Most people who know me are aware that I have Hip Dysplasia. Most don't understand what it is or how it impacts my life. It is difficult for many to grasp how one day I appear to be fine, the next I can hardly walk.
The mechanics:
file:///storage/emulated/0/Download/hip-dysplasia-in-adults.jpg
In Hip Dysplasia, the sockets are shallow and/or misaligned. This leads to early development of arthritis, damage to cartilage, and partial dislocations or subluxation (partial dislocation and return to socket). The shallow sockets make the joint unstable. The cartilage that wraps around the rim of the femur holding it in place can tear, making the joint more unstable. Many suffer great pain when the joint subluxes because torn cartilage catches and gets pinched in the joint. This can be so painful, it prevents weight bearing.
Since bone structure is the cause of the trouble, conservative treatments do not have long-term results. Weight reduction, physical therapy, steroid injections, and pain management techniques simply cannot change the shape of bones. Most patients are expected to try just about every conservative treatment before surgery is done.
When doctors see adults with Hip Dysplasia, they try to push hip replacement surgery off as far down the road as possible, telling patients they are "too young". I think the real reason is more complicated. Insurance companies do not wish to pay for surgery. A young adult who receives a hip replacement is more likely to require a revision surgery or new replacement later in life. However, it is noted in medical journals that recovery prognosis is best before the patient develops muscular issues. The wear and tear of stabilizing a dysplastic hip will cause muscle tears and eventually atrophy.
What it means in terms of everyday life:
In addition to having dysplasia in both hips, I have hypermobile joints. That means they can easily bend beyond normal range of motion. I have pain and partial dislocation of my hips, shoulders, and right elbow frequently. I never know when this will occur. Some days, my muscle tone will allow for me to do ordinary things like carrying laundry or sweeping a floor or reaching into an overhead cabinet for an item. Other days, I can't hold onto items or raise my arm more than a few inches without severe pain. Some days, I can walk and move fairly well, others I can barely stand up. I only tolerate short walking distances. A trip to the grocery store means at least an hour of rest with my legs up before I can do anything else. I can tolerate 10 to 15 minutes of gardening or housework before I feel like I'm going to collapse.
This is not a burden I wish to place upon others, so I hide it most of the time, forcing myself to walk without a limp, smiling when I want to cry, hiding out from my kids for a few minutes here and there to let the tears fall without worrying them.
No one would think anything is wrong with me to look at me. I have been yelled at for using a handicapped parking spot, because the person who saw me get out of the car doesn't know that by the time I return with my purchases, I will need support to get back into the car.
My family initially had a problem with the notion that I need a hip replacement, but as time has passed and they have seen the progression of my disability, they have gotten on board. When I got news that the worst of my hips can be replaced soon, they were happy for me, even though we all know recovery is a protracted process.
Though many people suffer the effects of Hip Dysplasia, it is something that few know about, and even modern medicine has a long way to go in understanding Hip Dysplasia in adults. There are radiologists who don't know how to look for it or how to diagnose it (usually it can be diagnosed from plain x-rays). There are doctors who don't know about the unique challenges it presents to patients. There are physical therapists who don't know proper treatment for it; they may even suggest exercises that increase pain and make it worse. Finding a doctor who can diagnose it and properly treat it can be hit or miss, and many sufferers go through many years of being treated like a hypochondriac before getting the correct diagnosis. The mental toll Hip Dysplasia takes is heavy. Being in severe pain every day of your life for decades and then being told you have to wait for years more before getting the surgery that has the best chance of alleviating that pain is devastating.
June is Hip Dysplasia Awareness Month. Please take the time to learn more, and if you know someone with Hip Dysplasia, be the friend who comes over and helps out unasked. We don't like always asking for help, but it is very appreciated!
The mechanics:
file:///storage/emulated/0/Download/hip-dysplasia-in-adults.jpg
In Hip Dysplasia, the sockets are shallow and/or misaligned. This leads to early development of arthritis, damage to cartilage, and partial dislocations or subluxation (partial dislocation and return to socket). The shallow sockets make the joint unstable. The cartilage that wraps around the rim of the femur holding it in place can tear, making the joint more unstable. Many suffer great pain when the joint subluxes because torn cartilage catches and gets pinched in the joint. This can be so painful, it prevents weight bearing.
Since bone structure is the cause of the trouble, conservative treatments do not have long-term results. Weight reduction, physical therapy, steroid injections, and pain management techniques simply cannot change the shape of bones. Most patients are expected to try just about every conservative treatment before surgery is done.
When doctors see adults with Hip Dysplasia, they try to push hip replacement surgery off as far down the road as possible, telling patients they are "too young". I think the real reason is more complicated. Insurance companies do not wish to pay for surgery. A young adult who receives a hip replacement is more likely to require a revision surgery or new replacement later in life. However, it is noted in medical journals that recovery prognosis is best before the patient develops muscular issues. The wear and tear of stabilizing a dysplastic hip will cause muscle tears and eventually atrophy.
What it means in terms of everyday life:
In addition to having dysplasia in both hips, I have hypermobile joints. That means they can easily bend beyond normal range of motion. I have pain and partial dislocation of my hips, shoulders, and right elbow frequently. I never know when this will occur. Some days, my muscle tone will allow for me to do ordinary things like carrying laundry or sweeping a floor or reaching into an overhead cabinet for an item. Other days, I can't hold onto items or raise my arm more than a few inches without severe pain. Some days, I can walk and move fairly well, others I can barely stand up. I only tolerate short walking distances. A trip to the grocery store means at least an hour of rest with my legs up before I can do anything else. I can tolerate 10 to 15 minutes of gardening or housework before I feel like I'm going to collapse.
This is not a burden I wish to place upon others, so I hide it most of the time, forcing myself to walk without a limp, smiling when I want to cry, hiding out from my kids for a few minutes here and there to let the tears fall without worrying them.
No one would think anything is wrong with me to look at me. I have been yelled at for using a handicapped parking spot, because the person who saw me get out of the car doesn't know that by the time I return with my purchases, I will need support to get back into the car.
My family initially had a problem with the notion that I need a hip replacement, but as time has passed and they have seen the progression of my disability, they have gotten on board. When I got news that the worst of my hips can be replaced soon, they were happy for me, even though we all know recovery is a protracted process.
Though many people suffer the effects of Hip Dysplasia, it is something that few know about, and even modern medicine has a long way to go in understanding Hip Dysplasia in adults. There are radiologists who don't know how to look for it or how to diagnose it (usually it can be diagnosed from plain x-rays). There are doctors who don't know about the unique challenges it presents to patients. There are physical therapists who don't know proper treatment for it; they may even suggest exercises that increase pain and make it worse. Finding a doctor who can diagnose it and properly treat it can be hit or miss, and many sufferers go through many years of being treated like a hypochondriac before getting the correct diagnosis. The mental toll Hip Dysplasia takes is heavy. Being in severe pain every day of your life for decades and then being told you have to wait for years more before getting the surgery that has the best chance of alleviating that pain is devastating.
June is Hip Dysplasia Awareness Month. Please take the time to learn more, and if you know someone with Hip Dysplasia, be the friend who comes over and helps out unasked. We don't like always asking for help, but it is very appreciated!
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