Supporting hip dysplasia with a new knee brace
It’s International hip dysplasia awareness month this June, and the one year anniversary of my hip revision surgery. It’s also 3 months since I started wearing a knee brace to help me walk better with one crutch. So what’s this year of rehab really been like?
When it comes to hip surgery I’m an old hand by now. My childhood was punctuated by procedures and surgeries to improve my hip dysplasia. Most significantly to To get me walking aged 3 ½. To get me level aged 16. And then as an adult to give me decent mobility aged 32 with my first hip replacement. Surgery was about improvements.
The last two surgeries have been different. Now 50+ it’s about maintenance. Making sure things don’t wear out or get worse. Keeping me walking but perhaps with a stick. Preventing joints eroding to a level too painful. It requires a different mindset and it’s more difficult to manage, because it’s hard to feel the benefit in the same way.
Realistically, I’m now a walking version of Ker-Plunk. Each change could have an impact and we’re not quite sure which or when. So I put myself completely in the control of surgeons (not easy for the control freak that I am). And hope there’s more good than bad in the outcome.
My left hip is technically healing very well. All the metal parts are still secured in the right place. There are signs that a small amount of bone is growing around the screws. And I’m not in significant pain at all.
I can walk with crutches. I can swim most days. I can work with some adjustments to minimise prolonged sitting. I can drive an hour or so. I can get on and off a train with the sticks. I can sit and stand long enough to sing in some concerts. And other than my joints, I’m very healthy. For this, I’m very grateful.
A big change came three months ago when I saw a knee brace specialist/orthotist. My new hip is in a different position to the last one (screwed into a slightly different place) and the leg length is adjusted. But that change of rotation for the hip has affected my knee stability. My knees from birth were also deformed and very hyper-mobile (move in too many directions). Most likely at some point in my future is another knee replacement to stabilise it. But not until this new hip is fully set and can take it. Perhaps for my 60th birthday?!
So for now, I have a brilliant knee brace that essentially pulls my knee back into line to better manage the load through the whole leg. It does look a little bit ‘borg’ (if you like Star Trek). With it I stand straighter and I walk much better on my crutches. At home I can walk with just one which allows me to carry a cuppa. It has also stopped the left hamstring pain I had for six months post-surgery.
On the downside it doesn’t fit under half my clothes. It’s not great to sit down in for any length of time so there’s faffing to take it on and off. And if I walk too much with one crutch, then my right hip, back and side is strained. Which makes my mobility harder again as that right side provides my stability. As I said earlier; a walking Ker-Plunk!
So what’s next? Well, I keep plugging away with the physio exercises – so I can walk a little further, stand a little longer, drive a greater distance. In the words of my surgeon – it was always going to be a slow recovery – and I’m getting my life back bit by bit. Most likely I’ll always be ‘Jill with the sticks’ as I continue to age. We’re all differently-abled as we travel through this life. Hip Dysplasia is a life-long condition for me, and for at least 1 in every 1000 people. And despite everything we’ve been through in our 54 years, me and my hips keep on moving.
Happy Hip Dysplasia Awareness Month to all the other hippies out there!
Jill Pringle was born with hip dysplasia in 1971 and has undergone several orthopaedic surgeries on her hips, femur and knee. She writes this blog to share her experience living and walking with this condition, as well as her surgeries.