Here is an honest and inspiring testimonial from one of our clients who has been battling the symptoms of hip arthritis throughout 2025 and is waiting for a total hip replacement.
"In March 2025 I woke up one morning to find I had excruciating pain shooting down my left leg as far as my knee.
I am a healthy individual who is a gym user, horse rider, dog walker and had, in November 2024, completed a trek in the Himalayas.
I initially thought this pain was stress related as I had recently had my dog and horse put to sleep, I was moving house, and my son was moving away from home.
After a week of continuous pain, I got an appointment with the doctor who completed a series of checks including referring me for X rays, at this time I was on no pain relief.
At the end of April, I received the results of my tests which confirmed that the x rays had shown up osteoarthritis in my hips I was then told to take Ibuprofen, co-codamol and/ or paracetamol. I was also given amitriptyline and Naproxen. I took the amitriptyline co-codamol and Ibuprofen. As someone who only occasionally takes paracetamol to be suddenly on all this medication did not sit well with me. I found the Amitriptyline made me feel unfocused and really low.
I was now in so much pain I could hardly walk I spent a lot of time in tears due to the pain, and I was struggling to complete simple daily tasks and my work was suffering.
I had been referred through my employer for Physiotherapy but after 6 sessions it had not alleviated any of my symptoms. It was then suggested that I try Acupuncture. I contacted Fairway Physio and they had a session I could attend that evening, one session took away most of the sharp pains running down my leg I couldn’t believe how successful it was.
Since then, I have continued to have acupuncture, and I also do strength and conditioning sessions. These sessions also give me the opportunity to talk through any issues I have both physically and mentally. Now I take no medication, I can walk longer and longer distances on the flat, I can fulfil all aspects of my work, and I can walk up stairs which was nigh on impossible a few months ago.
My mental health is improving with me being able to do some physical exercise, it may not be at the level I used to do pre-March but with every strength and conditioning session I am able to increase the amount I am completing.
I have had an appointment with a specialist who has confirmed that my osteoarthritis is severe in the left hip and I will require a hip replacement, I am now on the waiting/cancellation list. Meanwhile I continue to have acupuncture/strength and conditioning sessions every week working on making sure everything is strong to aid my recovery. I also have recently had a number of sports massages which have released a lot of tension that I am carrying throughout my body due to being in constant pain.
The pain is now bearable I still have bad days, and it is sometimes hard to keep a positive outlook, but I know that this is a temporary position and once I have the replacement, I should be able to do all the things I used to love doing.
My journey to this point has been a partnership with my sports therapist he has guided me through a wide variety of exercises which have helped to not only reduce my pain but also strengthen my Glutes, Quads and hamstrings. These sessions also let me voice my fears and aspirations as well as the highs and lows in moods I experience, this outlet for my feelings has proven invaluable to me.
I would advise anyone in a similar position to me to look at working with Fairway physio to develop a programme of pre and post operative care designed specifically for your individual needs both physically and mentally. I am in the pre operation phase but hoping that I will have my operation soon, once this has taken place, I will continue to work with the team at Fairway physio to ensure I have a full and speedy recovery".
If you would like to see what you can do to manage your hip pain, book an appointment with one of our expert therapists who will guide and support you through the whole process. We are happy to work with people pre surgery to help manage symptoms and delay surgery where possible. We can then help clients post total hip replacement to ensure strong, stable and pain free hips.
