For as long as I can remember I have always played and enjoyed sports, as one of 3 brothers and now with 3 active children of my own, sport and competition has been a fundamental part of my daily life. Through most of my teens and twenties it was predominantly team sports, football, cricket, rugby, hockey…you name it I probably played it at sometime. My main activity during my late twenties was hockey which I probably played twice a week accompanied by training twice per week.  During this time I can remember many injuries but being young I always seemed to bounce back quickly.

Then in my very early thirties this seemed to change.  I was continually waking up the day after a game with a stiff or sore right leg, on occasions I would have to crawl out of bed before the leg “warmed up”.  I put this down to getting a little older, being slightly less fit and consequently ignored it for some time. However by around 33 it was clear this problem was going away so I had some investigations carried out.  I can still picture in my mind the time when the Specialist Sports Doctor told me I had early onset of osteoarthritis  and he explained to me that in 10-15 years time I would need an artificial hip !! how right he was (see later), but back then it seemed no big deal 10-15 years was a lifetime away.  He advised me to stop playing sports that involved twisting or turning the joint but that I could carry on running.  I didn’t do this immediately but over time a combination of the morning after pain and job demands did mean that my team sports ceased when I was around 34.  In fact for a couple of years I didn’t do much sport at all, however the pain did not diminish even without sports and I would find myself having a painful right leg most evenings even when sat down relaxing, however it was still not dawning on me that the afore mentioned hip replacement was getting closer !

In 2004 I had a job opportunity that took us from the UK to Dubai in the Middle East. I was still practicing little sport, working hard, still had the hip pain and now my wife and I had three very active children.  By chance my wife found a local running club and persuaded me to join with her. I had always thought running was an individual sport and hence not focused much on it, how wrong I was.  I loved the camaraderie as well as the competition and began to run more and more, I regained much of my old fitness and best of all my leg pains were now nowhere to be seen !  Was this a miracle cure ? I reconciled this fact by convincing myself that the constant movement of my hip joint was keeping it lubricated and hence stopping the pain and its deterioration, how wrong I was later to be proven.

I really did enjoy several pretty pain free years (joy !!) until 2009.  In January 2009 I ran the Dubai Marathon followed by the Barcelona Marathon in March (PHOTO TO LEFT).  In both of these events I did experience some hip pain but this was masked by fact that most other parts of my body were hurting even more.  After Barcelona I stopping running for 2 weeks to recover and from there I didn’t ever properly run again.  Every time I tried it was simply too uncomfortable even painful in my right hip, so I rested and tried again a little later with always the same result.

In the middle of one July night I woke up in sharp pain and could not move my right leg, my wife had to help me get into a position of no pain.  I know now that this was caused by an bone spur pinching in my joint.  The next day my wife “ordered” me to the Doctor, something I had been putting off as I knew what was coming, no more running and possible hip replacement time !!

I had the usual x-rays etc… and was told the inevitable.  The OA had worsened, I should stop all sport now, tough out the pain as long possible and in 10 years time have a THR. Reality had just slapped me in the face, I let it sink in for a few depressing in days and then decided no way would I take this from a doctor who hadn’t even given me a physical examination let alone any glimmers of hope !  Through the internet I found the surface hippy info’ website and starting reading this and any other material I could on the subject.

It all offered some hope, a real possibility.  However all the surgeons and case studies were in Europe, the US or India, I was based in the Middle East, had 3 demanding kids and just started a new job so taking time to travel for an operation like this seemed almost impossible.  Then by chance through my running partner I found somebody in Dubai who had 2 hips resurfaced by what he described as the best surgeon in the middle east, Dr Whately.  That set me off again and within a few days I had seen Dr Whately and he had told me I was a perfect candidate for hip resurfacing.  This was around October 2009 at which time Dr Whately had done around 350 resurfacings over 5 years with only 2 complications that he knew of, his manner was great, and he was a real advocate of resurfacing…I had found my man and my solution.  My operation was booked for March 21st 2010 and easily approved by my insurer.

Over the next few months my hip declined rapidly, any walking was painful,I had a huge limp and frankly did not want to do anything that involved my right leg, I was desperately focused on my operation.

In the two weeks prior to my operation my hip pain seemed to ease, this heightened my anxiety about going through with the procedure so with one day to go I played some ball games with my children.  This left me in extreme pain again, joy ! as it merely confirmed the next day’s operation was the right thing to do.
I recall coming around in the recovery room and the surgeon telling me I had a successful “Birmingham” installed, he knew I was worried that a complication would lead to a THR.  That was a huge relief, all I had to do now was recover.  5 hours after the operation I took 6 steps with a walker, I promptly sat back on the bed and fainted, I had been determined to walk on the day of the operation though and I did it but it exhausted me.

I was booked for 6 days in the hospital, 2 days post op’ I was discharged and off pain meds, that was a joy as they made me feel sick and dizzy. Frankly I didn’t have any pain from the moment I woke up not even from the scar, pre-op’ pain for me was far worse than post op’. So, day 3 and I’m at home, this is easy I thought…wrong !!  I did too much on day 3 and ended up with massive swelling, my thigh was nearly 3 times its normal size and the swelling went right down to my foot. Lots of rest and by day 6 I’m back on track and walking around again.

My surgeon recommended a great Physio to me whom I am seeing 3 times per week.  He is really helping my muscle recovery and giving me some great exercises for home. I feel that in around 2 weeks I will be able to walk without crutches again and my confidence grows by the day.  Best of all I am really certain that I will run again and I have my sights set on a marathon in 2010.  When my trainers hit the road again and I enter a race I will write a further update.

Good luck to all you surface hippies, it’s great to be on the other side, and to all of you considering this operation it really can give you your life back and your pre-op’ OA pain is far worse than anything you will experience whilst you recover.

Nick Powell
RBHR Dr Whately 21/03/2010