip.
Of course things could change as I get more active in my off season work outs but it looks good thus far.
I will continue to report outcome.

[swbca]

Has anyone else found that turning the rear binding a few degrees is easier on the rear-foot hip?

I skied for 25 years with full boots lined up straight. 3 years ago when I set up a new ski after a long break, I found that I had to turn the rear boot out a few degrees to avoid rear-foot hip pain. I can't assess if this has any affect on skiing performance, but have seen that Nate Smith has his rear RTF plate turned out the same way.

With all the surgery discussion on this thread it makes me wonder of there would have been less hip surgeries if an angled rear boot alignment was the standard in slalom.

Any thoughts on this ?

[MISkier]

My rear binding eventually turns itself over time to point more toward the pinky toe side of the back foot, so I assume the back leg is exerting a force that finds such an orientation much more agreeable. I previously corrected and re-aligned the binding when it became quite noticeably shifted, but gave that up a few years ago and accepted it must be necessary. I didn't notice any change in skiing. I have no hip issues, but couldn't say that the binding orientation is or is not a factor.

[Jody_Seal]

my physical therapist tells me my glutes are real weak. thats what we are working on now. my daughter (another physical terrorist) has told me the same thing long before my hip replacement.have even had Regina splain me that Glute strength is very important for effective body mechanics to run shortline slalom.not sure how much or if any correlation between foot stance on the ski has any effect or can be detrimental to hip failure. but I do know that having a strong core and now as well glute strength is key to driving the hips up to the handle and maintaining a strong stacked stance behind the boat.

Buns of steel!

[Jody_Seal]



started riding the slalom. 5 months after total left hip replacement. notice i said ride! really not ready to attack the wakes. did though get around a few buoys this morning at geezer speed! only discomfort is a lttle bit on the deep water start. more rehab and strength training required.