Newbie saying G'day and after some advice/others experiences!

BTRAIN2

Hi guys,

Firstly, thank you to this forum, as reading some stories and experiences has given me some most needed information and inspirations!

Without rambling on, and sorry if I do, my basic story is that I'm an active 38 year old (running mostly) with two young sons (running after them too!), who just recently had an MRI scan diagnosing some arthritis in my right hip, chondral thinning and focal areas of full loss, a labral tear and a cam deformity to my femur, also with Synovitis and high levels of irritation to the tissues around the joint.

Put chronologically and starting maybe five years ago, my experience has been pain to lateral side of right knee (more when sitting low car or for a long time), which in the last two years has become an irritated hip joint, which led me to one day have a light bulb moment realising that my knee pain wasn't knee pain, it was all related to the hip! I suspected hip impingement and labral tear in the last six months, but continued running 30 or so KMs a week. Obviously, I am still active.

When I received my MRI results, I was really shocked to see the word "arthritis" at my age. I will be seeing an orthopedic surgeon in the near future (a very good one apparently), and I am pondering my future running and activity levels. Currently, I am still very strong in the hips and have no issues standing on the effected side with one leg, and doing squats with a 15kg weight etc. I have rested the last two weeks and not run since the results, and I have noticed marked improvement, and I'm thinking it could still keep getting better.

Wondering if anyone has any advice regarding running particularly with consideration to my recent improvement. I'm tipping I may need an arthroscopy to rectify the CAM impingement perhaps. I don't think I'm at the stage of hip replacement!

THANKS TO ANYONE IN ADVANCE! Cheers, B

Poppyjane

Welcome @BTRAIN2 to the online community,

It is a shock at any age to be given a diagnosis of arthritis and I can appreciate that for someone of your age and activity level it is very concerning. You are strong, fit and very active with a young family and this all needs to be given some time to accommodate to any future adjustments.

There are numbers of members who are and who have been runners and if you go to the search symbol and write in running you can read a few of their conversations

I attach some links which I hope will be helpful. The first is a title page which will direct you to multiple places of interest and the second is more geared towards starting out as a runner and fundraising .

https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/exercising-with-arthritis/

https://www.versusarthritis.org/news/2024/january/running-with-arthritis-physiotherapists-tips-on-running-and-avoiding-injury/

I hope you get a response from some of our runners with their personal tips and experiences. One tip that is often useful when waiting for a consultants appointment is to make a note of your progress i.e. amount of exercise, levels of pain, response to medication etc which can lead you to be thinking of some proactive questions for your discussion.

Do let us know how you get on.

Take care

Poppyjane

BTRAIN2

https://community.versusarthritis.org/discussion/comment/729298#Comment_729298

Thank you so much for reading and for the advice. Much appreciated! It is a little doom and gloom getting the diagnosis, yes the running but more so knowing the activity level I endure with just my children. It is scary to think that I’ll have to live with the pain as I deteriorate.

I’m listening to my body very carefully and hoping my appointment is positive.

Thanks again!