New Hip for New York – Step 2 Diagnosis

Step 1 – have injury. Step 2 – get diagnosis. I let the pain go for a couple of days to see if I treated it with some dry needling through the thighs, soft tissue release of quads and glutes and strength exercises for the glutes would make it settle down but alas, it didn’t. I pondered an MRI and called to find out the cost and availability and while on the phone decided to book it and just find out once and for all what was actually going on in there. I’m not one for making decisions without all the facts.

Off I went to have the scan – most people say it’s noisy, scary and claustrophobic in the MRI scanner…me, I fell asleep in the scanner haha. Then the wait for the results. We took bets at the clinic to see whether it was a tear or not and when the results came in I had a ‘4mm detachment of the anteriorsuperior labrum’ i.e. tear of the cartilage in the hip socket which I then called my GP to confirm. It explained why the pain was there and why it wouldn’t go away despite trying to treat it conservatively.

Step 3 – get referral for surgeon and get appointment with him. I wasn’t quite sure what the surgeon would suggest but I figured it would be surgery to repair the tear. I was more mentally prepared for surgery this flare up then I have been in the past because I have an awesome team to back me up at work, at BNI and my awesome family and friends whereas 2 years ago I would have put up with the it and soldiered on. Finding a surgeon was my next task – I wanted someone who I knew did good work so from recommendations from uni friends I found ma man. Dr Rob Molnar from Orthotrauma was highly recommended from physio mates who have seen and experienced surgery with him themselves – he has his patients up and walking same day as surgery which is a good sign that he has quick recovery times.

So I got myself an appointment, and as with most surgeons I was quite lucky to get one as soon as I did. I also booked a surgery date (which most people don’t often do) but part of my reason for making things happen so quickly is that I’m going to New York in January and then Aspen to snowboard so I had a deadline which I made into a goal.

Step 4 – the consult. TBC

Deb Chen, Physiotherapist