Injured Reserve

[Jeff Higgins]

Well, dang it, it looks like my hunting season is over before it ever really got started. I've been having periodic, very intense, localized pain in my right hip for almost a year. It's funny, it would sting me, I would shake it off and keep walking, and it wouldn't come back for days sometimes.

Well, late summer / early fall, I wasn't shaking it off so easily anymore. It had reached the point where sometimes I would go a few days unable to put any weight on it, but then it would completely disappear and be fine again. Not anymore - it's here to stay.

Turns out the OEM hip joint has exceeded its service life. I need a new one. It seems early - I'm only 58. My wife tells me it was all those early years of soccer, bicycle racing, backpacking, hunting in some pretty rugged country, and, most of all, 20 some years of extremely heaving squats in the gym. I done wore it out.

The question now, of course, is what to go with. Stock rubber, neatrix, poly bronze (I'm not real keen on the zerk fitting, though). Pros and cons?

[sammyg2]

[WPOZZZ]

Go Elephant Racing. While you're in there, install a zork. lol

[flipper35]

Originally Posted by Jeff Higgins

Well, dang it, it looks like my hunting season is over before it ever really got started. I've been having periodic, very intense, localized pain in my right hip for almost a year. It's funny, it would sting me, I would shake it off and keep walking, and it wouldn't come back for days sometimes.

Well, late summer / early fall, I wasn't shaking it off so easily anymore. It had reached the point where sometimes I would go a few days unable to put any weight on it, but then it would completely disappear and be fine again. Not anymore - it's here to stay.

Turns out the OEM hip joint has exceeded its service life. I need a new one. It seems early - I'm only 58. My wife tells me it was all those early years of soccer, bicycle racing, backpacking, hunting in some pretty rugged country, and, most of all, 20 some years of extremely heaving squats in the gym. I done wore it out.

The question now, of course, is what to go with. Stock rubber, neatrix, poly bronze (I'm not real keen on the zerk fitting, though). Pros and cons?

Dad opted for titanium on both of his. He did lose some flexibility but no more pain.

[Seahawk]

No advice on what hip to get, just do it.

Best thing I ever did - and I was the same age as you, a bit in denial.

I was walking in a day, in home therapy for a week and then off to the races.

[Zeke]

I have a surgery date 1/4/18 for shoulder replacement. I'd trade places with you and pay the difference in a heart beat. Anyway, when asked, he said molybdenum for the joint on the humerus and polyethylene for the glenoid. Doesn't matter if a shoulder is done by the reverse method or the standard. I get a reverse because the rotator cuff is not repairable.

I'm glad I waited so long to do this because the advances in methods and materials are substantial. Jeff, you'll be running marathons before I'll be able to write my name.

[wdfifteen]

I'd go with cast iron and a zerk fitting. You can't beat that combination.
Sure, your wife blames it on bike racing and soccer, but it's probably Trump.
I know a guy* who was interviewed by a TV crew. The reporter asked, "What do you know about climate change?"
"Well, my wife says the weather is different every day, so I suppose it must change."
What is your position on health care?"
"My wife says I should take care of myself, so I stop drinking at midnight and do 5 sit ups every Sunday morning."
"Umm, OK. What do you think about Trump's Iran position?"
"Well my wife says she really likes it, but to be honest, it hurts my hips."

Seriously, everyone I've talked to who has had a joint replaced has said they can't believe they waited so long.

[Jeff Higgins]

Originally Posted by Seahawk

No advice on what hip to get, just do it.

Best thing I ever did - and I was the same age as you, a bit in denial.

I was walking in a day, in home therapy for a week and then off to the races.

That's what I hear, as long as it is done before the damage spreads too far. Right now, mine is confined to a small part of the socket itself. I'm told if it begins to deteriorate outside of that, so some of the support structure needs to be replaced, that it gets a whole lot more serious. As a retired engineer, that certainly makes sense to me. Remove and stop the corrosion before it spreads...

[sammyg2]

[Seahawk]

Originally Posted by Jeff Higgins

That's what I hear, as long as it is done before the damage spreads too far. Right now, mine is confined to a small part of the socket itself. I'm told if it begins to deteriorate outside of that, so some of the support structure needs to be replaced, that it gets a whole lot more serious. As a retired engineer, that certainly makes sense to me. Remove and stop the corrosion before it spreads...

I waited too long and was was referred to the East Coast hip specialist for stubborn men. He was amazed how long I let it go given the damage...they were able to make it work in my case so that is why I have no advice on what hip to get.

Mine was trauma related (accidents/injuries) combined with heavy usage.

I am not a bright man, you are. Get it fixed

[scottmandue]

I'm due for knee replacement (had a tread on here a while)... went through a couple months of denial (pissed my wife off).

Doing some PT and got a brace that has made a huge improvement.

Changed my insurance to the place that has the best knee surgeons, that kicks in January, scheduling the surgery for next year.

[Tobra]

Think of it as a car with tie rods shot on one side. You can limp along and screw up everything, or spring for the new tie rods.

Make sure they check to see if you have a limb length discrepancy afterward, it happens a lot.

[KFC911]

Originally Posted by sammyg2

Might have worked 8 years ago....just like WD40 would have ten years earlier...but this is what happens when you defer maintenance .

Good luck Jeff...

[masraum]

Originally Posted by Tobra

Think of it as a car with tie rods shot on one side. You can limp along and screw up everything, or spring for the new tie rods.

Make sure they check to see if you have a limb length discrepancy afterward, it happens a lot.

If you do, do they just loosen the lock-nut and screw it in/out a few turns?

I hear nikasil is the shizzle!

[pavulon]

Whatever you choose will make P-car repairs look like a bargain.

[Jeff Higgins]

Originally Posted by wdfifteen

I'd go with cast iron and a zerk fitting. You can't beat that combination.
Sure, your wife blames it on bike racing and soccer, but it's probably Trump.
I know a guy* who was interviewed by a TV crew. The reporter asked, "What do you know about climate change?"
"Well, my wife says the weather is different every day, so I suppose it must change."
What is your position on health care?"
"My wife says I should take care of myself, so I stop drinking at midnight and do 5 sit ups every Sunday morning."
"Umm, OK. What do you think about Trump's Iran position?"
"Well my wife says she really likes it, but to be honest, it hurts my hips."

Seriously, everyone I've talked to who has had a joint replaced has said they can't believe they waited so long.

I kinda like the cast iron, steam locomotive approach. Old school. That way I can have one of those sweet oil cans the engineers get to carry.

I've heard the same thing both about retirement and joint replacement - "I can't believe I waited so long". Well, I've got the retirement thing down pat. I think I'm pretty darn good at it, actually. Now for the hip.

Funny, though, this came on so fast. I first noticed a problem last spring. It went form occasional, just shake it out to not being able to put weight on it just that fast. It's actually accelerated rapidly in just the last three weeks. It's like it finally wore through the plating, and it's into the soft material underneath.

[herr_oberst]

Had a new Ti femur with a ceramic hip socket installed July 30 2018. Best thing I ever did. Walking around the block with a cane in a week, running up stairs in 8 weeks, I've been back to cycling to work for over 6 weeks now.

I watched a s#it ton of YouTube videos on it, even watched a video of the procedure.
Do it! (The brand I had installed was a Zimer Biomet)

(I'm 59, and I wish I would have done it 2 or three years ago. Kaiser had me doing cortisone and PT that wasn't working. My surgeon said he was mystified that I could even walk, with the damage he saw. I guess I'm a sucker for chronic pain.)

(Tip: Try and keep some semblance of an erection when they're taking x-rays. There is nothing left to the imagination when the doc and his nurse and your significant other are looking at the pictures, so you might as well go ahead and show off a little!)

[Jeff Higgins]

I have a question for the doctors among us. Are the OEM components surface hardened or through hardened? In my trade, we would typically specify a surface hardening steel for a joint like this, rather than through hardening. The idea is to make the wear surface as hard as possible, while keeping the main body of the components softer and more malleable. This allows the joint to better withstand impact loads without shattering, as through hardened materials might.

I assume the guy who designed this joint is a better engineer than I ever was, and took these factors under consideration before releasing his design for fabrication. Or at least maybe the checker caught it...

[pavulon]

Originally Posted by Jeff Higgins

I have a question for the doctors among us. Are the OEM components surface hardened or through hardened? In my trade, we would typically specify a surface hardening steel for a joint like this, rather than through hardening. The idea is to make the wear surface as hard as possible, while keeping the main body of the components softer and more malleable. This allows the joint to better withstand impact loads without shattering, as through hardened materials might.

I assume the guy who designed this joint is a better engineer than I ever was, and took these factors under consideration before releasing his design for fabrication. Or at least maybe the checker caught it...

You’re going to shatter femur and acetabulum before a hip implant.

In my experience, ortho surgeons put in a single manufacturer’s product. So, if you think you want a certain company’s implant, I’d try to get through to the local rep for it and ask them for surgeon recommendations as they see lots of different surgeons using their stuff. Having said that, the vast majority of people pick a surgeon and accept whatever they use.

[Tobra]

Originally Posted by masraum

If you do, do they just loosen the lock-nut and screw it in/out a few turns?

I hear nikasil is the shizzle!

Depending on the insurance, sure. Alternatively you put a heel lift in the shoe.

I would probably not watch videos of a procedure I am going to get, maybe after.