I'm a 30-year-old male. Outside of god, and my family I have only one true passion - distance running. For the past six years, I have had an occassional episode of pain in my right hip. It would ache a few days, regardless of my training schedule or pace. I would ignore it, run through it, and eventually it would go-away in a few days to a week. This past September it started another episode that was easily the worst I had experienced. By the middle of October, it had not gone away and, in fact, had worsened to the point it was effecting my running schedule and I began walking some days with a limp from the pain. I saw an ortho at the end of November. He x-rayed and discovered I have very little cartilage in my right hip joint. He's not sure how it happened as I am active, lean, and with no history of trauma to that or any other joint. He recommended I stop running, which of course devastated me. But since then, I have complied and now the pain has diminished except when I move in certain directions.
Stopping running effects every aspect of my life. In only 6-8 weeks, my stress-level has increased 10-fold and I seem to be easily irratable. I have gained ten pounds. I am beginning to feel sluggish, unmotivated and just don't have the energy I used to. I am scared because it hasn't quite been two months. What will I be like in two years?
I have many questions for those who would like to respond. Is pain the worst I have to fear by continuing to run? Or would I be accelerating a hip replacement? What about glucosamine sulfate for cartilage regeneration? Would it be for me, or would you think I am too far gone for it to help? If nothing else, might it slow the deterioration? Running might be bad on my hip, but a large weight gain can't be much better. If all hope is lost, are there any exercises that could be recommended that provide the same cardio benefits as running but don't impact the hips (for me swimming year round is not an option)?
Thanks to all in advance that would like to reply.
Hi!
I am in my twenties and was a distance runner until I broke my hip two years ago. I am also diagnosed with arthritis and have very little cartalige inmy right hip. My docs also told me not to run anymore, because it would wear down the cartalige too much, and I might have to get a hip replacement at thirty. Very scary, hip replacement. I totally understand how much it hurts to quit running. I run every once and awhile, with no pain. My hip usually hurtd when it's cold, or I've walked alot or out of nowhere. I feel like I could run daily without any problem, but I know it's not healthy for my joints. To answer your questions, it will defintly accerlerate the deteriation of your cartalige if you run regularly. It sucks. But, you can help it by taking glucosamine. I think if you are careful and dedicated, you can have a healthy hip and run as often. Docs don't think so, but maybe they're wrong. Good luck to you!
I was a middle distance runner for many years. During training for my first marathon, I herniated a disc. I was in pain for about 9 months (no running) and finally had corrective surgery. After PT, I began running again but it was painful. The injury had caused arthritis to set in. I started taking glucosomine/Chondroitin daily. I can't speak for anyone else but it worked for me. I have subsequently stopped taking it as it contains shellfish - which, it turns out, I am allergic. I am considering starting Arthro 7.
I still run three days a week and do the Nordic Track three days. I don't run in the cold and I take Advil before and after. No real runner wants to hear those words "you can't run". As a marathoner, you have trained yourself to never give up - it is worth a try. Maybe try cross training again until the G/C kicks in.
Thank you Mochi, SuzanneP, and Sparkle for responding. I am an ex-baseball player, all the way through college. When I was no longer able to compete in baseball, I found running as a great escape for my internally competitive nature. As baseball was my identity for the first part of my life, so has running become my identity in the past eight years or so.
I feel God has put the drive and motivation to physically excel in so few of us. I am one of those few who is willing to do what it takes or more to achieve in physically demanding activities. And a great amount of shock goes with being told it is not good for me to continue it. I guess I am feeling sorry for myself for bodily limitations that I had never considered when I started this life-style changing commitment. As recently as September, I have wondered what will my 10K time be when I am 50 or 60.
I have started working with a host of supplements, with the core of it being glucosamine condroitin. I hope to at least be able to jog for extended periods of time in the future without great risk to further damage. But it is now almost mid-January and I still have pain in my right hip when I do any activity that tends to aggrivate it.
I own a treadmill, but not a bicycle. Do you think the impact on the hip would be less (worth a try?)? I am willing to try any exercise that gives me a solid work-out, without too much aggrivation to the hip joint. Bike, boxing, rowing? Although it is mostly in the female gender of my family, there is a history of obesity that I have always been aware of and concerned with.
Sparkle - I have never raced distance in Louisville. Had planned on doing the Music City in Nashville this spring.
I'm a 30-year-old male. Outside of god, and my family I have only one true passion - distance running. For the past six years, I have had an occassional episode of pain in my right hip. It would ache a few days, regardless of my training schedule or pace. I would ignore it, run through it, and eventually it would go-away in a few days to a week. This past September it started another episode that was easily the worst I had experienced. By the middle of October, it had not gone away and, in fact, had worsened to the point it was effecting my running schedule and I began walking some days with a limp from the pain. I saw an ortho at the end of November. He x-rayed and discovered I have very little cartilage in my right hip joint. He's not sure how it happened as I am active, lean, and with no history of trauma to that or any other joint. He recommended I stop running, which of course devastated me. But since then, I have complied and now the pain has diminished except when I move in certain directions.
Stopping running effects every aspect of my life. In only 6-8 weeks, my stress-level has increased 10-fold and I seem to be easily irratable. I have gained ten pounds. I am beginning to feel sluggish, unmotivated and just don't have the energy I used to. I am scared because it hasn't quite been two months. What will I be like in two years?
I have many questions for those who would like to respond. Is pain the worst I have to fear by continuing to run? Or would I be accelerating a hip replacement? What about glucosamine sulfate for cartilage regeneration? Would it be for me, or would you think I am too far gone for it to help? If nothing else, might it slow the deterioration? Running might be bad on my hip, but a large weight gain can't be much better. If all hope is lost, are there any exercises that could be recommended that provide the same cardio benefits as running but don't impact the hips (for me swimming year round is not an option)?
Thanks to all in advance that would like to reply.
Try cycling I have the same problem and I can tell you the pain gets nothing but worseif you keep running
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