I am 49 years old and diagnosed 20 years ago with Perthes of the left hip. I have lived a pretty normal life, walked with a slight limp, some skiing, some golf etc.

Several Docs have said it is only a matter of time before I will need a hip replacement and have reccomended minimizing physical activity. There is also some arthritis settling in the area.

My question: What if anything should I be doing to strengthen the hip joint/muscle area to maximize my time before needing surgery and to assist in my recovery time?

I do have pain every day. I take Advil and Osteo Biflex reguarly.

Even my yoga stretching seems to hurt.

Thank you Russell

-- Russell Anderson (russell@acscreative.com), September 06, 2003

Answers

Hi Russell,

I know it's not a "guy thing" but Pilates is great exercise for the hips, thighs, butt and abdomen. The core muscles of your abdomen are tremendous pelvic stabilizers and Pilates is non-weight bearing and gentle on your joints. A good instructor is a must- Take a class and after you get the technique perfected, try a home exercise video on Pilates. Also pool therapy in a heated pool is super for keeping your flexibility and is also non- weightbearing due to the buoyancy of the water (You can usually find a local programme affiliated with the arthritis society in your area). Anything you can do now to keep your hip and leg muscles from wasting away and contracting will speed your recovery after hip replacement (which is a piece of cake- I've had two in the past 11 months).

-- christina delottinville (seamoregirl@hotmail.com), October 27, 2003.