Feeling Normal!

I've had a big 3 days. Detroit is hosting the Final Four tourney this weekend, and I just had to go downtown and check it out! I wore a really cute pair of boots with a heel and walked for miles around the city. This is a big deal why? Because I haven't worn heels in over a year. And to walk from Joe Louis, to Ford Field, to Greektown in heels without an inkling of hip pain is a major deal to me.

And then this morning I taught my first water class since July. So aside from jumping and running, I'm back in the full swing of things. Screws come out May 15th!

Back to Work

Looks like I will be back on the fitness schedule starting in April! I'm going to start teaching water class. That will work out perfectly, as I won't feel like I'm over doing it by picking up all sorts of strength classes in the studios. Plus come summer time we teach outdoors, which is awesome at nine in the morning.

Scoped Celebrities

Now that the most famous baseball player of this generation (A-Rod) has undergone the hip scope, I was curious to know what other famous people are included in this select group. Come to find out, there's a lot!

According to www.drjonhyman.com, famous hip arthroscopy patients include: singer Barry Manilow and Professional athletes like golfer Greg Norman, hockey player Mario Lemieux, skater Tara Lipinski, and football player Priest Holmes. Several NBA Basketball players have had hip arthroscopy in recent years, including Theo Ratliffe w/the Atlanta Hawks(2002), Sam Cassell, Joe and Josh Shipp, and Troy Hudson (2008.) Others include figure skater MIchelle Kwan and goalie for the Anaheim Ducks, Jean-Sebastien Giguere.

According to www.newsday.com, Alex Rodriguz's surgeon, Mark Philippon, removed a "pincer" impingement, stabilized cartilage, repaired the labrum tear and debrided the lining of the cyst. It's also reported that Rodriguez will need a second operation after the season to take care of a "cam" impingement in the hip--this surgery will be much more major and keep him sidelined longer. This Sports Illustrated article sums things up nicely: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/david_epstein/03/08/arod.hip/index.html

Not that I would wish this surgery on anyone, but after having two hips scopes done last year on the same hip (due to a re-tear 6 weeks after scope #1 which finally resulted in a PAO), it's kind of nice to have someone draw attention to this problem so people have a better idea of what I'm talking about.

Temporary Reprieve from Kickboxing Retirement

One of the gyms that I teach at was in desperate need of a kickboxing sub, and after mulling it over for a few hours I committed to teaching it. Was this a good idea? Would I be able to do it? Could I teach without jumping around? Would I pay dearly for it? It's been 13 months since I taught kickboxing. Heck, it's been 13 months since I taught anything in-studio. But I wanted to do it just to prove to myself that I could. I was a little nervous, hoping people would understand why I was modifying my moves and hoping they would still make the most out of their workout. So often participants follow EXACTLY what the instructor does. I mean to the point if I stopped to tie my shoe, they would, too--LOL.

It was awesome how everything came back to me. There were a couple times I found myself wanting to jump and go with the adrenaline rush, but my mind & body were very much aware that jumping around isn't in my best interest. I did however surprise myself with the ease and height of my kicks at times. It just felt natural.

It was good to see some of my former participants. Some have been with me since 2002! I had a great time, I felt great, and I couldn't believe how fast the hour went. I sure hope everyone enjoyed it! They gave me a little round of applause at the end, that made me feel really good. So even though I won't be taking over any kickboxing class, I can sneak a couple classes in a year and get my fix that way!

What's Up Good Hip?

Since when do I have a cranky good hip?! The last couple weeks it's been aggravated. I thought it was from over compensating, or tweaking my back a bit, or maybe the ligaments are irritated from the elliptical? But I really think I've been in denial that something more is going on. It hurts deep in the buttocks, and that is not a good sign. It hurts so bad today that I'm considering bringing out the crutches to take some weight off of it. I am not going through all this again, please let this be temporary. I have to get on with my lift! Ugh.

PAO Video

I was reading another fellow PAO patient's blog and stumbled upon this video of a PAO surgery. Although it wasn't that graphic, I'm glad I didn't watch it before hand. I just don't have a stomach for blood and hammering and bone sawing noises. None-the-less, I think it's worth posting. I'm still very jealous of all the people that got to use a walker, I think it would have made life so much easier than the dang crutches right after surgey. Yes, I'm still holding a grudge about that!

6 Month Check Up

January 19th was my official 6 month post-PAO date, and today was my 6 month follow-up appointment. Things went well. I told him I feel about 75% but have no regrets on having the surgery. As of late I have been having some weird pains when I pivot my foot (like when I step away from a counter), and there has been a couple occasions where I go to stand up and walk only to feel something that stops me in my tracks. It's almost like it wants to stick or lock but then works its way out. He said these things usually work their way out, but he also thinks my gluteus maximus tendon is irritated, possibly from the elliptical. But mostly I say I'm 75% because there is no way I could jump around or run right now, if ever. My son darted off in a parking lot recently and it took everything I had to chase him down. Let me tell ya, there was nothing graceful about my running style. It's like a step-hop-step-hop, and I look ridiculous!

We also discussed screw removal. At last visit he mentioned I could do it under local anesthetic, and remain awake. This time he said he would advise against local and just go for the general. I guess he recently removed screws using local from a double PAO patient who he described her personality as "hard as nails", and she was in extreme pain (she described it as way worse than natural child birth.) Yeah, last thing I want is to be pinned down screaming my head off with the doc standing over me with a drill. I wouldn't want to rattle him while he works, I think I'll take the general. Good news is that it's a quick procedure and only a small incision.

I am also gearing up to return to teaching fitness this Spring. I've started attending some classes to prep my body, but the truth is that you work so much harder as an instructor, so no matter what I'm gonna be sore after I start teaching again. Oh well, it will be a good and welcome kind of soreness.