Liz went to see her doctor, and images of her hip showed the joint was worn out, according to Liz. She was told she’d need hip replacement surgery.

“I had no idea. It was a complete shock,” Liz said.

Less than a week later, Liz’s husband wheeled her into Norton Brownsboro Hospital for hip replacement surgery.

“When he was pushing me in the wheelchair, he didn’t know if that was going to be the new normal,” Liz said.

Surgery at 2 p.m. and home the same day

Kevin J. Himschoot, M.D., orthopedic surgeon with Norton Orthopedic Institute, performed the surgery. The incision was made on the front of Liz’s pelvis rather than the back. That way, less muscle is spared while accessing the joint, making for a faster recovery.

“He was very kind. He really listened to what was happening with me. He was sympathetic to my problem. He knew I was struggling, and he was very reassuring,” Liz said.

The surgery was at 2 p.m., and Liz went home from the hospital later that day. Before she left, a physical therapist worked with her at the hospital to make sure she’d be able to make it up the steps into her home. She used a walker to get around the house, but didn’t need it anymore after a few days.

After the surgery, a physical therapist came to Liz’s house to work with her. Her hip joint and the muscles around it were weak after surgery. The day after surgery, for example, Liz struggled to lie on her back, lift her left leg and move it to the side.

Working with the physical therapist, she was able to strengthen the muscles around her hip bit by bit.

“For the surgery to be successful, you have to be truly committed to physical therapy,” Liz said.

Back to hiking and checking the national parks off her bucket list

Before the surgery, Dr. Himschoot asked Liz about her goals for the hip replacement surgery. She said she wanted to keep up with her grandchildren, and she has been doing just that. On a recent fall day, Liz was jumping in the leaves with her 5-year-old grandson. She is also back to attending Jazzercise classes every day.

“I can do pretty much anything I want. I have no restrictions,” Liz said.

She tells everyone she knows not to put off hip replacement surgery due to fears.

“It’s life-changing. You’re up and walking around that day,” she said.

She’s gotten back out into nature, which she loves — fly fishing in Alaska and hiking at a state park in Texas.

Now that she is active again, Liz plans to resume her quest to hike in every national park. She’s been to half of them, and she and her husband are looking at national parks in North and South Dakota for next summer.

The post At 66, Liz wasn’t going to let a worn-out hip set her back appeared first on Norton Healthcare.

The hip dislocation experienced by Tua happened in the Nov. 14 game against Mississippi State.

“While this type of injury can occur in football, we fortunately don’t see it often,” said Chad Smith, M.D., head team physician for University of Louisville football and orthopedic surgeon with Norton Sports Health and Norton Orthopedic Institute. “If the injury does occur, speeding the athlete to immediate treatment to prevent further damage is essential.”

Hip Dislocation

The hip joint is the intersection between the ball of the femoral head at the top of the thigh bone and the socket in the pelvis. In a dislocation, the femoral head dislodges and either pushes backwards or, less commonly, moves forward to the front.

Hip dislocations not only are extremely painful, they are medical emergencies that require immediate treatment.

Patients typically are unable to move the leg. The dislocation itself can damage surrounding nerves, ligaments, muscles and tissues. In some instances, blood flow to the femoral head may be disrupted and can result in bone death.

Diagnosis: Often the hip will appear visibly deformed with the leg shortened and hip flexed. Medical staff will perform imaging tests such as an X-ray, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), or computed tomography (CT) scan to diagnose the injury. These tests also help detect any damage, such as a fracture, caused by the dislocation.

Treatment: Sometimes a physician can manually put the femoral head back into the socket while the patient is sedated. The procedure — called a reduction — was performed on Tua at the stadium shortly after his injury.

Recovery: Recovering patients are advised to refrain from hip motion and bearing weight on the leg for several weeks to prevent dislocation from recurring. Sometimes up to two to three months is required for healing, as the joint is still fragile. Physical therapy can help with a faster and more complete recovery.

Hip Fracture

Dislocation of a hip can be accompanied by a fracture to the back of the hip socket. The femoral head is forced back, causing a break in the back wall of the pelvis — one of the most common types of fractures in a high-energy hip injury.

When the socket (or acetabulum) itself has been fractured, plates and screws may be used to repair the break and provide stability.

Hip fractures are extremely common as a result of falls in elderly people due to osteoporosis, a weakening of the bones with age. Bones that have been severely weakened by this process can fracture from merely rotating the leg. Like dislocations, fractures also can occur from trauma sustained in automobile accidents and contact sports. These types of high-energy hip fractures are more common in younger patients, while low-energy fractures from ground-level falls are more common in older patients.

Patients who experience hip fractures typically feel sharp pain in the outer, upper thigh, or sometimes in the groin. As with hip dislocations, patients typically are unable to put weight on the injured leg. It is also possible that the affected leg may appear shorter in length. These injuries also threaten surrounding muscles, ligaments, nerves and tissues.

Diagnosis: The process for diagnosis is similar to that of a dislocation. Abnormal positioning of the hip may be visible. Imaging tests will be performed to diagnose the injury including X-rays, MRIs, or CT scans.

Treatment: Hip fractures will require surgery most of the time. Metal rods and occasionally screws are used to hold the bone in place as it heals. Quite often, part or all of the hip may need to be replaced in a procedure called an arthroplasty. The need for hip replacements is common among elderly patients who fracture the femoral neck just below the ball at the hip joint. Patients with minor fractures or who are unable to receive anesthesia may be treated without surgery.

Recovery: Most patients are encouraged to get up and on their feet on the first day after surgery. Quickly beginning physical therapy can speed recovery by working on strength and range of motion. Regaining full, unassisted mobility may take many months. The use of a walker, followed by a cane, is typically required until full strength is regained.

The post The difference between a hip dislocation like Tua Tagovailoa’s and a fracture appeared first on Norton Healthcare.

While hip pointers can be rather painful, the good news is that they generally do not require significant medical treatment. Rest and caution are enough for a full recovery in the majority of cases.

Symptoms include bruising; swelling and tenderness of the hip; limited range of motion; and lack of strength in the tender area. Pain is also common and may be severe, depending on the depth of bruising. Symptoms typically are intensified by physical activity.

You should see a physician to make sure the injury isn’t more serious. Rest, ice, and compression to the hip as soon as possible are recommended.

“Recovery time from a hip pointer is between one to three weeks,” said Chad Smith, M.D., orthopedic surgeon with Norton Orthopedic Institute and sports medicine physician with Norton Sports Health. “You’ll want to stay off your feet and use crutches to get around to allow the injury to heal and speed recovery time.”

According to Dr. Smith, who is the head team physician for University of Louisville football, if pain lingers longer than a couple of weeks, check back with a physician to ensure that the condition has not worsened. Athletes should not return to competition while there is pain.

Many athletes make the mistake of trying to play through the pain, which only hurts them in the long run. Once the athlete fully recovers, using additional padding for the hip is recommended to avoid re-injury.

Rest is important to reduce swelling and bruising. Anti-inflammatory and pain medications may be helpful, and gentle stretching is often effective in reducing stiffness and regaining mobility.

The post Hip pointer injury: What it is and what to do appeared first on Norton Healthcare.