Blog Archives

The journey from injury to recovery for Vivian Marino.

In Search of Milestones

Oh how I love waking up every morning. As I continue to recover from arthroscopic hip surgery in mid-July, I’m finding that each new day brings a new movement, or a movement performed better than the previous day. Like climbing or descending stairs. Picking things up from the floor. Getting

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Posted in Hip Labral Tears, My Story, Physical Therapy

Me vs. the Beer Man

It’s been four weeks since I had arthroscopic surgery to repair a torn left hip labrum and – dare I say? – I seem to be healing pretty fast. According to my physical therapist, the range of motion in  my left hip area is already close to 100 percent. And the

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Posted in Hip Labral Tears, My Story, Physical Therapy

When to Get Help? Listen Up

Let’s face it, injuries are an occupational hazard for most athletes – they simply come with the territory. For some people, recovering from any injury is almost seen as a badge of honor, or at least deserving of bragging rights. Runners, it seems, suffer more than their share of injuries and

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Posted in Hip Labral Tears, My Story, Running

Let the Rehab Begin

Physical therapy plays a crucial role in the recovery process after arthroscopic hip surgery. Most post-surgical patients typically begin some form of PT the day after the procedure – at home, on their own – with the use of an ice machine (I used a rented Game Ready) or ice packs, if

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Posted in Hip Labral Tears, My Story, Physical Therapy

Sans Stitches and Crutches

Day 12 in my recovery from arthroscopic hip surgery marked a small milestone. The stitches came out. Four Steri-Strips were put in their place; they will eventually fall off on their own, I am told. (And then I am free to swim.) These are what Steri-Strips look like, if you

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Posted in Hip Labral Tears, My Story

Crutches Are My Friend

The worst part about recovering from arthroscopic hip surgery hasn’t been the pain or soreness, or even the bad anesthesia headaches that lingered for several days. It’s been the limited mobility. And for an active person like myself – who doesn’t really stop until hitting the pillow late at night

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Posted in Hip Labral Tears, My Story

Surgery Update

The four words you always want to hear, and I did hear, after surgery: “Everything went very well.” Recuperating, though, hasn’t gone nearly as well  – bad headaches from the spinal anesthesia, nausea, stomach pains and general lethargy. Which was why I hadn’t written anything since my arthroscopic hip surgery four days

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Posted in Hip Labral Tears, My Story

In Love (With Running)

Two days to go before my hip arthroscopy surgery and nervous jitters are getting the best of me. So I did the only thing that I knew would calm me down: I went for a run. It was a slow and easy three-mile run — more like a jog, really

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Posted in Hip Labral Tears, My Story, Running

Surgery Countdown

Today was my preoperative examination and check-in before my hip arthroscopy. The purpose of any pre-op exam is to evaluate a patient’s readiness for anesthesia and surgery through a battery of tests, and mine was no exception. The first stop: the office of the internist, which required me to fill out

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Posted in Hip Labral Tears, My Story

Surgery Countdown

Two weeks to go before arthroscopic hip surgery to repair a torn labrum — the result of femoroacetabular impingement (F.A.I.), or hip impingement syndrome. That’s when the femoral head of the thigh bone rubs against the acetabulum, or cuplike socket of the hip joint. This rubbing can damage the soft elastic

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Posted in Hip Labral Tears, My Story

Welcome

Most athletes have experienced a “second wind,” that jolt of energy and strength that allows us, enervated and dispirited, to carry on. But sometimes our bodies cannot recover on their own – we need outside help so we can catch our “third wind.”

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