Hip Replacement?

[big jake]

Anyone ever called after a hip replacement. My doc to me that I needed one and that I would not be able to ref after I had this done. I remember Bo Jackson played baseball after he had one. Any info would be appreciated. I had some problems this year on the court with pain and need to get something done.

[ref2coach]

Originally Posted by big jake

Anyone ever called after a hip replacement. My doc to me that I needed one and that I would not be able to ref after I had this done. I remember Bo Jackson played baseball after he had one. Any info would be appreciated. I had some problems this year on the court with pain and need to get something done.

Hey Jake,
Yes, I had a hip replacement the first week of May 2007. From your post I take it that your Dr. has already offered Total Hip Replacement, (THR) as an option. Please go online a do some research on the Birmingham Hip Resurfacing (BHR). The BHR is specifically for people who have a healthy femoral neck but worn out ball and socket. The BHR allows for return to full athletic activity without concern regarding the "service life" of the prosthetic joint unlike the THR.

I referee HS Basketball and Soccer at the College, HS and USSF levels. The BHR is the best feeling joint in my entire body.

Here is a place to start your research. Surface Hippy a Patient to Patient Guide To Hip Resurfacing

[CMHCoachNRef]

Originally Posted by big jake

Anyone ever called after a hip replacement. My doc to me that I needed one and that I would not be able to ref after I had this done. I remember Bo Jackson played baseball after he had one. Any info would be appreciated. I had some problems this year on the court with pain and need to get something done.

Jake,
I know of no less than three fellow officials who have had partial hip replacements. Two are still officiating and one just had his surgery this week, BUT he already called one of my partners asking him for available dates so that they can work together next season.

[big jake]

What is a partial replacement???

[ref2coach]

Originally Posted by big jake

What is a partial replacement???

BHR is one of the major brands of "partial" hip replacement. You get a new ball and socket with out the large metal stake wedged down into the thigh bone. The stake becoming loose over time is exacerbated by high impact activities. That is why BHR is superior to THR for healthy individuals who want to continue athletic activities.

[Fathertime]

Big Jake, Ref2coach has given you great advice. Floyd Landis had this same procedure and has returned back to cycling, though the steroids charges have halted his competing.

I am in medical sales and used to sell hips and knees. Another hip resurfacing implant you should look into is the Conserve Plus from Wright Medical. The reason the Birmingham hip is so well known is that it was first to get FDA approval even though the Conserve Plus and others have been around longer and have had great results in Europe for many years prior. Wright has long had approval for the resurfacing portion of the implant, but the cup was not approved to be used with it. Many docs have used it without the cup. The FDA has since approved this and it is now available.

The advantage of the Wright Medical hip is if they use a cup in the acetabulum (hip socket) and that is an option for the doctor to use or not use one, it will also fit the femoral component of a total hip if and when you have to be revised down the road. You can leave this cup in and replace only the hip stem and head at a later date. The cup is made to integrate with the bone in your hip and is very difficult to remove and you will also lose much needed bone. Unless they have changed it in the last year, the Birmingham cup's specs are different from their total hip cups and does not match their total hip's femoral head and must be removed for a revision. A few years ago, Wright also introduced A Class metal, which greatly reduced the metal on metal wear that takes place.

I used to sell Wright's products, but am now selling in a different medical field, so I have nothing to gain from this. I just know that their technology is excellent for both knees and hips.

One thing to remember, and this is something only you can decide. I don't know your age, but the more impact you put on this hip, the more it will wear. They are not made to last forever. Metal on metal technology gives it a longer life than the traditional metal on plastic, but there is still some wear. This increases the likelihood of a revision and shortens the life of this implant.

Having said that, these aren't made so people just sit on their butts afterward either.

Either way, you should be pain free. I wish you the best.

[jearef]

Originally Posted by big jake

Anyone ever called after a hip replacement. My doc to me that I needed one and that I would not be able to ref after I had this done. I remember Bo Jackson played baseball after he had one. Any info would be appreciated. I had some problems this year on the court with pain and need to get something done.

I'm calling Bullcrap on your doc. I had a total hip replacement in April of 2008. I officiated the entire 2008-09 and 2009-2010 seasons, and I ain't retiring anytime soon.

As other posters have suggested, there are multiple options available to you. Resurfacing, partial, total, etc. You need to educate yourself before you rush into things. My email is jearef@aol.com; feel free to drop me a note with any questions you may have.

And if you live anywhere in the vicinity of Ohio, I have the name of a doctor you should go talk to. When I had my first appointment with him, I told him that I wasn't going to have this done if it meant I had to quit officiating. His reply: "No problem. I have patients who still run marathons." He talked to me for an hour, and then told me to go home and think before I did anything. My joint is a Zimmer, by the way. Check out their website; be sure you look into "minimally invasive" procedures. I have two scars, each about 3 inches long. My surgery was over at 4:00 on Thursday; I was on my way home by 10:00 Friday morning.

Let me know if I can help with any further info.

[big jake]

Thanks, I live in the Nashville area and am still in the info stage. Lot of things to consider!!! will stay in touch!

[Judtech]

Big Jake - The moral to this story is make sure when you have something this big done to get at LEAST a second opinion. Not all MD's are up on all the 'latest' procedures. I would recommend going to the nearest teaching hospitial for another look see.
This has paid dividends in our family. Where I live they told my wife the only thing they could do was a knee replacement, two hours away at a teaching hospital, they offered 8 other solutions BEFORE they would go with knee replacement.
FWIW

[Rita C]

Originally Posted by big jake

Anyone ever called after a hip replacement. My doc to me that I needed one and that I would not be able to ref after I had this done. I remember Bo Jackson played baseball after he had one. Any info would be appreciated. I had some problems this year on the court with pain and need to get something done.

From the other posts he is way behind. There may be more than one reason to get a second opinion.

Mark Cuban was in Dancing with the Stars with a recent hip replacement. Dancing would be even tougher on the replacement I would think.

Rita

[runonmt]

Jake, I had total hip replacements in 2005 and 2007 (was not a candidate for resurfacing which, in my opinion, is the best option if you can do it). Have continued officiating with a full high school schedule during the regular season without any pain and no other issues. My surgeon had no problems with me continuing except to advise the impact would cause them to wear out sooner then they would otherwise - how much sooner is anyones guess. I wouldn't have gotten them done if it meant discontinuing officiating (and skiing). My quality of life (pain relief and mobility) has improved dramatically as a result.

The new materials used in replacements have a much longer life but continuing high impact activities will wear them out quicker. It's your decision on how much you want to avoid the things that cause greater wear - I chose to continue with those things that are not high risk for dislocation or damage (PLAYING basketball is a whole 'nother story). Do research, get more then one opinion and find the best Doc available. (BTW, I was 52 and 55 when I had mine done.) Good Luck!

[jearef]

Jake:

A couple of guys have suggested that you go with resurfacing over replacement. I did a lot of research into resurfacing before I made my decision, and I concluded that it wasn't for me. Very few facilities do resurfacing in the first place; the rehabilitation time is significantly longer; some insurance plans won't cover the significant cost; and the bone structure that is left after the resurfacing can be substantially weaker (due to having bone shaved off in the resurfacing process). As others have said, you simply need to do your research.

By the way, your "handle" is one of my favorite movies. I presume you've seen it.

"Who are you, anyway?"

"Jacob McCandles"

"I thought you was dead."

"Not hardly."

One of the Duke's all-time best.

[Lawrence.Dorsey]

I am a baseball umpire and saw this thread. I am looking at a hip replacement one day (and it might be in the next year or so) as a result of avascular necrosis when I was a teenager. I gave up jogging and basketball in an effort to "save" my hip, running on grass was deemed OK by my orthopedist. I have been investigating resurfacing for about a year. I have had one in person consult and three via emailing my history and x-rays to the top resurfacing docs in the world. So far it looks like I am candidate and I just need to decide when. I would go to Surface Hippy a Patient to Patient Guide To Hip Resurfacing and look at the information on that site. I am not against total hips but I have to believe that preserving as much bone as possible is a good thing which is the aim of resurfacing.

Lawrence

[jearef]

Originally Posted by Lawrence.Dorsey

I am a baseball umpire and saw this thread. I am looking at a hip replacement one day (and it might be in the next year or so) as a result of avascular necrosis when I was a teenager. I gave up jogging and basketball in an effort to "save" my hip, running on grass was deemed OK by my orthopedist. I have been investigating resurfacing for about a year. I have had one in person consult and three via emailing my history and x-rays to the top resurfacing docs in the world. So far it looks like I am candidate and I just need to decide when. I would go to Surface Hippy a Patient to Patient Guide To Hip Resurfacing and look at the information on that site. I am not against total hips but I have to believe that preserving as much bone as possible is a good thing which is the aim of resurfacing.

Lawrence

Guess that depends upon how much bone is actually preserved. If what is left is going to be substantially weaker than a prosthesis, then the decision isn't quite as clear. I agree that the more info available, the more informed the decision will ultimately be.