My pain started around 2010.
I had a limited hip range of motion (ROM) for as long as I can remember, but things started getting worse around then. Having a limited range of motion and hip pain is far from ideal as an aspiring professional hockey player. Every season, I lost a few degrees of ROM and my pain increased. At first, the pain was only while I was on the ice really pushing it and for a couple of hours after. By the end of my last season in 2015, I was in pain 24/7. Being on the ice 6 days per week never gave me the chance to recover. The prescribed stretching exercises only aggravated the situation given that my hips were so inflamed and irritated. The only things that seemed to work were things like yin yoga and relaxation. I never took pain medication for some reason even though I would limp around from the pain. I would also have to lean forward when walking to limit the strain on the hip flexors.
Of course, this severely impacted my ability to perform on the ice. Skating was always my number one asset as a hockey player. Without being able to utilize my speed, I quickly became an average player. I decided to quit my childhood dream of being a hockey player at 18 years old. There are many reasons why I quit at that moment (article to come), but my hip injury was a primary factor.
I was determined to “fix” my hips when I quit hockey. I was diagnosed with femoroacetabular impingement FAI in 2016, and was offered the surgery but decided to not go through with it. I wanted to try the non-surgical options first.
After quitting hockey, my pain decreased to the point where I could enjoy life again. I was debilitated by pain after playing hockey or any intense exercise. Sitting for prolonged periods caused issues. Walking uphill or for long distances was difficult. My pain was better, but my function didn’t improve much. My range of motion made it impossible to get through beginner-level yoga classes without having to modify or skip at least a quarter of the poses. Pigeon pose; forget it.
That’s still where I’m at today in 2023. I’ve worked with many chiropractors and physiotherapists for extended periods of time with little to show for it. I started working with a physio in 2022 now that I have benefits as a high school teacher. After 8 months, my ROM is slightly better, and it takes a bit more for the pain to come back. Extreme exercise or inflammatory events such as alcohol, lack of sleep, and eating junk food still cause pain. Playing in a men’s league hockey tournament is the perfect storm for hip pain to come back in full force.
I’m able to do 90-95% of the activities I would like to take part in without significant pain. I played hockey every 10 days this year. I’d be in pain for a day or 2 after, but it was manageable. I’m able to bike to work daily if I don’t push the pace. Running long distances still causes pain. Going for long hikes triggers symptoms.
Working with some practitioners worsened my symptoms. Overall, though, the physio route had small but significant effects. If I had to guess based on the last 8 years since I quit hockey, the non-surgical approach probably improved my function by 5 to 20%. These effects did vanish when I stopped doing the exercises, though.
I’m scheduled to get hip arthroscopy surgery in June 2023.
There are a couple of questions I asked myself when deciding whether to get the surgery or not.
Am I ok to live the rest of my life without doing extreme physical activities?
The answer is not yet. I haven’t tried everything. Surgery seems like the logical next step. It is very likely to result in increased ROM and increased function if I take the rehab seriously.
Will I need to get the surgery down the road?
I think the answer to this is yes, based on the doctors and people who have the condition. Everyone seems to agree that getting it done while I’m young is the move. It may limit the likelihood of other associated conditions, such as osteoarthritis.
I’m excited to finally pull the trigger on surgery. I’m planning to post updates on my rehab and results.