A Hip Journey

A Hip Journey

Aging is a definite test of patience and endurance. Learning how to maintain one’s body, spirit and mind is an ever-challenging work in progress. Even those of us in the health and fitness industry must deal with our past uses and abuses of our body and find solutions towards a more stable foundation.

This is a brief look into my own personal journey of dealing with a physical ordeal. I hope that it can provide others, not only my age but younger, support in similar situations. It takes a village to grow and flourish as a child but even more so as we age.

The story is divided into five parts and while it was not a clear break from one to the other however it paints the stages of progression. This division gives perspective not only to the past journey but also to the road ahead.

• Background
• Situation
• The Decision
• Fast forward to today
• What I learned

Background

The abbreviated version is started dancing at age three, quickly progressed into a devoted student studying a variety of styles, jazz, modern, ballet and acrobatic. Worked my way up the dance ladder into my first professional dance company at age sixteen. Many companies, cities and countries later ended my professional dance career at age 42.

During my youth and college years I was active in cheerleading which entailed a high level of gymnastics, as in activities such as backflips with and without hands, aerial movements both solo and with partners. Recreationally swimming, running, weightlifting and cycling were also solid parts of my life.

Became heavily devoted to Iyengar Yoga during the latter part of my dance years. Was part of the Dutch Association of Teacher Trainer’s Examination Committee. Having participated in Pilates irregularly as a dancer, and suffering a chronic left hamstring issue,(take note) veered away from yoga into Classical Pilates more religiously. This was first just a serious practice that led to two comprehensive certifications, as well as life as an instructor, studio owner and manager.  

To wrap it up the only pieces that have changed much in terms of my “movement” life are I stopped running in my late forties, would often bother my left hip. (take note). Never resumed yoga as a steady practice, it tended to aggravate my hip (take note) and the last few years invested more heavily in getting stronger through weightlifting and hiking in the beautiful mountains of California.

The Situation

If you follow the line backwards there are some take note flags. Any athlete and I include professional dancers in that category is going to have incidents now and then. It comes with the profession and unusual amount of demands put on the body.

While I was thoroughly blessed to never have a career busting injury, I had a few minor ones. partial Achilles tendon tear and what’s called a floating body/bone chip off of the kneecap were the only dance related problems. The battle with the chronic hamstring problem was either associated with an already high level of flexibility from dance acerbated by yoga and or years of running outdoors or some combination of factors.

It is important to note that I was never the type of person to put something off and not have it treated or looked at by a professional. I’ve had some of the best physical therapists in the world specializing in dance and athletes all along the way. Special and dear to my heart, Ted Willemsen from The Netherlands during my dance career and Bob Baker from California as an aging ex-dancer.

What seems to have happened is the left hip aged at a progressively higher pace than my right. Arthritis settled in and after years of trying to perfect both my training and therapy it needed outside assistance.

Pause for a moment. Why is this so hard?

As an individual who spent a lifetime developing one’s body to perform and later one devoted to movement this felt like a battle, I should be able to overcome.  I’m sure this is true not only for dancers, but many individuals faced with decisions around going for a surgery, treatment or other type of therapy.

It doesn’t matter whether you are dealing with a mental or physical issue one always hopes and puts effort into “the situation” to try to handle it yourself. Human nature we want to win. However, there comes a tipping point and choices need to be made.

Additionally, I pause here to think about all the individuals currently in lockdown that took a similar journey to mine and have now been put on hold. I can’t imagine how devasting it is to them, while understanding the unprecedented virus regulations, their issues did not disappear. The emotional and physical toll on many will be hard to come back from.

The Decision

What ultimately pushed me over the edge was seeing that my temporary relief periods became less and less. Each segment of discomfort seemed to last longer than the one before. Then, after getting rear ended on one of our neighborhood side streets, my hip went off the deep end of pain and aggravation. The jolt and jarring from the rear-ending made an existing manageable situation no longer tenable.

I decided to go for a total hip replacement (anterior approach). This came after numerous discussions not only with myself and partner, but a host of knowledgeable people from various perspectives, physical therapy, alternative practitioners, hip replacement recipients and orthopedic professionals.

Fast forward to today: 12 weeks post-surgery

I’m back completely to my previous work out routines, with only a couple minor modifications. I have been able to regain my original muscle strength, mass and endurance through a combination of efforts, Pilates, weight training and physical therapy.

But first let me jump back and say with huge bold letters and a voluminous voice, Pre-SURGERY INVESTMENT IS EVERYTHING!

Up until the day before I was dropped off at the hospital (another whole story in and of itself to have an operation during the time of Covid_19) I worked out continuously. Throughout the two months prior I had to make a considerable amount of concessions due to bone on bone, (definite ouch) that said I’m 100% convinced that by training consistently pre-surgery recovery time was put on a fast track, in the words of my doctor at my one month visit, you are at a place even better than we could hope for.

For me personally, the combination of Pilates and weight training both before and after surgery have surpassed my expectations. Pilates with its’ total body conditioning that can adapt to individual needs through the uniqueness of the exercises and apparatus allows one to continue to train even with limitations and then afterwards to quickly and safely regain those abilities. In weight training, which requires a trainer skilled in working with older individuals, has given me the boost in strength, endurance and confidence that easily can diminish at such times.

Thirdly, nutrition to me should never be underestimated. I’ve written in numerous posts that can be found here, here and here on the benefits of a low carbohydrate and meat intensive nutrient dense diet that I feel gives me maximum levels of performance. I certainly reaped those benefits now, in a time of a virus with a surgery, having a healthy immune system definitely aided my recovery.

Fourth, I’m extremely fortunate that I had a team, my surgeon, physical therapist, personal trainer and amazing husband to back me up ALL the way. I know this is a luxury and am forever grateful.

What did I learn?

• While I maybe could have done it sooner I did it now
• Being in good physical shape prior to surgery is a huge advantage
• Build a strong immune system with a nutrient dense diet pre and post-surgery is a must
• Get a bunch of opinions on your options, ask lots of questions, do your homework
• Know ahead of time who is going to support your recovery road

Final note

I realize that there are struggles in the nation, from the shutdown, much greater than mine at the moment, healing the damage needs the focus of the entire country. That will take an even bigger team if we are to properly restore our health and livelihoods to move forward.

Let’s hope we’re up for the challenge.

P.S. With utmost gratitude and deep respect to Dr. Michael Gerhardt, Josh Espinoza, the team at HealthFit Physical Therapy and the amazing Robert Surenbroek!