PhysioDC

Physical Therapy

Hip Labral Repair Rehabilitation: What To Expect

Last updated on By

The hip labrum is a cartilaginous ring that extends around the outside of the hip socket as seen in the illustration below. Hip labral tears manifest as sharp, nagging pain deep in the hip or the groin areas. Pain associated with a hip labral tear may also refer down the thigh towards the knee. Car accidents and chronic repetitive stress imposed from years of sports or yoga are often root causes of hip labral tears. Women appear to be much more susceptible to this type of injury.

Hip labral surgery is a comparatively new orthopedic procedure that seeks to repair the labrum and thus stabilize the hip socket. This type of surgery is becoming less invasive from year to year: the patients that we see now have very small surgical scars and fewer post-operative precautions.

Precautions & Expectations in Regards to Hip Labral Repair Surgeries

1. Almost all post-operative labral repair patients are “non-weight bearing” for a minimum of two weeks following the surgery. Patients use crutches during this time frame. In terms of rehabilitation, I ask patients to lie flat on a bed or on the floor for a period of time each day that he or she is using crutches. The purpose of this is to allow the hip flexor muscles to relax into a neutral position, as suspending one’s leg while using crutches does require prolonged flexion of the hip.

2. Swelling in the hip area is an inevitable effect of surgery and causes the surrounding muscles to “shut down.” Isometric exercises are typically started shortly after surgery in order to minimize the negative effects of swelling. The gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, hip adductors, and hip flexors can all be trained gently through isometric exercise. There are many resources on the Internet that can lead you in the right direction in terms of isometric exercise instruction.

3. Pain in the lower back and pelvis following labral repair surgery is common because of muscular imbalance. The spine in general does not handle asymmetry well: if one leg cannot accept weight well for a prolonged period of time, the lower back and pelvis are loaded too heavily from the stronger side. In order to minimize this effect, in rehabilitation we encourage the patient to work on idealizing the mobility of the lower back and pelvis through a series of exercises (see Why all the Fuss about the Gluteus Maximus and The Clamshell Exercise). It also goes without saying that the sooner the patient regains his or her strength and weight bearing capacity on the surgical side, the better the lower back and pelvis will feel.

We have two (2) exercises on our “media” tab under the abdominal section: “pelvic clock” and “pelvic control” are good ideas in terms of restoring lower back and pelvic alignment. The password to get into the exercises is “patient.”


Great for ankle stabilization training! Use it for single leg balance, air squats, or as a way to cushion your knees while performing exercises in a kneeling position.

4. Healing from this surgery generally takes a long time! It is not uncommon for patients to experience discomfort six months after the fact. The important thing to remember is that if you notice positive differences from week to week (or month to month), you are going in the right direction! We will typically ask patients to record the distance that they can walk before pain sets in and then use this as a baseline for comparison.

5. With hip and knee surgery in particular, people have the long-term tendency to develop habits that keep them from maintaining full weight and strength through the leg. Avoid crossing your surgical leg over the uninvolved leg when seated, and when standing, force yourself to bear your weight equally through both legs. The body will often unconsciously try to default over to the non-surgical side because it has learned to do so. Initial post-surgical weight bearing precautions are a necessary evil: people need to re-teach their bodies to accept weight equally, and this may takes months of practice.

PhysioDC Podcast: Experts Talk About The Hip

Andrew Wolff, MD (orthopedic surgeon) and Dana Logan, MSPT (physical therapist specializing in hip rehabilitation) discuss everything that you need to know about advances in hip surgery and conservative management. This episode is a must for anybody wanting to know more about FAI, hip labral surgery/reconstruction, and rehabilitation of the hip.

Visit our PhysioDC podcast page.

physical therapist recommended products

Discussion

  1. I’m now more than a year post-op (labral repair and cam osteoplasty), and I still don’t feel recovered. I am able to run and bike and hike, but not anywhere near the volume I want and, most importantly, not without discomfort. Even on days off, I notice my hip. It’s not the same deep pain as pre surgery, so I don’t think I did anything to the labrum, but I feel very uneven, with pretty consistent discomfort in my hip flexor and lower back (and occasionally TFL, adductor, and obliques.) I’ve been in PT for almost 2 years now (including time pre-op) and am religious about stretching and exercises, but things seem to have plateaued and I’m getting concerned that this is as “recovered” as I’m ever going to get. Is it worth going back to my surgeon, or should I just keep at the PT exercises? Is there anything else I can try? (Thank you in advance!)

    • This is where i am as well. Though now i am 2 years post (almost 3). I started seeing a different PT and was making great progress, but then she moved away. Now I’m worse than before (and I do see someone who is known in the field). I do agree a fresh set of eyes can be helpful. Any suggestions for oseteopaths or PTs in NYC? Thanks so much! I have been waiting to feel normal and return to dancing again :/

      • I don’t know of anybody personally who practices in Manhattan Ashley. You could go to the Michigan State School of Osteopathy website and see if they have a contact list of providers nationally. There might be either a D.O. or a PT who has taken con-ed there who practices in your area.

  2. I had arthroscopic surgery to repair a torn left hip labrum back in September. I felt like I was making great progress until yesterday. I had been able to return to work, shop and bake again, which I wasn’t able to do prior to surgery. Yesterday, I stood up and felt like someone stabbed a knife in my operative hip. Now it seems like my hip is very tight feeling. Is it possible I tore the labrum a second time or is this normal for awhile after surgey?

    • If the hip muscles are weak there very well might still be a lack of control of the head of the femur. Sudden movements can trigger impingement which is often described by what you said. I would expect that tight feeling to slowly track down over a week or so. I would also let your PT know about this.

  3. I am a 50 year old female that had labrum and bone shaving hip surgery. I am 1 week post op and I have many questions like, how long do I keep my leg elevated? How long do I have to lay flat on my back while laying down(I do not do sleep well on my back)? What is the exact purpose of the brace? (I have a really hard time wearing it, it makes my back hurt very bad and feel compromised).
    Thank you for your time.

    • The doc didn’t discuss this with you? The answer kind of depends on what exactly was done. Many people are allowed to sleep on the side with a pillow placement between the legs. I would ask the doc directly if you can do that. I believe that the brace’s purpose is to protect the hip from going into an extreme position if you were to slip or fall. I would say that it is certainly necessary when you are walking around.

  4. 56 year old male, had a Birmingham Hip Resurfacing on the right hip 18 months ago. Now issues with the left hip.

    Diagnosis was moderate cartilage fissuring and thinning involving the superior aspect of the left femoral head and superior acetabulum with small areas of full thickness cartilage loss; irregular tearing involving the undersurface of the posterior superior labrum from approximately 12 o’clock in the superior labrum to 10 o’clock in the posterior superior labrum; irregular tearing involving the undersurface of the anterior labrum as well as focally at the 3 o’clock position; Dysplastic bump at the anterior head and neck junction of the left femur compatible with Cam-type femoral acetabular impingement.

    The surgery was to clean out the loose debris from the hip, have the bump removed and sew the labrum back together.

    I am 3 days post op, was told to use crutches and to bear weight as tolerated. This was the only post op instruction given, no therapy is currently scheduled. Do not seem to need the crutches at all at this point, very little discomfort, stopped taking regular doses of pain medicine (only taking it before bed), but the clicking sound when I walk still exists. I was under the assumption that the noises were going to go away.

    Is this normal? Is there anything that I should be on the lookout for? Seems to me that the post op instruction was a bit on the light side. My wife was in the room when the Dr gave us the post op instruction, and I trust that she understood what he was talking about, as she is an OT.

    • The lack of pain that you have I would say is uncommon. I would use the crutches with “step-through” pattern for at least the first two weeks, even if you are relatively pain free. I would be patient in regard to the clicking. I would expect that to hang around for at least a few months.

  5. I am 17 and had an arthroscopy done a week ago to repair a labral tear and to remove a cam deformity, i also had stem cells put on my hip joint to help my hip to stop being wobbly as i am also hyper mobile so my hip was not being supported, i can walk almost normally (obviously not up like i use to be to still give my hip chance to rest and heal) but i have been told that i am not allowed to cross my legs or move my hip in a way that means my foot isnt in line with my hip as it will damage the anchors, i was just wondering, will this be a long term thing or would it just be while im healing? not being able to cross my leg or move it in that way is very frustrating and i am having my left done in 5 weeks so could need to be able to do that movement to be able to manage with my left hip surgery.

    • The anchors usually take up to six weeks to heal into place. That should put you right in the window of having a bit more freedom by the time the second surgery is done. I bet the doc is spacing it like that on purpose.

      • Hi Dr.

        I got hip labrum surgery last Thursday exactly a week ago today. I’m on crutches and everything was feeling okay until I got to the airport to travel home where the security did a pat down on me. They rubbed my leg hard and pushed down pretty hard all over the stitches. I was so mad because I told him I had stitches and he still did that. My biggest worry is that it re tore the labrum or pulled out the anchors since surgery was last week. Is this possible? Or do you think I’m okay? I’m in way more pain since he patted me down.

        • Well, I really don’t think that a pat-down is going to cause a tear in the labral anchors, given that they are very deep and would require your leg to be moved around aggressively. It might bother the external stitches on the skin though. That can be irritating. I would make sure that the skin looks okay, and let the doc know about your pain.

  6. About seven to eight days after a microscopic hip fai and labral repair. My surgical hip has been clicking /popping once a day in bed, on stationary bike, and maneuvering in crutches. Is this normal?

  7. Hey thanks for answering questions and offering info on this site! Im always looking for more info, opinions and help with this issue. Im male and 31 years old – very active, mostly surfing and yoga/endurance weight training to maintain and build muscles specifically for surfing. Im about 7 weeks post-op for FAI (cam) and full Labral tear. I had arthroscopic surgery at UCSF and have an incredible surgeon and team. If anyone who reads this wants more info Id be happy to share.

    About 20 days ago I bagan walking and have increased load and distance in the recent days. Ive also tried to be very conscious about how I distribute weight – even if it means I take very slow steps. 3 days ago I did a .30-.50 mile hike (minor elevation change/dirt-clay surface) 10 min elliptical, clams with tight band, one footed bridges, wall-sits). Ive noticed since then the pain I have has been lingering quite a bit and my sleeping has been disturbed. Im planning to continue minimal PT (wallsits and clams) but be less liberal with overall movement etc. It doesnt seem to be bouncing back as quickly. Ill also be icing and will take advil, even though it seems advil causes really bad canker sores. what do you suggest for patients in these types of situations? Do you suggest continuing work outs as normal? Why does the pain radiate throughout the leg?

    Im also wondering what PT exercises you have found to be most effective in terms of maximizing building strength but minimizing periods like this? I understand its normal to go through these types of periods, especially when you up your activity level like I did recently. But Im curious to hear what you have found. Are there any general suggestions for PT that you could offer for someone like me moving forward.

    • I think that less activity is probably the best advice at this point. Allow it to rebuild from the work out, it may take a week or two of decreased activity. (By the way this type of thing is pretty common as the activity level rises, particularly with the young and motivated crowd.) I do think that many patients actually pile on too many exercises, and with not enough rest in between sessions. You are doing great given you had this done only seven weeks ago, back off a bit.

  8. I am 8 weeks post surgery. I had no problems with my labrum but the Dr did correct the femur problem. I started PT 12 days after the surgery. During therapy I developed tendonitis in my psoas and I opted to have it injected 2 weeks ago. The symptoms seemed to get better until 3 days ago when they started to return. Now I have the tendon problems, better than before, plus some numbness going down the inside of my thigh. Also, I still have pain on the front to outside of my hip. I started taking meloxicam again yesterday and increased stretching etc. I am back working light duty so going back to PT isn’t possible. Do you think there are major areas of concern or keep up stretching etc?

    • I would keep the stretching very light, and to tolerance. I think that doing some light strengthening a few times a week is also not a bad idea. I would also make sure that you are not walking excessively. It is still a bit early to be doing too much.

  9. Hi Dan,

    I am 36 years old and now almost 9 weeks post labral tear repair, chondroplasty, ligamentum teres repair, bursectomy and ganglion cyst removal.

    I ditched the crutches two weeks ago.

    I am walking 30 minutes per day and stationary bike for 20 minutes twice a day (40 mins). I am doing my PT exercises twice a day (bridges, double leg squats, crab walk, clam shells, step ups and downs, side steps, leg exercises with theroband on all fours). I am also doing some calf stretches.

    I am getting sore in the groin and tight in the hip at times, which I suppose is to be expected.

    I have two questions;

    1. I am religiously doing my PT but when I feel a bit sore, I don’t know how much to back off. I don’t have access to an experienced Hip Arthroscopy PT in my area but feel my PT is doing a good job with the knowledge she does have. Any advice?

    2. I have gained 7kgs since the surgery and I need to get this off quickly. What impact will this have on the overall situation?

    3. I can’t cross my legs when I am sitting down on the floor with my 3 young children & this worries me. It is physically impossible with my operated side. Is this normal? Will it gradually come back.

    Sorry to bombard you with three questions, but it seems that even the surgeons don’t seem to have the answers or a realistic idea on recovery. You are the best source of information we have put there.

    Many thanks for your time,

    Kate

    • 1. In my opinion you are exercising way to much. Cut it down to every 2nd or 3rd day, I bet the inflammation will calm down.

      2. Worry about the weight in regard to exercise once you are fully recovered. over-exercising at 9 weeks is going to set you back. In the mean time your best bet is to try to control it through diet.

      3. It is way too early to be sitting on the floor and crossing your legs. The total recovery time for most patients is 6 months or longer. You are going to need to stay patient. You will get there!

      • Thanks so much, I will cut the exercise back and will start a calorie restricted diet. I just won’t tell my Physiotherapist about cutting back on the exercise.

        I also have PCOS and when I hit a certain weight, the syndrome kicks in. I haven’t been eating all that much, but will monitor it closely from now on in. Christmas didn’t help! Lol

        • No problem Kate. I would talk to the physio and the doc about exercise modification though. Keep in mind that I have never seen you in person, so I would hate to “step on the toes” of the people who are giving you care. Be well!

  10. I can’t believe I found an active feed about this, and one with such great advice! These comments and your responses Dan are fantastic! I’m almost 5 month Post FAI Surgery and labral repair and still having some discomfort in the front of the hip and zingers in the groin. Is this to be expected? I told my surgeon and he said to just take it easy a bit. I tore the labrum delivering my daughter so I’m also dealing with a little pelvic instability. I’ve been able to do the bike and weight training, but nothing too high intensity. I love working out and am just chomping at the bit, but I just don’t feel “stable” in my pelvis. Have you dealt with others who had this surgery postpartum?

    • Congrats on the baby!

      There are some PT’s out there who are pelvic floor specialists. Find one and get an evaluation. If you tore your labrum delivering, I am guessing that the pelvic floor muscles are out of whack.

      • Yep, I’ve been working with one of those in addition to my rehab PT. :-) I can’t tell if it’s making a difference or not yet, it seems like something that’s hard to track progress with. Thanks for the response!

  11. Hey Dan,

    This is a great feed for anyone who has had or is thinking about having a labral tear repaired. Thanks for all of the time you’ve spent.

    I’m six weeks post op for a two anchored labral repair and bone shaving on my femur head. I’m not quite as savvy with the proper terms because my doctor and I have quite a bit of a language barrier. Anyways, he said crutches for six weeks. I stopped using them for doing things around home at four weeks. I stopped using them altogether at five. This shouldn’t be a problem right? I feel fine just the usual tightness and mild soreness. Which is a huge improvement from waking up after surgery feeling like I’d been shot with a shotgun slug.

    This tightness and mild soreness is normal right? I also have some serious what I think is iliopsoas pain on the surgical side. Will this go away any time soon? I used to cycle 200 km + per week. Training and racing. Do you think I can ever return to that?

    – Paul, 31

    • You are probably fine with weaning off the crutches. I would just be very aware of how the hip is feeling with walking. Keep the walking to a minimum early on. The tightness etc. is quite normal for 6 weeks post op, and it can last for months. The cycling thing is going to take at least 6-8 months to get back to. Take your time with the rehab.

  12. I had cam impingement and labral repair in August. My recovery was going along perfectly until late November. I ramped up in the activity at PT and experienced a set back. I don’t remember a specific movement that caused it but it definitely all occured within one week. My hip really started hurting and was really inflamed. My doctor prescribed a steriod dose pack and told me to take it easier for a few weeks. Ever since then, a lot of the inflammation has died down but it only takes one day with moderate exercise to make it ache again – weight bearing and lifting the leg seem to elicit the ache. Also ever since the set back, the motion needed to put on a sock is pretty much impossible for me to do. I get a zinging pain in my hip and groin. That has not improved over the last month and a half at all. I’m pretty frustrated at this point. Of course like everyone else, I’m worried that I re-injured my hip somehow. All of my activity was in accordance with the script from the doctor.

  13. Hi

    I’m not sure if this forum is still being monitored and questions answered but I am worried after my repair and looking for any information to help me. I had a labral debridement and removal of bone around socket for pincer impingement 5 weeks ago. Surgeon said was a tough op. All has been okish and pain much less than preop. Have been getting muscular imbalances and tends to fluctuate from tight piriformis then to tight muscles in front of thigh. I have been going to physio last couple of weeks and doing simple exercises and stretches. Last night I did a hamstring stretch as I have been getting really tight piriformis pain. Something obviously shifted in my hip joint and I got searing pain in the back of the hip joint when I open my leg. That was 24h ago and I am able to walk on it but seem to be favouring my other leg as the pain when it happens is definitely a 10/10 and makes me shout out and swear. I was doing so well with recovery. What could I have done wrong and what should I do as I am now really worried about this. It is pain inside the hip joint itself which I never had prior to the operation., Thanks in advance

    • It is early on in this process for you, things like this do indeed happen. My guess is that you might have slightly pinched the femur bone in the socket with the hamstrings stretch. It may take a few weeks to calm down, ramp back your exercise routine in the interim. I would of course let the doc know about this.

      • Many thanks Dan for some speedy reassurance and a great forum. The pain is so bad when it happens that I’m actually terrified to move. It is a massive jolt of pain rather than chronic constant pain but is completely unbearable when it happens and way worse than any pain I had before surgery unfortunately. I’m hoping it is a case of things getting worse to get better but am quite nervous that I have messed up something with overexercising.

  14. I had bunion surgery and hammer toe surgery two years ago and the foot is fine, however, I wore a post op surgical boot and the doc did not tell me to wear a rider on the right foot for equality. My hip on the left began to hurt badly after three weeks of use, so I dumped the boot and used athletic wide shoes and did fine. I had physical therapy on the left hip and I did well for a while. My hip was great before the foot surgery but the boot messed up my stance and caused aching on the left side and back part of my left hip just above the left glut. Well, the other day when I got up, my hip started hurting again after being OK for months. Sometimes after doing exercises and heat treatment, it is OK, but other times, it hurts again. I am 80 years old and active and love walking. What exercises do you suggest I use? I plan on therapy again but am angry that I got no warning about using the boot. I was told to put my whole weight on it, too.

    • I would recommend finding the best PT in your area and having an evaluation of the hip and foot. The “whole picture” needs to be looked at. It is entirely possible that if your foot is not moving ideally this can be having an effect on the mechanics of your hip. I would also get an x-ray for the hip to see if osteoarthritis is involved.

  15. I had a hip labral reconstruction with cadaver donor, bursectomy, psoas release, osteoplasty. I was told 50% weight baring, and no outward flexion, and 90 degree angle maximum sitting. I’m on a CPM machine 6 hrs a day at 45 degrees. I was at an angle, sort of sitting at approx 45 degrees. Am I supposed to use CPM machine while laying down? I hope I didn’t mess anything up by sitting at that angle.

    Also, I can’t figure out how to get out of bed without moving my leg outward. I tried, and now I have pain going from outer hip, to inner buttocks, and groin. Is that I did something bad to my surgerical site?

    I’m 5 days post op.

    Thank You.

    • I would do the CPM lying on your back. In terms of getting out of bed, you could perhaps scoop your good foot under your surgical side foot and then pivot the legs off the bed by turning on your buttock. I doubt you messed up the surgery or the surgery site based on getting out of bed once. I would keep the doc informed.

  16. Hey Dan, so I’m not too sure if your gonna comment back or not, but I sure hope you do because I need some major questions answered. So in October of 2017 I injured my hip flexor area playing water polo. I had to play through the injury because the team needed me, and it wasn’t like the pain was getting worse to where I couldn’t keep competing. So the season ended during November. And my hip was slightly better, but still there. I go to Cal Poly SLO, so I run to the gym a lot and bike a lot. None of these activities ties really showed signs of pain in my hip. However, in November one of the times I ran to the gym quicker than normal and also played basketball and that night my pain was back and more inflamed than ever. This pain that I describe during this time is a pain to where I can not lift my own left leg. When getting into a car I had to lift my left with my arms. When going to bed, I had to grab my leg and help move it into place. So as the weeks went by, the inflammation when down a little. I immediately went to the physical therapist I usually go to in San Diego and did physical therapy for the 3 weeks I was home for college. My therapist told me that I had a strained hip flexor. Everyday I did a set of stretches for my leg muscles and every other day was a harder set of stretches. As week 3 approached, I was showing sign of improvement, but not 100%. My therapist told me to go to the pool and see how kicking felt, I went the next day and kicked. There was no noticeable pain when kicking then; however, that night my hip felt different and the pain came back, but not as severe as during the basketball. I tell my therapist how it felt the next week and she told me there was a slight chance that I could have a torn hip labrum. This worries me because I am a super active person and I hate just sitting around all day doing nothing. So as me Christmas break approached, I went to my home doctor and he told me that I could be in for a long journey with my hip, just because the set of things he told me to do in the office did not hurt my hip. I went to go get an x-ray, but it showed no signs of bone spurs. By this time I had to come back up to school. I have made an appointment to see a hip orthopedic surgeon here in SLO. But sadly I have to wait till February to see him. The problem is I’m very impatient and was wondering if by anything I said in these past words could possibly help you determine what is wrong with my hip. They say online that a clicking or hooking feeling is felt when lifting your leg up and down, but I have never really felt that feeling. It’s just a feeling of pain in a certain spot when lifting my leg. If you have any other questions for me, that could possibly help you, that would be awesome. Thanks

    • I think that getting a MRI is probably a good idea to get a solid diagnosis. If the pain is deep in the groin then it is possible that the hip labrum is involved. If this is the case you are certainly going to be limited in your activity level until this is all ironed out. YOu could probably get away with still doing some gym activities to tolerance. I realize that this is not going to be fun for you given your lifestyle, but you really don’t have any other options in my opinion until you have a definitive diagnosis.

      • Yeah I think thats what this doctor is going to tell me when I see him. Hopefully all works out, thanks!

  17. I am 8 weeks post op. Labrum repair with anchors, cam and pincer impingement shaved down.

    Doing PT excercises daily and in clinic 2 x per week.

    Feel I had a major setback yesterday. I twisted hip outward funny while sitting and got a huge zing. My hip flexors are all flared up. I have an area under incision areas and a bit lower that has been extremely sore tender since surgery witn no improvement. Like bruised x 100 feeling. Just flared up all over. I am going to ice on and off all weekend and take a break on my excercises until I see my PT on tuesday.

    I am feeling so discouraged and worried I may have torn again. I imagine it is a normal concern.

    My main pain for years – glutes, side of hip, down side of leg, aducters. I also couldn’t lift my leg from a seated position and had to lift leg into car for years. I am dillegent with my strengthening exercises but at this point no real improvement in pre surgery pain and have the additional brusing feeling and tenderness from surgery. I am able to lift leg from sitting post surgery (after 4 weeks) but not without a lot of pain in hip flexors. I don’t know if pt threw me off thursday and I am just flared up. Very frustrating, I feel 10 steps back. Hoping it is just flared and icing will help. Any advice this weekend is greatly appreciated!

    • I think that you are probably doing too much in terms of exercises. Back off for a good 7-10 days and let things heal. After that I would only do strengthening every two to three days. The body does need sufficient tome to heal in between exercise sessions. These surgeries by the way can take up to six months for people to “turn the corner”.

  18. Hi, my name is Katie Holton and I’m 16 years old and had a hip Labral surgery around 2 months ago to repair my Labral tear in my right hip following dislocating and tearing it in marching band. However, I play football and I play Kicker, wide receiver, and defensive end. And the doctor said years of me kicking the football with my right leg may of slowly been tearing it. So I’m about 2 months post op and I have on and off days. Some days I can run for a little while and be okay and other days I can barely walk. Most nights, I’ll roll over in bed and wake up crying in pain because the pain in my hip is so horrible. When I move, my hip still pops/clicks like it did before my surgery, is this normal? And after I get released back to sports, do you think it would be safe for me to continue playing football and kicking or should I not risk retearing it and having to have the surgery again? It’s just sometimes I give up hope that I’ll ever feel better because I can’t even roll over in bed, when I get in the car, I still have to grab my right leg and put it in bc I can’t lift it. During my surgery, they did a nerve block shot and paralyzed my right leg for 24 hours and although I gained feeling back in parts of my leg, I still have no feeling in a part of my hip/thigh, is this normal? What should I do about all of this?

    • I think that running on that leg 8 weeks post-op is a bit aggressive. I would back off the activity level for the next month and let it heal. I would stick to only the basic table exercises, and take every other day off. These types of surgeries take in most cases six months to “turn the corner”. The popping and clicking should eventually subside as the strength improves. I would not even worry about trying to kick until at least 8 months after the surgery.

  19. Hi Dan I had right hip arthroscopic surgery 3 days ago to repair a torn labrum injury that happened over a year ago and work for a scrap yard as a equipment operator when will I be able to go back to work

  20. Hello! Thank you for having this forum for us. I’m going into my 6th week post-op hip labral tear repair with bone shaving. My recovery has gone fairly well with mild pain for the most part. However, I’m now transitioning from 2 crutches to 1 crutch weight bearing and it’s been rough. I’m having more pain in the groin and hip area than I had in week 2-5.. My hip really hurts. I’m going to need something better than Naproxen or Tylenol to get through it. I was hoping to drive and get back to work in 2 weeks. My surgeon has forbidden me to take Motrin as he said it causes ossification .I feel like my progress is stuck. I’m surprised by the pain at this stage. I just want to walk again without pain. Thanks for your input!

    • I have never been wild about the “one crutch” walking style. It tends to put people at weird angles and loads the hip rather abruptly. I think that you might be better off doing the two crutch thing, but using a “step through” pattern that allows you to totally control the amount of weight that you put through the surgical hip. To me, that is a better way to transition to full weight bearing. There should be a good video online that demonstrates “step through”. You can also ask your PT about it.

      • Thanks!! I’ll try that. I hardly have any pain on 2 crutches. I will see my PT and doctor tomorrow & ask. My goal is to return to work with minimum pain and meds that are non-narcotic. I wore a heat patch today that seem to help.

  21. I am scheduled for arthroscopic labral repair with femur shaving on Feb 2nd and have a scheduled trip to Disney World March 17-24 with the all the walking that entails. I am already in PT and in good shape, normal weight, healthy, should I reschedule the surgery to after my trip?

  22. It has been 5 years since my labrum repair on my right hip. Recently I have started to experience pain and a feeling of impingement while walking. My hip will pop and then all discomfort goes away.

  23. Hi…. 41 year old female, I had right hip labral repair ,and hip impingement ( bone shave) in Dec 2016. I am WAY worst off than I was before surgery. I can’t sit straight up without MAJOR pain when I go to stand up, ex: I sit to use the bathroom, and go to stand up,and the pain all but drops me to my knees. I have gone for second option, and had MRI with contrast done, they injected my hip with the dye, I was told should be no issues with the dye, but the time it took to do the MRI, as I go to stand OMGEZZZZ, could not stand on it that day, and the PAIN lasted for about 4 days after. I asked why, with it being just dye, and I was told I shouldn’t of had any issues with it at all. Is this normal or no? The MRI did show re-tear in labral,and was told by second option doctor , that this needs to be took care of ASAP,but he would not be willing to fix it, that I needed to go to the dr that did the surgery. I would love to hear your option on this, does it sound like more surgery? I did ask if I should just suck it up and push thru the pain an deal with it, and was told NO, that it DID need to be fixed. Thank you for any input !

    • Hmmmmm. I do agree that having the hip replaced at your age is a problem. I would find the best regional person for hip labral tears and get a fresh opinion. It may be worth it to have it done, especially if you are in horrible pain that is not improving at all.

      • So…. I am going to try the shot ,NOT a fan…..but willing to give ANYTHING a try at this point….. My dr is not very talkative , so I couldn’t get him to answer me on this….He said I have alot of scar tissue from the surgery ( labrial tear and bone shave) he feels a lot of my pain is from that ….therefore I don’t see where the shot will be much good. but anyways….is there anything that can be done about the scar tissue ?

        • I don’t think that having scar tissue removed surgically is particularly effective, given that your body’s response to being cut will of course be to lay down more scar tissue. The injection may indeed buy you some time, which it sounds like you need.

  24. PS…..I have also been told , I am definitely heading toward a total hip replacement by 3 diff doc, but no one is willing to do so til I am at least 50

  25. I am 1 week post op for labral tear and shaving discs down around the ball joint. Every single night around 4 am I wake up with a migraine. I’m not on any pain meds anymore so this is very strange. It’s been 7 nights and happens like clockwork. I do not usually get migraines. HELP!

    • I don’t think that I have ever heard of that happening. I have heard that anesthesia does take some time to totally get out of your system, perhaps it has something to do with that. Migraines are also associated with stress in general, so that could also be having an effect. I would definitely let the treating doctor know what is going on!

    • Hi A,

      I think the migraines can be a side effect from the other meds you are still on. I know for me, I had migraines pretty much every day for about 4 weeks, but also felt it was a side effect from my other meds (the anti blood clot meds). As soon as I was finished with those meds, my migraines went away. Granted, I used to suffer from migraines, so I think I was more susceptible for getting them. Just for history of what I had done: I am 14 weeks post op from my hip scope procedure (cam impinchment shave down of bone, my torn labrum was repaired (sewn), I had a cyst that was removed/repaired, I had loose bodies removed, and also had a microfracture done because I had an area that was pretty much bone on bone). I was on crutches for 6 weeks, no weight bearing, then weaned off the crutches during week 7, but still using both crutches, then the first day of week 8, I was off crutches. My best advice for you is to do everything your doc recommends, also, listen to your body. Do not over do anything. I was told originally it can take 4 to 6 months to get back to normal activity, but post op, since I had so much repaired, doc told me it can even take up to a year. I am ok with that because I do not want to over do or rush anything. It is not worth it. I can tell you each week has gotten better and better. The toughest week for me was week 5, I am thinking that was the week my PT was ramped up and my PT did these new stretches and it was so painful. After that week, things continually heal. It is definitely a slow process, a one-day- at-a-time deal. There is no way you can rush through the healing process.

  26. I had labral tear and impingement surgery over 2 weeks ago and I have got really sharp shooting pain in my groin/ hip area and I can not put weight on my leg yet. How long should I be on crutches for? I also feel soreness on the outside of my hip which I am totally OK with as I know it’s just muscle soreness. But I am very concerned about the shooting pain.

    • I would guess that most doctors will have a non-weight bearing precaution for 2-4 weeks. Ask the doctor when you can start to transition into weight bearing. I always tell patients here at the clinic that yo would need to practice quiet standing on both legs as a transition into weight bearing. It does appear to make the transition easier to handle.

      • Thank you for your reply! Is there any information about pain you could give me please? Is is bad that I am feeling a shooting pain on the front inside of my hip/groin area?

        • The doc should have some advice in terms of pharmaceuticals to get you past the non-weight bearing period. The type of pain that you describe typically happens because you have to hold your leg up when you walk with your hip flexors. That should curb down once you are able to place the foot on the ground and use a “step thorough” gait pattern with crutches.

  27. I’m going to have left labram surgery in 2 weeks. The nurse didn’t give me very much pre-op help. She said that the doctor would give me a packet after surgery. I need to make sure everything is in place before surgery because I won’t have much help after. How long will it be until I can drive? I thought if I can be off the strong medication in 2 weeks I could drive. Will I need things like a shower seat? Toilet raiser? Sock or shoe assist? I’m kind of freaking out now after reading this page. I’ve been in pain for over 5 months now after a fall. I haven’t been able to sit, walk or stand for long. I’ve been out of work for almost 2 months now. I’ve tried the conservative methods but still feel bad. I’m beginning to feel like the surgery is going to be way worse than injury.

    • Driving? If it is the right leg I would guess at least a month. The left leg would require less time. I do think that a sock or shoe assist and the other things that you mention would also be helpful early on.

    • Hey Kelly,

      I’m 4 1/2 weeks post op from labrum repair. I used a walker after surgery. Definitely need shower seat and potty chair/raised toilet seat. My parents have tall toilets so that has helped but a friend let me borrow potty chair. I used it first couple weeks and it was life saver especially bc if being able to hold on to the sides of chair to sit down and get up. Pain after surgery was much less than I expected. I will give you a heads up that your lower back, leg, knee, and foot/ankle will be very sore after surgery from being on the traction table and in the boot. Have them put a pillow under your knees when u get into the OR.
      Let us know how your surgery goes and if you have any questions, jus ask and I’ll help you out!! 😊

  28. Hello. I am almost 5 weeks post op from labrum repair on my right hip. Here recently the pain has gotten a lot worse jus like it was before surgery. The pain is waking me up at night and I’m having to take pain meds again. Groin pain, buttocks pain, lower back, outer hip pain, and thigh pain. Very painful to walk and hip/leg very weak. I’m just really concerned something has happened. All I do is sit in recliner and walk around the house. Haven’t started physical therapy yet bc I have RA and Ankylosing Spondylitis and had a flare 2 weeks after surgery. Surgeon held off on PT bc of the flare. I go back to surgeon on 27th for my 6 week check up and to reassess things. He said I’ll proly b off work for 3 months bc of my set back from the flare.
    I was just wondering if it sounds like something may be wrong. I do know when I was in shower other day I lifted my leg to wash it and got a huge catch in my groin. It took a bit for me to be able to turn my hip/leg back inward. Idk if maybe sumin happened when I got that bad catch?? Any advice would be great bc I’m super worried.
    Thanks!!

    • It does not sound like you un-did the anchors, I just sounds like the RA is compounding this quite a bit. You are also quite weak, and this also compounds a lack of control of the head of the femur bone in the socket. Once the RA flare calms down it should start to get a bit easier to manage. Ask the PT about what gentle exercise program to start when you see him or her.

  29. Hi Dan! I had a surgery of tear repair and bone shaving on my right hip December 4th 2017 and I am having extremely painful pulling and catching feeling I can barely move my get without having those. Do you think that something I should be concern about it?? Thank you!!

    • I would definitely talk to the doc about this. It is still early, so pain like that is not uncommon. I would guess that this usually happens when perhaps you have pushed the activity level too much too soon? I would back off any exercises for a good week to let things calm down.

      • Hi Dan,

        First off, I would like thank you for taking the time to answer all these questions from people having undergone hip surgeries. It is very difficult to get answers on the web.

        Now on to my question….I had left hip labral repair, gluteus medium tendon repair, TFL lengthening and some bone shaving done on December 11th, 2017. I believe the bone shaving was to the head of my femur, but I’m not sure. Anyways, I have followed doctors orders fairly good, got off crutches after 16 days. Prior to the surgery, most of my pain and annoyance was a burning, tingling sensation down both legs. Taking a warm bath after a days work would almost always alleviate these sensations for the night. The hip pain was also there. I was told by my chiropractor that once I get my hip fixed the burning would likely go away in time, because it was never there before I had hurt my hip. Ok, I will get to my point soon….because of the intense burning on Monday the 12th, in both legs, I had the bright idea of trying an inversion table. I went on it for about 8 minutes on a 45 degree angle. My left hip was stretching a bit until I felt a very sharp and quick pain. It felt like my hip came out a bit and then went back in once I got out of the table. I was panicking etc. I actually went to my surgeon two days later on the 14th and told him of my stupidity. He was not phased one bit. I was obviously worried I messed up my repair. He moved my hip around in all directions and it didn’t hurt. He said he is not worried. I am now getting some throbbing and off and on pain in the groin area, an area in which I didn’t get much pain in before, was mostly in the front and side of the thigh. I am not limping or anything. I guess I should just trust my doctor, he has been good so far but I always seem to forget to ask him things. Could I have just aggravated the labrum repair or could the pain be from the bone shaving. I guess I’m trying to figure out what did I aggravate while in traction? The capsule? Might be impossible to say. I guess I should just not do this again! And take er’ easy? Thanks and sorry for the ramble. Btw, I am a male, 185lbs. 9.5 weeks out.

        • Based on what you said, I agree with the doc. I would obviously stay away from the inversion table, but it doesn’t sound like you tore the anchor loose. You probably just irritated the structures around the hip a bit. The other pain that you describe is very common for your stage of rehab. It is going to take a while for the muscles to catch up strength wise.

          • Hi Dan,

            Thank you for responding. When you said “the other type of pain” did you mean the burning and tingling down both legs??? I hope so, cause that is worse than my hip right now. It seems to come on following even the mildest of exercise. Thanks again.

  30. What do you think about prolotherapy or stem cell (like Regenexx) treatments to repair/relieve pain from a failed hip labral tear/fai surgery?

    I had right hip labral tear/FAI surgery 2.5 years ago, which resulted in ongoing joint/muscle pain, pelvic instability (symphysis pubic dysfunction) and overall pelvic instability. This did not exist until I had the surgery.

    I wish docs would acknowledge the failure of labral tear/fai surgery and the resulting pelvic instability! I’ve been told I have “loose joints” but never had this issue before (I had 3 children, over 17 years ago and never had loose joints). I’m too young (46) to have difficulty walking/ongoing pain. I wish I had never had the surgery.

    Do you have any suggestions? Physician recommendations?

    • I forgot to add that about a year after the 1st surgery, a small tear was discovered. Maybe this was not repaired during the 1st surgery, or maybe it was a new tear?
      Despite regular ongoing pt, and pelvic floor therapy, I have had no improvement from the 1st surgery; only increasing pain and pelvic instability, without solutions from docs. This is so frustrating!

    • We do use one doctor over at George Washington University Hospital who does a good job with PRP and other injection methods for cases like yours. His name is Dr. Geet Paul. It might be worth talking to him. I would also get a fresh set of eyes on your walking and movements. Find the most experienced PT that you can to take a look.

  31. Hi there. I had hip arthroscopy done a month ago. Once the Dr went in he saw that it was an old tear and all he did was clean it up. He said there was no impingment taking place so he didn’t need to do anything else. I had been experiencing pain from deep in my groin all the way around to my Iliac crest and had very limited Rom, I was also born with hip dysplasia and my right foot turns in a little due to it. I started having issues when my hip would lock up during any type of hip hinging motions. I’m also a professional physique competitor. I was progressing very quick through PT and the only restriction i had was to be on crutches for a week or 2. I have followed everything to a t, even weened back into work. 2 weeks ago I pivoted to turn to talk to someone and my hip caught and almost took me to my knees. Ever since then my pain is back and I can’t last more than an hour on my feet so I put myself back on crutches. Should I be worried? Have i back tracked?

    • I would have the ortho check that out to be safe. That does sound to me like you had a quick little positional impingement with the twist, and you can certainly be more susceptible to that while your hip is still weak. Take it easy and let it heal.

      • Hi I had hip surgery as well about 6 weeks will be April 11th. The doctor repaired two tears and the shaving of the bone. I am still on the walker, in a lot of pain and now my same leg is swollen. see is from my hip to my toes. Should I be worried or do I need to be seen.

      • I had hip surgery for a labrum tare about 3 1/2 weeks ago and over the weekend , I was sitting in a chair and all I did was straighten my back a little and leaned forward slightly and I heard a big pop in the right hip where my surgery was done. There was some pain associated with it and ever since it is now harder to bare weight on that side when I walk and hurts a little. Is this normal?

        • I can’t imagine that this did anything substantial. This may have been a little bit of scar tissue popping, which long term may actually be a good thing. I would keep the activity level on par with the protocols and of course fill the doc in on what is going on.

  32. Hi, At 51, I had arthroscopic surgery (debridement) for a labral tear in my right hip. It’s been 1 year and all has been going well until 2 weeks ago when, as a preschool teacher, I injured the same location of my hip and am feeling sharp pinching pain in my groin that is impacting my lower back as well. Is this typical? Will rest, ice, ibuprofen work despite daily activity with preschool students? Or do I need to make an appointment?
    Thanks!
    Injured teacher

  33. Hi Dan,
    I am about 10 months post-op for a labrum repair and cam type fai. The pain I’d had from the tear prior to surgery was gone almost immediately after the repair. I did have issues with swelling around the hip, as well as pain and tightness in my hip flexor that started at the time I made the move from 2 crutches down to 1/off completely, and has continued. I had a repeat MRI at 4 mos which confirmed the repair/anchors were intact and negative for other injury, so I was told to give it time and continue with PT. I have had 2 steroid injections around the psoas bursa, with some improvement. I rhave eturned to work which includes long hours on my feet, and frequent air travel so it has remained irritated despite restricting hours/day initially. In December I found a trainer with an athletic training/PT background that gave me more stretching options for the hip flexor and simple balance/strengthening to go along with the PT exercises that I have continued at home. It did improve some with this, and a 2 week break from work travel to the point that I finally began walking normally, although still with discomfort.

    Over the last 2 mos I have hit a point that sitting in one place longer than 30 minutes I have pain/discomfort through my hip/groin and around the side of the hip and into the thigh, and when I stand up for the first minute or so of walking I get a catching sensation on the outside of the hip, this will also happen if I walk too quickly or too much. I am also noticing a catching sensation in the front of the hip again, groin pain and pain high up in hamstring as well. I have had swelling since the surgery that has continued pretty consistently. I have continued PT exercises, stretching, foam-rolling, icing, some form of cardio most days (swimming, elliptical, stationary bike) as had been suggested by the dr. I have tried yoga to tolerance, and a couple of spin classes recently with low resistance just trying to find something that will work.
    I am a runner and generally active person, and itching to get back to some sort of normal workouts and to running again, and if nothing else get through a normal work day without feeling miserable. I understand recovery from this procedure takes time, and my range of motion is definitely better than months ago, but I feel like I am now going backwards. With the continued swelling, groin pain, and now return of catching sensations is it possible I have re-torn the labrum or other injury? Do I just need to give it more time, or should I return to my surgeon? I don’t want to waste anyone’s time, but something just doesn’t seem right. Thank you!!

  34. Hi, I am 10 weeks post-op on my left hip. I have been having a lot of discomfort in my back left glute, it gets the most painful after sitting for long periods of time (working) and sometimes after too much time standing. Is this because the glute muscles are just so tight? Or is there another reason for this.

    Thank you!

  35. Hello. I am about 4 1/2 months post op from a torn labrum repair (with micro fracture) on my left hip. 8 weeks of crutches with no weight bearing. Things have generally progressed well. However, over the last month or better I’ve had a catching sensation with a shooting sensation when I release pressure off of my leg (usually after standing with equal weight for 30 seconds or longer). I reported this to my surgeon (very well respected) about 6 weeks ago and he said he wasn’t concerned with this “catching.” Not much improvement on this front, really. I have increased my stretching and strengthening exercises some over this time but don’t feel like I am over doing it (3-4 times per week). I was released from PT about the same time (6 weeks ago). Just wondering if this “catching” when lifting my leg after standing with pretty good pain is normal. Any suggestions on either rest, exercise or anything else to get through this? Thank you very much!

    • I would back the strength training down to twice weekly for a few weeks at least and see if that changes anything. If there is a low level of inflammation in the hip I would guess that it could be manifested in the way that you describe.

  36. I had arthroscopic labrum surgery on my right hip a few weeks back. He also shaved my hip and femur. I know it takes a while but is my skin sensitivity down my thigh normal? It is so painful that it wakes me up at night. It hurts more than my groin. And how do I get this to stop, ice? Massage? It hurts to even have my pants rub up against my leg.

    • I am guessing that this is a nerve sensitivity? I would let the doc know about it. This might be something that medication could take the edge off of, but alas pharmaceuticals are not my bag. I did have a patient once tell me that she wrapped her upper leg with ace-wrap in order to lessen the sensitivity of her clothes.

  37. Hey, 1 year post op. 100% pain free. On going flare up for the last 6 months. Physio didn’t work. MRA last month says there are subtle irregularities of the labrum near the original site and there is some extension of contrast into the inferior labrum. He didn’t have any preop Mra to compare it too. Pain is in groin and front of the hip. Sudden outward/twisting movements give me a pinching pain. Pain is very similar to pre-op pain without the limp. New physio is suspecting possible inflammation. Surgeon wants me to look at steroid injections. Any ideas? 6months pain is very frustrating. Thanks.

    • Forgot to add it was a slip and overstrerch of the hip that caused the flare up.

    • If the slip was six months ago, there certainly could be a tear associated with that. I would do as much conservative management as possible, including PT and the injections. There is also something to be said about allowing appropriate time to let the soft tissue heal. That is tricky to do, because walking in many cases tends to be an irritant. I would maybe ask the doc and the PT if it would be prudent to unload the hip with crutches for a week?

      • Thanks for your reply. Unfortunately my recent MR Arthrogram last month came back negative for a new tear. I personally dont think the quality was as good as my original diagnosing scan. Physio has noticed there is a significant amount of resistance with outwards and upwards movement of the hip.

        Thanks

  38. I had left hip labrum tear and it was surgically repaired seven weeks ago. I had a cam “bump” on the femoral head shaved smooth. In order to do this the surgeon had to carve away the cartilage on the femoral head. He then drilled three holes in the bone in order for the cartilage to respond better and regenerate. I am in PT, but it is going very slowly. I am only stretching and squeezing glutes and abs. I want to do more. At this rate my PT says I should not think about competitive waterskiing until 2019. My desire is to get on the water in May. One PA told me after three months the site should be healed and I can not damage it . I may just get pain from swelling but not hurt the repair. What is the case here.

    • I would agree with the PT. Waterskiing in May sounds premature. I do think that there would be potential to re-injure with higher level activities this early because of the lack of muscle support.

  39. I got my right labrum repaired 10 days ago. I also had a cam & Pisner lesion that was shaved down. I still have clicking when i stand up or straighten my leg in my hip. I also have pain running down my thigh to my knee as well as in my right glut med. is this normal post op especially the clicking? I called my ortho & he said it’s normal for up to 8 months post op but it still worries me.

  40. I’m at post op day 29 now. I had an FAI combined, AIIS and they did an osteoplasty, rim trimming, AIIS decompression. I am still on crutches at 60% weight bearing, but my right (surgical) hip pops when going up stairs, is this normal or did I accidentally do something bad?

    • The rectus femoris (one of the hip flexors) has origin right on the AIIS. It would not surprise me if this tendon is causing some popping sensation while you are flexing the hip actively (such as when you ascend stairs). Ask the doc about it, but this is probably par for the course.

  41. I had hip impingment surgery, my labrum was too damaged to repair so was removed. This was 9 days ago. Was out of it after surgey so didnt ask alot of questions. How is my hip ok without a labrum to keep it stable. As of now i can toe touch with effected side. My 2 week appt is approaching, but im very nervous i won’t be ok w/o the labrum. Also i have always been very flexible will u be when healed, like sitting indian style is the only way i sit, which has been hard to not do. Will i do this again?

  42. I have apparently suffered a labrum, and to quote my MRI analysis: There is detachment and truncation of the superior, anterior superior, and posterior superior labrum over a length measuring 2 cm AP consistent with labral tear. Impression: Left acetabular labral tear extending from anterior superior to posterior superior labrum.

    Attending specialist only suggest physical therapy due to my age (64). I suffered with this injury for 6 months before this MRI. They sees reluctant to suggest surgery? Is this tear too big, in a unique location, or just surgery restricted due to age? Overall, my movement and structural support is better last 30 days, but burning sensation in the joint area. Mild edema adjacent to left hamstring tendon due to this injury. What is your recommendation? Thanks. I can walk a mile on demand.

      • Does the labral tear cause the problems to the tendons, etc., due to the change in your gait, or due to physical pressures put on the hamstrings, etc.?

        • I would think that it is usually the other way around. An imbalance it the muscles around the hip may cause certain muscles to be overused and other muscles to be underused. This can cause long-term stress on the hip joint and labrum.

  43. I am 13 weeks post op for labral repair and cam and pincer shaving. It felt great for until about 5 days ago. My activity has not increased significantly . I have been taking spin and weight classes since 4 weeks post op. The only change has been some light ploys ( jumping jacks etc.). but not crazy.. I feel that the front of my hip is slightly swollen and I have muscular pain but no significant joint pain. Does this seem normal???

  44. Hi there
    I see this thread is a few years old but hoping you’re still answering and thanks in advance.
    I had hip labral tear surgery three weeks ago on both sides at once. The doctor is amazing and helped to invent this method
    He doesn’t really think PT helps but prefers people to move at their own pace in recovery. I used an ice machine, didn’t need crutches even on the day of surgery, in fact was waking slowly the day of.
    I’m using a stationary bike for maybe 20 minutes a day and almost walking like nothing happened.
    I’m in my 40s and a woman.
    My questions are these;
    I do ballet and turning out even very gently still hurts a lot so I’m not forcing it. How long should this take to resolve?
    Will being peri menopausal and having an irregular period slow recovery? I am not on any replacements and am vegan FYI
    Overall I am healthy, the tears were not the worst or least he’s seen.
    He stitched the labrum both sides into the bone, shaved bone and cleaned up some cartilage. I naturally have thinner cartilage so he doesn’t believe I have arthritis
    Since the surgery I feel pretty good; I have a little groin pain still, I have numbness in one outer thigh which I hate but apparently will resolve. Also some burning in the numb area. Tightness also in the hip flexors. I’m doing sons planks and stretching gently.
    I have deep hip joints by the way, not like most dancers.
    My surgery took over 4 hours so being in traction that long may have caused the numbness in the right which incidentally was the worse side though I had less pain there.
    I can easily bend, tie my shoes, walk for maybe 30 minutes though not very fast
    I see the surgeon in two weeks.
    I want to dance again if only at a lower level.
    Also want to return to Pilates after I’ve seen the doc.
    Before the surgery I had very strong hips and legs and glutes from Pilates
    Maybe that’s also helping my recovery.
    Thanks for answering :)

    • I have never seen someone who had both hips done at the same time. I would totally err on the conservative side in terms of how you advance this. It is totally fine and expected to take several days per week off to let the muscles accommodate to the strengthening. I would not push the ballet stance with external rotation until at least 10-12 weeks from the op date. Age does have an effect on recovery, and the data for the forty and over crowd is not as great as the younger crowd, but it sounds like you take good care of yourself so I wouldn’t at all be concerned about the peri-menopausal thing.

      • Thanks for your reply. I saw the doc for my 4 week post op and he said that I’m more like a six week post op patient! Yay! Great news too is that I have 99% of my cartilage! So no arthritis! Very happy about that.
        The surgery went great in his opinion. Because of my joint looseness it was easier for him too. Probably my dance and Pilates helped. My strength is almost back. My flexibility is back to average though not to my level yet.
        Would not attempt a split yet and sitting cross legged still hurt so avoiding that and only gently stretching the legs outwards.
        I got the ok to return to Pilates and I’m only going twice or so avweek so far.
        Overall very pleased. My glute pain is all gone! I’d had that for years!

        I’m guessing that with time my turnout will return too.
        Do you believe this is true? Is it usually the last thing to come back?

        • That depends. When all of this is said and done, you should have a PT do an evaluation on the hip and see if you have a movement system impairment. If your hip has a tendency to roll forward in the socket, then I would be very careful about sitting “indian style” or turning your feet out excessively. A PT who is versed in “MSI” (Movement System Impairments) should be able to determine that. (MSI is taught at the PT school at Washington University in Saint Louis.)

  45. Had my 2 week post op, was told took labrum out, as i knew. Allowed to put weight on both sides no rotating leg and have to use walker. They said because of the bone shaving my hip is weak right now. So my question is, does it just get stronger again between now and my six week appt? Not allowed to do pt until the 6 week point.

    • I see a lot of conflicting articles on google. What is the actual success rate of hip impingment surgery?

      • There just isn’t a huge amount of long-term outcomes data for this type of surgery given that it has really only been done for the last ten years or so. From personal experience, I think that the outcomes are decent, with most people reporting that they feel better off than before the surgery. I do think that this takes a good 6-12 months for solid improvement in at least hal fo these cases.

  46. Hi Doc, thank you so much for taking time to answer questions, its so much appreciated

    My surgeon wants to do a FAI scope, labral repair AND a iliopsoas partial release – the first 2 I am ok with but the idea of cutting healthy tendon and muscle seems ridiculous to me, I’ve told him no but he keeps pushing the option.

    What is your opinion on this procedure? Thanks again

    • I think that psoas tendon releases used to be done quite a bit in the past, but not so much nowadays. I would definitely see another hip surgeon about this. Multiple opinions are always a good idea.

  47. Hi, My daughter is 18 year old and had a labral tear repair along with a shaving of her femoral head, about 4 weeks ago. She has been going to PT and is doing good and has started walking slightly, however she still feels pain in her groin when she does some movements such as; slight twisting, bending more than 90 deg, laying on her side ect. She sometimes complains of it hurting on the outside (More of a bone pain). Is this type of pain normal to feel this late after surgery? Thank You so much for your expertise!

  48. Hi Dan. I am a 17 year old competitive soccer player. I was diagnosed in November of 2017 with FAI Impingement with a torn labrum. I ended up getting hip arthroscopy in early December. Three months after the surgery I experienced absolutely no pain and was doing better than expected. I then started running on the alter-g and was fine the first time at around 60%. However, I ran again about 2 days later at 65% and it did not feel right. It felt like the alter-g might not have been calibrated properly and it felt like I was putting a lot of force on my hip (more so than what I would have expected at 65%). I usually run on it for 10 minutes but I had to stop it short at roughly 5 minutes because it was becoming slightly painful and I didn’t want to push it. I continued to do the other exercises at PT, however, when I got home I had intense pain and iced to try to remedy this. That intense pain went away, but ever since (for about a month now), my hip has not felt as strong as it did prior to the event at PT and I now have strange aches and pains in my groin, the side of my hip, and near the hip bone. None of these pains are sharp, just achy and uncomfortable. Also, it seems that they get worse as the day wears on, and then become better after I wake up, and that cycle continues.

    Since it has lasted for roughly a month, I decided to cool it with the PT and am waiting to get an MRI to see if there is anything wrong. I would appreciate your thoughts and insight on what might be going on. Additionally, how hard is it to re-tear the labrum as my surgeon and PT person have said that it is very hard. What would the symptoms be?

    I would appreciate your help.

    • I do think that the MRI is a good idea. I would obviously have to see how you move etc., but lots of people who have FAI have a tendency for the head of the femur to translate forward in the socket because of a muscle imbalance. I would find a PT who has a lot of education in what we call “MSI” (Movement System Impairments) and get a fresh evaluation once this has all calmed down. Realize that you can’t really have this type of evaluation right after a surgery because the body is not moving normally and there is weakness in certain muscle groups etc.. PT is usually focused more on the doc’s protocol and getting basic strength back.

      To answer your question it is difficult to re-tear a surgical anchor, but my guess is that it might be an underlying movement dysfunction that is causing the same type of irritation as before.

  49. I had arthroscopic labrum repair from a hip impingement which was also shaved down during the surgery. I was very careful and everything healed nicely, although I may have not done enough PT afterwards. It’s about 10months post op and I am getting back into the gym so I can get back out backpacking and mountaineering. I’ve had no hip pain. Once a week I do leg presses, stair climber, leg extensions, and laying leg curls. I do the elliptical about an hour a day 5 days a week. I am now experiencing pain, albeit completely different that the pain when my labrum was torn. This is more of a deep aching pain that is in the front and outside of my hip. I am wondering if this is because of scar tissue, or arthritis, or unhealed tissue from the surgery. It is extremely annoying. Also, sometimes when I walk, and I notice it more when my leg is extended behind me, there is a slight sharp twinge. Any insight into this or reccomendations would be GREATLY appreciated. Thanks so much!!! -RT

  50. Im 5 weeks post op for labram removal and impingment shaving. Walkinh with cane now. My issue is having a lot of knee pain now, it feel big and stiff no swelling just not right. And my buttock has a burning sensation on thr side that was operated on. Which stated friday. I did have my acl done on that side in 06. Could having this surgery messed up my knee now? Geeze.

    • I don’t think that an old ACL surgery would directly cause that. I think that it might be possible that you are getting referred pain down to the knee either from the hip or from the lower back. Your PT should be able to assess what the causality is.

  51. Hi there, I’m a 55 year old man who had labrum repair surgery 6 months ago… multiple rounds of PT.. very slow progress and after sitting for 15 hours writing for work 3days ago, I can barely walk, severe pain and I’ve been limping since my surgery. My workouts are sporadic.. is it normal to feel so much pain still?

    • At six months, we would normally expect things to at least partially be on the mend. Sitting for 15 hours by the way is going to probably place a bit of stress on the anterior portion of the acetabulum. Get up every half hour and walk around a bit.

  52. I have a labral tear in my left hip. My doctor suggested surgery. He also mentioned in about 2-3 years, I will need a hip replacement due to arthritis. I didn’t think of this at the time, but can I hold off the labral tear surgery and wait for the hip replacement surgery to fix it all? Will the tear worsen over that period of time if I cut back on the physical activities? I’m a 50 year old female who is very active. Reading about the side effects are making me second guess surgery.

    • I do agree that two surgeries seem a bit excessive. If it were me, I would see if I could wait it out until a hip replacement is necessary. What about a round of PT? That might buy you some time. Cortisone injections will at times also buy a good amount of time. Higher level activities might worsen the tear(s) (running etc.).

  53. I had laber tear repair and bone shaving and it band streaching 5 days ago. I feel great. Can bear decent amount of weight already. Doc said no more then 50% tho. My only issue is my repaired leg feels longer then the non op leg. Will this resolve? I do most likley need surgery on the other side as well. I have FAI both sides. Will instand even ever agajn. Its fustrating. I fear cuase inhave felt so good maybe ive done to much to soon?

    • The strength loss can make the effected side feel higher when standing. That should resolve over time as the strength improves. Another piece of advise, stick to the doc’s protocol and do not over-do it. It is great that things are progressing, but don’t take that as an invitation to do too much activity.

  54. I had surgery on rt hip labral tear, hip impingement w/ cyst April 2018 and need the same surgery done on my left hip. My surgeon says the second surgery can be done 6-8 weeks after first one. PT started 3 days after surgery w/ exercises, bike week 2 and aqua therapy starting at week 3. I am concerned about the rt leg supporting my left after the second surgery…would 12 weeks be better? I want to get these surgeries done asap as I am supposed to be in a wedding in late October. What do you think?

    • I have a patient now who is in his thirties and had the same surgery. He is in decent physical shape and he is well within normal weight (maybe even a bit skinny). He wants to have the other hip done, and I would say that he is just about ready to have it at 12-14 weeks. Everybody is different in terms of fitness level, weight, age, etc.. I would not schedule the 2nd surgery until you know that the 1st leg can take the sudden increase in weight bearing. I would recommend 12 weeks at a minimum, but in most cases it might take considerably longer than that. Having a good PT who can size you up after the 1st surgery is also a good idea.

  55. Hi there, so I had my labels repair/impingment surgery may 4th, I do understand I’ll still be in quite a bit of pain 11 days post op, I was just recently cleared of the brace, however still non weight bearing on crutches…..i have noticed since the brace being off, I am still experiencing the popping in my hip however worse, doesn’t take much movement for the popping to happen, and the shaping hurts worse than before surgery

  56. I had a labral repair/fai march 207 where the suregon shaved down my cam lesion on my femur as well. It took a long painful recovery but the last 2 months have been the most pain free and best i have felt. About 3 days ago i was leaning into a lacrosse ball rubbing out my shoulder and i heard a pop come from my hip. I was alarmed but it didnt hurt. The next day i had pain in my trochanter area and also my posterior/lateral hip and glute. It hurts when i wake up in the morning and i have been dealing with stiffness in the area as well. Im worried i re tore my labrum. I know it doesnt seem likely but the pain and stiffness are familiar to me. Do you think it could just be a tight IT band? Im also getting some pain in my knee as well. Your thoughts are greatly appreciated.

      • Thank you for the quick response. I also have been getting buzzing sensations in my lateral thigh as well, which i havent had in a couple of years. Any idea what causes the sensation. Thanks again for all your help you seem to care a great deal for people here on the internet.

  57. Hi, I am exactly 4 weeks post op from a hip labral tear, FAI (cam and pincer, so they shaved the bone down). The tear was a major tear (doc had to sew it up and put 5 anchors in). I think I probably over did it right after surgery, but then the pain went away by week 2-3. as of a few days ago I am experiencing quite a lot of pain (it wakes me up at night) and it is the same type of pain as before I had surgery. It hurts within the joint itself and sometimes is unbearable. How likely is it to re-injure yourself (re-tear or the area they sewed up gets undone)? How long do patients typically feel pain for? My doctor said I should know how well I’ve recovered at about 3 months. Maybe I am just being impatient, but it’s so disheartening and the pain just sucks.

    • I would think that the highest risk of re-tear is during the first six weeks. If you didn’t do anything extreme (fall, etc.) my guess is that the joint is merely inflamed, which can be quite painful.

  59. Hey Mr. Baumstark,

    I am six months post right hip labral tear repair and femoral head shaving. The operation was done in Korea, and there is no access to a qualified physical therapist here. There was no post op protocol provided by my surgeon.

    I felt like I was doing okay for a while, but I have hit a plateau. My hip catches and clicks throughout the day. I am a teacher, and I spend about 4 hours on my feet in 50 minute increments throughout the day. I can’t get through any of these 50 minute classes without pain. There is a pretty substantial amount of pain when I bend over and sometimes it catches in my hip on a trigger spot.

    Is this pointing towards a revision? Does it sound like there is still a tear in there? The pain is worse than it was before surgery. Thanks for your help.

    Paul

    • That could easily be explained by weakness in specific muscle groups that support the hip. If you have not done any structured strengthening, I would think that there is no better time than the present to get one going. You can find hip strengthening protocols online, but I would suggest finding someone who can help you. If there are no physical therapists around, maybe a personal trainer?

  60. Hello,
    I am 10 weeks out of a labral tear repair and osteoplasty. I was on crutches for 7 weeks, a little longer than my doctor had hoped. I am doing well in physical therapy and am riding the stationary bike and just started lifting some weights and doing the stairmaster three times per week. Usually I am sore the next day and I was just wondering if I should still be taking it pretty easy and resting my hip most of the day when I am not exercising or if I should be trying to be active and move around as much as possible without pain?
    Thanks!

    • This depends on “how things are going”. Your PT should be able to give you an up to date answer for this question, but I would think that at this point a patient such as yourself ought to be walking slowly and for short distances only. The return to full activity should be very gradual.

  61. Im 10 weeks post op. My pt is great, he jas worked with lot of labral repairs. But my labrum was removed. Not sure iam progressing, have a lot of pain. Cant walk much. Worse off now then before surgery. Have u worked with pts with Labral removal and did it work out for them?

    • Maximal benefit probably won’t be seen for a while. I would back off the exercises for a week or two and let the hip recover a bit more. Many, many people feel exactly like you do at 10 weeks, hang in there are be patient.

  62. Rt hip torn labrum/hip impingement surgery April. Rehab 3x’s a week. inc. pool. At week 4.5 dropped 1 crutch, Week 5, 2nd crutch. At week 5.5 all standing leg work- squats, balancing on 1 leg ball toss and step work. On Monday did all standing exercises but by Tuesday evening rt hip began to get sore, leg & hip feel tight. Told therapist at PT on Wednesday and he said we’ll take it easier. Squats, steps ok, but couldn’t make it thru the 3 sets of 1 leg balance ball toss. Wednesday evening tried to drive around block-1st time in 6 wks-painful getting out of car. Thursday morning I could hardly walk-rt hip hurt like the first day post op, back on 2 crutches. Went to surgeon that day for my 6 week post op appointment. The Dr. said PT too aggressive and prescribed 5 day pack Methylprednisone. Today is Friday, whole hip area painful-front,side,glute, under glute and especially rt groin. Left groin hurts, too. Lots of icing and trying to stay off of my feet as much as possible. Next PT session scheduled for Monday. I’m a 58 yr old female, in good shape but not the athlete like I used to be! Surgery on a torn labrum left hip was to be scheduled for the end of July. I’m terrified damage was done to my rt hip…all my progress down the tubes. I know this is a long recovery with good days and bad but today I’m really bummed. What is your opinion/advice? If I feel a bit better over the weekend should I attempt some stretching exercises or just lay low and wait until I go back to PT Monday afternoon? Will the Methhylprednisone help? Thank you for your time and any advice.

    • I think that in your case the exercise intensity needs to be ramped up at a very slow rate. I don’t think that you botched the surgery, but it will probably take several weeks for the inflammation to calm down. I would stay away from the balance activity for a good month. I do tell many of the post-op hips that many of these cases do not “turn the corner” until six months post-op. Hang in there!

      • Dan,
        Thank you for responding so quickly. I will try to remain positive and hope that it’s just inflammation, no damage. I did feel things were going a bit fast. I was uncomfortable going forth with the balance exercises but my PT therapist works closely with my surgeon and I thought he knew best. The “no pain, no gain” exercise logic is what got me here in the first place! I need to keep reminding myself that the body at 58 doesn’t work or repair itself like it did years ago. The “being patient” part of this rehab is the most challenging.
        Thanks again.

  63. I had a labral repair 4 years ago and recovered well. Last year while playing hockey I injured what I thought was my quad/groin area. After months of constant pain and tests/ scans it was finally established that one of the screws from the labral repair had penetrated the iliopsoas tunnel. I had the screw removed and due to damage had to have a labral reconstruction using a graft from my IT band, Am now 11 weeks post op. Rehab went ok, cycling 60 -90 mins a day along with exercises. I went for a walk to test it, 1.5 km. Was ok but that night the pain increased, mostly to my groin and upper hip area, so I iced it. The following day the pain levels increased. Today I am in agony with groin and low pelvic pain. Pain meds are doing nothing, I have had low back pain, groin and pelvic pain throughout my recovery. This has increased from week 4 onwards. Do you think the likely origin is the labral repair or something to do with my iliopsoas? Thanks in advance

    • I think that you might be over training a bit for 11 weeks post op. Back it off for two weeks and then very gradually start adding. 60-90 minutes of cycling is a lot. Talk to your PT about a very slow return to activity once this inflammation has calmed down. If the pain does not abate, I would see the doc about it.

  64. Hi. Im listening to your podcast and I heard to state that most people don’t know what cause their injury but I am one that knows what cause mine and it was immediately an onset of pain afterwards. While I was giving birth to my son 2/18/2017 the nurse dropped my leg and I was at the time under anesthesia and after the meds wore off I felt pain. So I knew what caused it. They only discovered it 9/12/2017 and surgery 1/19/2018. I look up the cause of the labral tears and it does say different from you that it’s cause from traumatic fall and injury and athletic like runners. Also I feel it caused arthritis and it hurts from my hip groins area all the way down to my foot sometimes, so why would someone not get surgery if the labral tears will cause arthritis? I wish I would have surgery Immediately if they discovered the tear early. Also why do doctors do X-rays first then MRI without contrast then MRI with contrast to find things?? This prolong everything. If MRI with contrast discovers more why it’s not used first?? Im hearing as I type that you are saying it takes maybe 2yrs to be completely healed after surgery is it possible it that the surgery didn’t work or it’s that I’m having other issues like arthritis?? I’m 5 months out from surgery and sometimes feels worse. I can’t sleep on my side that it’s on, I can’t sit in my car long, I can’t sit too low and get back up without pain and after a long day of anything with my 1yr old is horrible.

    • Ive been with PT since before they discovered my labral hip tear because they assumed it was a muscle strain at first. All the trainer and doctor say is that it takes time. Should I seek a neurologist??

    • Labral tears can often be managed by strengthening up around the hip joint rather than surgery. I think that X-rays are done first to rule out things like arthritis, fractures, and cancer etc.. That is the cheapest test to do and rules out some of the more concerning diagnoses. I would bet that insurance companies have something to do with why MRI’s are not done first, as they are more expensive. It may still take a few more months for the hip to come around, it is not uncommon for people to still have appreciable pain five months after a surgery.

  65. Hi Dr. i’m three months postop hip labral tear and some shaving. At about two months. I did some squats with very light weight and haven’t felt good since. I’m really scared that I messed something up there. Some days are better than others. My doctor and PT say it takes time but I have this constant dull achy feeling that only subsides but not completely alleviate with ice and anti-inflammatory meds. Are these symptoms a sign that I compromised the surgery?

    • If the squatting occurred at two months post-op, the anchors are probably fine. The more likely explanation is that you irritated the joint, which could take quite a while to abate. The doc of course could move your leg around and assess it if you are worried.

  66. Hi! I am a college basketball player who recently had both of my hips repaired for torn labrum, combined FAI, and PSOAS impingement release. I am currently 9 weeks out from my first surgery and 4 weeks out from the second. I am going to PT twice a week and i’ve been on crutches for 13 weeks now- because of this I have kind of ditched the crutches a bit the second time around- I’m not in very much pain but I’ve been worrying about what this might do for my recovery?
    A second question I have is weight lifting…. I have been going to the gym to work on my upper body strength. Again, it is going well and really don’t have any pain doing this, but is this something you wouldn’t suggest doing?
    I’m very worried about not recovering on time, but I also hate sitting around doing nothing. Any advice would be very appreciated :)

    • Ditching the crutches early for the most recent surgery might be slightly risky, I would stick to the crutch protocol, at least for walking longer distances. A lack of pain is great, but it can give you a false sense that you can blaze forward in the rehab process and bypass protocol. That would not be a great idea. In terms of upper body strength, I would guess that you could do just about anything that doesn’t load the legs up inappropriately. Machines would be okay, as would anything that you could do on a bench or mat. Make sure that you run your exercise routine by the PT to be sure! Final advice…..stick to the timeline.

  67. Hi there, I am 10 days post op from labral repair and femoroplasty from CAM and pincer impingement. Doctor said my labrum was detached from 10 o’clock to 3 o’clock, not sure how many anchors he had to put in . I’m weight bearing as tolerated with crutches. I didn’t use my crutches around the house yesterday and felt ok, reason is I also have a cartilage tear in my wrist and the crutches are hurting my wrist. Today my groin and buttock pain are worse than they have ever been and pain goes down to the back of my knee . Feels like sciatica Do you think I could have damaged something by full weight bearing? Post op appointment is not until next week. Thank you. (I’m a 49 year old moderately fit female , hoping to get back to hiking and skiing)

    • Sounds more like sciatic nerve irritation than anchors dislodging. I wouldn’t freak out about this. Everything around the hip joint is weak and likely swollen, a perfect situation for the sciatic nerve to get clamped and shoot pain down the leg.

  68. Dan,
    I just had my right hip done to repair a labrum tear and burr my femur to reduce future damage. I am supposed to have my left hip done in 4 weeks. I have a trip planned for Europe mid September. When I talked to my doctor, he said I’ll get tired and won’t be able to walk nonstop all day but I’ll still be able to do the trip. What do you think? Based off of some of these responses I’m worried that I won’t be able to enjoy my trip.

    • That is cutting the timeline awfully short Jonathan. Some people do get around quite well after these surgeries, but I would always err on the conservative side. Only having 6 weeks or so between your next surgery and walking all over Europe in my humble opinion is not a fantastic idea. Could you wait on the 2nd surgery until after the trip? I would maybe ask your PT about this. An “in person” assessment would probably be best.

  69. I had hip arthroscopy 6 weeks ago for labrum debridement, acetabular rim recession. Small medial labral tear. Quite a bit of clean up in the hip. I had been recovering well, down to 1 crutch and sometimes able to not use all. Then out of nowhere 3 days ago I couldn’t put any weight on that leg, the pain in groin and hip is unbearable. I am now having to use 2 crutches as just cannot walk. I have been to hospital- fracture and dislocation ruled out, so what is the problem ?

    • That is tough to say, but in my experience these types of things tend to happen with a sudden increase in weight bearing or activity when the strength around the joint is not yet sufficient to take the weight.

  70. Hello,
    I had hip arthroscopy in February to repair a Labral tear. I’m still in pain daily deep in my joint, the outer side of my hip (bursa/greater trochanter area) and have limited range of movement in my left leg, I cannot climb stairs, put on my shoe or walk or sit without pain. I toss and turn at night and get little sleep. I now have lower back pain along with sciatic pain that goes down to my knee.
    I saw my hip surgeon who referred me to a back specialist because he thought it may be a pinched nerve. I made an appointment and met with the back Dr, after an exam in the office along with an xray, he diagnosed me with mild scoliosis and a herniated disk with Radiculopathy. He recommended PT for 4 weeks then a follow up visit. With no relief at the end of the 4 weeks an MRI of my lumbar spine was performed. The MRI showed no herniated disk or pinched nerve, so the back specialist said I should go back to see my ortho because it could possibly be my IT band. At this point I’m very frustrated because I’m almost 6 months post op and I’m still having the same pains I did prior to the surgery. Any ideas?

    • If your MRI is clear, and the surgery anchors held well and healed into place, this is most likely a mechanical issue. I would call around and find the best, most experienced PT in your area who treats hips on a regular basis and have a fresh set of eyes look at how you move etc.. Please realize also that lots of people who have this type of surgery do not have maximal improvement until up to a year after the surgery. Hang in there.

  71. First, thank you for providing such informative comments! I had labral repair/impingement surgery on April 11th and have been discouraged with my progress. Prior to surgery, I had deep hip/groin pain following any sort of exercise, but was generally pain free if I rested (pain had gone on for about 15 months). I wanted to maintain an active lifestyle (37 year old female runner) and had the surgery in hopes of eliminating pain, but now I am sore most of the day, regardless of activity. I worked with a pt (who was very experienced with hip patients) up until a week ago when I had a cortisone injection. My surgeon’s theory is that the pain is caused by inflammation so I’m also on Duexis (800 mg three times/day) as an anti-inflammatory. In addition to the deep ache in my joint I also have sharp pains when I move certain ways – if I lift my leg too high or twist too far. Also, I still have a large patch of numb skin above my knee. It is numb to the touch but also feels bruised at times. I have been assured it will go return to normal but everyone does seem surprised that it has lasted this long. Is all of this still “normal” 3 1/2 months post -surgery? I really appreciate your input!

    • Many, many post-op labral repairs do not “turn the corner” until at least six months. This is still relatively early in the process. The weakness in the surrounding hip muscles makes it difficult for the head of the femur to be controlled, this can make it tricky for the inflammation to subside. My advice to you would be to allow for at least 1-2 days of rest in between exercise sessions. I would probably also just stick to the simple motions that the PT showed you for the time being.

      • Thank you very much for replying so quickly. I will continue to work on strengthening and also give it time.

    • Hi,

      I was operated in December 2017, and did have a numb patch of skin. I don’t have it or feel that anymore. I remember that going away at around the 5-6 month point for me. It felt exactly as you described. I think it has to do with nerve irritation due to the surgery, but I’m not a doctor. I am at almost 9 months now and it has been up and down to say the least.

      Dan

  72. I had hip arthroscopy yesterday. Labral repair that required four anchors, resurfacing of the femoral head and acetabulum, and removal of a loose body. Earlier today I was positioning myself to get into a chair, and I accidentally put all of my weight on my surgical leg for a step. Should I be worried that I re-tore my labrum or did some other damage from that one step?

  73. Hello Dan!

    I just had my left hip repaired, torn from the 12-4 o’clock. It seems Canadian guidelines are more strict at four weeks non-weight bearing, with the first two weeks flat on my back. August 8th was the surgery and they didn’t write me back to work until September 23rd. I also need my second hip done, and they said it’s at least six to nine months out from my left hip surgery date of August 8th.

    My question is, when does the foot on my surgical leg stop getting purple and swollen when I’m up crutching around? Also my groin is still numb from surgery.

    I’m doing daily tummy time, buttocks squeezes, toe pointing and leg hang as per PT. But PT says physio won’t start until second week. Those above exercises I do at home.

    I’m a 31 year old very active female.

    Thank you for your time!

    Ashley:)

    • That may take a few months for the swelling in the leg to go down, and it is a bit variable depending on the individual. You could request a compression sock from the doc, that should help with venous return in the lower leg.

  74. Hello, I am 6 months post op and still feel very weak on the operated side. The pain only subsided with ice. I have only been doing PT once a week because of costs. Is it normal to have the achy/weak feeling at this point?

  75. Hey Dan!
    Hope you’re well!
    I am a 33 year old female, 4 months exactly post labrum repair surgery. The tear was mild, on the left side, and I have two anchors in place, and (forgive me, forgot the appropriate term) had some bone shaving in the hip join as well. I was in a brace for two weeks, and non weight bearing for 4 weeks. Only a few mild injuries (at about 3 weeks out, I agitated the hip by stumbling on my crutches and putting some significant weight on my injured leg. Pain was severe by only lasted about 4 days, and no residual issue), and my doctor believes I am healing well. No clicking or catching in my hip, I can walk long distances without much pain (2 on a scale of 10). Overall the hip just still feels a little weak when I walk, and I do still have some radiating pain on the outer hip and thigh, but at a 2 on a scale of 10.
    I was in physical therapy two times/week for three months, and have started working with an athletic trainer to build core strength, etc.
    Prior to this injury (sustained in a pilates reformer class), I was very physically active. My doctor advised that at the four month mark, I can resume physical activity, and more intense activity two months from now.
    Do you know of any literature, or workout plans, that you would recommend I review, to plan my re-acclamation accordingly? I am an avid yogi, pilates (reformer), boxing, spinning, running and toning fan. I don’t want to try too much too soon, but I am very eager to resume my activities!
    Apologies for the nature of the next question, but my doctor doesn’t give me much of his time.. I’m curious when is best to resume sexual activity? I attempted this with my partner yesterday, and am now in a bit of pain in my outerhip (perhaps overstretched). When is a safe time to resume this activity?
    Appreciate your advice! This forum has been extremely helpful for me in my recovery – kudos to you!

    Thanks!

    • I think that you are probably in the clear for sexual activity, but I would not be swinging off the chandeliers anytime soon. I would stay conservative with it and let pain be your judge. I am a fan of pilates type exercises, so starting with the basics of that is a great idea. I also am a HUGE advocate of Medical Exercise Trainers. I would look around your area and see if there are any trainers with this certification. They can be a very valuable tool in your transitional process.

  76. Hey there. Had labrum repair and shaved my ball May 2018. No problems at all with the hip until I went back to working after 3 months from surgery. I work 12 hour shifts, standing alot and walking on concrete. My surgerical side has been getting numb from hip to knee, mostly on the outside of the thigh. As soon as I sit, it goes away. Also rather sore on the outside of the hip. Would this be due to the hip surgery or another problem such as my Degenerative disc disease L5/S1 in the back? If not, how long before the numbing goes away?

  77. I am a 23 year old Male, 74 inches and 175 lbs. Normally very physically active until this happened. I work 9 to 10 hours in the Operating room. I had a right hip labral tear, with cam a impingement surgery back in December 2017. PT twice a week starting at week 2 post-op. Was on crutches for a total of 4 weeks, CPM for a total of 8 hours a day (4 weeks). By week 3 I was 80-90% weight-baring. On week 6 the physical therapist had me running on a treadmill at 50% with no pain. Ortho provider shot that down at week 8 said that I wasn’t ready for that yet. Fast forward to present day (9 months later). Still unable to lift leg more than a foot off the ground, sharp pain some days a 4 pain other days could be up to 8 pain (0-10 pain scale) in the front of the quad, and groin pain and feels like it locks and wont go any farther. When lying supine only able to bend 90 degrees with provider assistance due to pain. Any possible idea’s that could it possibly be? The Ortho doc wants another MRI done. I’ve been dealing with this whole thing for a total of 2 and a half years. Thank you

    • At nine months the amount of pain and dysfunction that you are having indicates that something might be going on in the hip joint. I think having the diagnostic test is a good idea at this point. It sounds like the head of the femur is making contact with the front part of the acetabulum. There are some specific exercises and stretches that you could try, but I would find a PT who is experienced in dealing with this. I would ask around and see if there are any PT’s in your area who are familiar with “femoral anterior glide syndrome”. (Washington University graduates are versed in this type of diagnostic management.)

  78. Hi Dr. I had surgery 7 months ago for torn labrum anterior with pincer. Some days were good and some bad but recently I did forward lunges and have really bad pain on a level 8. I have only been doing backward lunges. Should I be concerned?

PhysioDC Address

1001 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 330
Washington, DC 20036
Entrance on K Street

Find us on Google Maps

Office Hours

Monday-Thursday    7:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Friday 7:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Saturday 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM (By Prior Appointment)

Contact PhysioDC

Office: 202-223-8500
Fax: 202-379-9299

Email Us through our online contact form.