Alex Rodriguez’s next arthroscopic hip surgery is set for tomorrow, Jan. 16th, according to MLB.com. The highly paid Yankees third basement is having his left hip scoped in order to repair a torn labrum, a bone impingement and remove a cyst. His right hip was scoped almost four years ago, in February 2009.
Dr. Bryan T. Kelly, who will perform the procedure at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York, says he expects Rodriguez to return to the game around the All-Star break this summer. Rodriguez has already been undergoing physical therapy or “prehab” to prepare for the surgery and facilitate a speedy recovery.
Dr. Kelly says he believes the injury contributed to Rodriguez’s poor performance last season, adding that hip issues are genetic in origin and unrelated to his admitted past use of performance-enhancing steroids.
ANOTHER UPDATE: Rodriguez’s arthroscopic hip surgery, on the left side, “went as planned and without complication,” according to an announcement from the Yankees, and he is expected to be discharged from the hospital on Thursday, Jan. 17th.
Thank you for the advice!
Yes, I have been attached to the CPM (as per Dr Kelly) for 4 hours a day if I’m not doing the bike. For every 20 minutes worth of bike I can subtract 1 hr of cpm.
Your advice sounds fairly accurate to what I am currently experiencing. My rehab with this hip is basically the same although it is going slower in terms of adjusting to the bike. However it seems to be coming around a bit. I think the rehab for my left hip was abnormally fast. I was able to bike with resistance about a week after my surgery with zero pain. It literally got better daily. This time around it’s a completely different story so I think that’s why mentally I’m having a hard time accepting it. Your encouragement means a lot. I think I needed a reality check.
I have heard some great things about Dr. Coleman as well. Keep us updated on your progress with running! That is where I hope to be in the next 6-9 months if all goes well. I was a competitive runner before this (have only run one marathon but was very serious about it). I am dying to do NYC as well. Will be awesome to see if you are able to achieve that goal!
-Alyssa
This post will sound cruel..And it isI am not sure about this. Seems to me he will come back at about 75% and then need major surgery in the off seosan that will require about 6 to 9 month rehab, so that means he will be about 75% in 2010 while only playing in 60 to 100 games, then maybe in 2011 he will be 100% but as he grows older. I think the best he ever will do is about 80& of his past couple of years. Prediction..’The Doctors” will find he has a degenerative Hip problem that will need Hip Replacement resulting in a whole lot of sympathy from some Yankee fans. He then will come back in 2011 and try to play like Bo Jackson which result in failure, but he will be able to bow out with some honor till it comes out that He used Steroids since he was in Jr High School and this was the cause of his Body Breakdown.
Hi Vivian,
I’m so happy to have stumbled upon your blog. Thank you for taking the time to clearly document your experience with these surgeries. It’s an invaluable resource to be able to connect with other patients.
I’m a 30 year old female who is currently 6 weeks out of my surgery to correct my right hip impingement, labral tear, as well as had my psoas released. Dr. Coleman performed my surgery as well. My recovery has been going very smoothly, so I became a little overconfident with my body’s ability to perform certain movements.
Yesterday, I foolishly rushed into a cab, swinging my right leg in very quickly and lifting it up higher than I should have. Guess my body has not caught up with my mind. Needless to say, I was reminded that I am still healing because it sent a soaring pain through my joint that made me fear I have re-torn my labrum. Today, my scar is super red and I cannot bear weight on my right leg without that old familiar shooting groin pain.
Have you noticed issues like this getting into an out of a car in your experiences, too? The fear of re-tearing my labrum is driving me crazy!
Hi Jamie,
I share your fear of re-injury, especially about tearing my labrum(s) again! Actually, almost everyone I know who has had this procedure seems to approach workouts, even daily activities with that same trepidation. Maybe when I’m two or three years past both surgeries I’ll feel differently.
Meanwhile, life can be a bit frustrating at times: my mind desperately wants to work out the way I used to (kind of like a maniac) but my body keeps reminding me that I’m not completely back to normal. So I’ve had to tone things down and back off, especially when I’ve overdone it.
Getting in and out of cars was somewhat challenging in the beginning for me — a task I often had to approach rather gingerly. Especially six weeks post-op. I seriously doubt that you re-tore your labrum from the cab incident — sounds like icing and NSAIDs might be in order, though.
Good luck with your rehab and future training.
All the best,
Vivian
Hi Alyssa,
My PT protocol was basically the same after each scope, though I have to say, the second procedure and rehab, on the right side (in December 2011) went a lot smoother than the left side (scoped in July 2011).
That’s probably because the right hip wasn’t nearly as damaged as the left. My physical therapist said the difference in recovery between the two was like night and day, and so he changed/accelerated my PT a bit after the second scope. (Even today, it’s the left side that occasionally gives me trouble when I overdo things.)
Eight days away from surgery is still pretty early. The only advice I could give to you, based solely on my own experience, is to gradually increase your activity. The first time on the stationary bike I was only able to do about 5 or 10 minutes. Each day I slightly increased my time, making sure, of course, that the resistance was basically off. I remember being thrilled when I had reached 20 minutes!
What also helped initially (as in the first couple of days post-op) was the CPM machine (short for continuous passive motion) – and lots and lots of icing with the Game Ready ice machine.
Sounds like you’re in good hands, though: Dr. Kelly has a superb reputation. Though he wasn’t my surgeon (Dr. Struan Coleman was), he’s the guy chosen to get A-Rod back on the ball field this season.
Good luck to you, and let us know how you’re doing.
Best,
Vivian
Hi Vivian,
So great to read about your experience/recovery with these surgeries. I am 28 and just had my 3rd hip arthroscocpy at HSS about 8 days ago. My first two scopes were very similar to your’s. They were to correct FAI/Labral damage on each side. Unfortunately I developed a ligament laxity in the right hip after the repair (it’s a rare complication). Hence the need for a third scope. I’m not sure if your MD was Dr. Kelly but he performed all three of my scopes. This most recent one has been very challenging in terms of the rehab. The restrictions/limitations are more involved since a repair was made directly the the hip capsule. I was curious how far out you are from your 2nd scope? Did each rehab differ for you or was it mostly the same? I am having a hard time getting adjusted to using the bike again with the capsular repair. Was wondering if you experiened similar trouble and if you had any advice on how to ease back into it? Hope you are doing well and keep up with the blogging! It is great to see how other athletes/patients are doing!!
-Alyssa