Hip replacement

Had Hip replAcement or resurfacing? CLIMBING, BACKCOUNTY SKIING, BACKPAKING AFTER?

I had a Birmingham hip about 12 years ago. I do all of the above. Not at a very high level, but that isn’t the fault of the hip. 

One of the regulars in my local gym has had both hips done and still climbs 3-4x per week, and takes climbing trips all the time.  I think he is 62 years young.

I worked in a physical therapy environment for a few years. Not as a P/T, but as an assistant and a personal trainer. We saw a fair number of people there who had hip replacements. Most of them had been living with some pain for a while. Nearly every one wished they hadn't waited so long. These were largely athletic people, cyclists, skiers, swimmers, paddlers, etc. I only remember seeing one climber, but sadly he was also dealing with earlier stages of Parkinson's.

Does Ron Gomez ever show up here? He knows as much about this as anyone, both as a therapist and through personal experience.

He's on FB, Ron Gomez USMC Wounded Warrior Regiment.

I had a total hip replacement three months ago. So far, I've only done a little hiking and top-rope climbing. Full recovery may take 6-12 months. I've heard about a lot of climbers who climbed after a THR. 

Also had the Birmingham hip almost 12 years ago. Was not climbing at the time, but did a lot of surfing, wakeboarding and kiteboarding.  Got back to all of those in 3-6 months, and full strength by 12 months. Started climbing about that time and never had any issues, other than avoiding big drop knees on that side. Agree with jsanders, my limitations are not the hip!

Had left hip totally replaced. Climbing, skiing ... no problem if you’re religious about strengthening your hip prior to surgery and doing your PT afterwards. Did mine as outpatient surgery. They’ve got it dialed these days. 

Get a resurfacing....preferably with Dr.  Thomas Gross out of Columbia SC.  PM me and I will share my awesome experience over the phone if need be.   Have sent my hardest boulders (V9) and routes (13b) after the surgery.  Don't get a replacement until you explore the resurfacing.  You can always go from a resurface to a total, but you can't go the other way.  

My dad had one done last year, rode a double century within three months and was back to climbing/serious Backcountry hiking in the N. Cascades within 9 months.  Do your PT and you will be just fine.

Steve Levin wrote:

Women can have poor outcomes with current hip resurfacing technology. Research this well if considering a resurface!

Anyone can have a poor outcome with a bad surgeon.  Research the surgeon when considering surgery.  

Steve Levin wrote:

Very true. However surgical expertise is not the issue with many poor outcomes in women.

One of the leading hip-resurfacing surgeons in Colorado, who has performed over a thousand procedures since 2007, starting seeing a high incidence of complications in women with The Birmingham device (a metal-on-metal prothesis) beginning in 2011. Many of these complications required the need for revision surgery. Although I am no expert, my understanding is that women do not tolerate metal ion shedding as well as men. He stopped performing the procedure on women in 2011.

Resurfacing offers distinct advantages in younger patients, but it is not for everyone. There is now ceramic resurfacing technology undergoing clinical trials in Britain, and this may solve some of these issues.

As a patient, knowledge is power. The OP would do well to continue researching. I would encourage her to not base her decisions on advice from a Mountain Project forum.

I'm glad you had a great outcome with your resurfacing.   

If you do your research, surgical accuracy is the primary reason.  It is not the metal shavings, it is the cup size and alignment that leads to that.  Yes, Dr. Rector has done hundreds on the front range, and refused to do mine because it was too bad for his expertise.  That is why I went to the best, Dr. Gross.  Look up his failure rates, and it is identical between men and women.