Here's the deal: I've been hobbled by an injury recently that has destroyed my quality of life. I've seen multiple doctors and have had a lot of testing and everything is negative. I don't know who else to see, so naturally, I'm resorting to offering a meager sum to a questionable group of anonymous trolls on an online message board for any tips that lead me to a solution that allows me to run and hike again.
I am a 35 yr old female with anterior left hip pain for ~2.5 yrs. Pain started as dull and achy with activity. Initially occurring only towards the end of really long weekend trips (backpacking in the mountains, snowshoeing, xc skiing). Pain was manageable until I did a 13 mile run that was mostly uphill that I kept pushing through and by the end of it I was favoring my hip. Despite rest for weeks (no running, lifting, nothing), the pain would come on within a few minutes of jogging. The pain level was low: 2-3, and only with running or activities like xc skiing, snowshoeing.
Treatment:
1) I saw a sports med who did xrays and MRI without significant findings. I had a steroid injection without improvement. I did a month of PT and no improvement. All this time I was NOT trying to push through it or run at all.
2) I went to a premier sports med clinic in Philadelphia that specializes in core medicine. I had another MRI which showed a small labral tear on both hips, and possible mild dysplagia on both hips. I had steroid injections into the hip joint and bursa without any improvement. My pain was not reproducible in the office - since it was with running/repetitive hip flexion. I don't believe my symptoms perfectly fit with a labral tear but it was the closest possibility since everything else was negative. I was referred to an orthopedic surgeon at HSS.
3) In Jan 2020 I had a labral tear repair to my left hip due to cam type FAI. The surgeon said my joint looked very good, no signs of arthritis. Rehab went a little slow but after 6 months I was back hiking and running with NO pain.
But then... I did a long hike weekend in the mountains when I was 8 months post-op (Aug 2020). I started to have aching in my hip near the end of the hike. My hip has never been the same since. It is worse than before surgery. I have burning and discomfort in the anterior hip with crouching, the extremes of hip extension and flexion, sex, sitting, driving. I am unable to do the basic PT exercises that I did even right after surgery due to soreness and increase in pain level for 4-5 days following anything, even body weight exercises. I basically cannot exercise at all, other than short walks on flat surfaces. I have followed up with my surgeon, had an MRI, CT scan (which did not show dysplagia) without any answers; injections into the bursa and joint without improvement. Despite rest, I am aware of my hip constantly.
A second opinion from another surgeon suggested that there could be scar tissue or that the joint capsule could have been closed too tightly. I had a lidocaine injection which did seem to decrease my pain indicating that the issue may still be coming from the joint. The surgeon suggested that I could get a revision but I'm very concerned about another surgery when the first one left me in a worse position. At this point I am very skeptical of surgeons. I don't feel that there is much reason not for them to offer me a revision whether it will benefit me or not.
Kindly appreciate any suggestions as far as next steps.