I've had an arthritic hip for some time. A couple years ago the doctor told me I would eventually get tired of the pain and decide to get a replacement...but I don't want to. The pain is such that if I push my hip forward it hurts in front. It wants to stay flexed a bit instead...not just when skiing. I'm lff and its my right hip. I figure the more I pressure my back leg, the worse the hip feels. So I guess I'm wondering if anyone has hip issues, how to deal with it when skiing, and if anyone skis hard on a replaced hip. I know Lucky did for awhile but not sure how it really worked out.

I know of a few people that ski on replaced hips. Some I wouldn't describe as skiing hard but they are skiing as hard as they ever did. I know of one lady that had hers done and is skiing back into -28. Thomas Gustafson just had his done and while he is still just a few months out is back riding a slalom and I believe he posted a video of him running -28@34. I did a bunch of talking with people about this last summer. My girlfriend was born with pretty severe hip dysplasia. Que the dog jokes... I do.... She had to have a total hip replacement at 31 years old. While she only freeski I wanted to make sure she could continue doing that. I got pretty positive feedback from everyone skiing after the surgery. The only issue she had was because she had surgery before on that hip they had to go in from the rear of the thigh and it is a lot longer recovery time. If you do it I would really push for them to do it from the front. The doctor that did Ashley said going in the front the move less muscle and damage less nerves so you look at a 3-6 month recovery time but when they go through the back of the thigh it turns into 10-12+ month recovery. Ashley is at 10 months now and is back to normal for the most part. She did ski a hand full of times this summer. Said the only thing she felt different was that her leg was still weak.

Hope that helps!

It does help to hear this. I'm gonna hold out a bit and see if I can get some relief from rolling and other types of PT, but it's good to know that if I do it I'm not dead in the water. Thank you.

"Que the dog jokes"

I have been skiing with bilateral partial knee replacements and a L hip replacement since 2008.
Best tournament score[/b] at 34 mph , M6 --> 2 at -35. Best tournament score M7 at 32 mph 3 at -35. Best tournamt score at M8 this summer 4 at - 32.
Snow ski in the winter.

A hip replacement will not slow you down.

My hip replaced March 1 2008, skied the first wk of June. Running into -32 at 34 mph by Sept.

MAG

That's incredible and so good to hear! I want your doctor. Can you tell me any details on the replacement? Anterior, posterior?

My friend had his hip replaced right before Christmas and was skiing in FL in March af few years ago.

He was hobbling around like Festus before surgery and says he should have had it done sooner.

He is a National level skier. Age and bad shoulders are slowing him down now more than anything.