This thread is directed towards the person who posted as "xc harrier" and left this message on letrun.com:
"Last winter I was diagnosised with an FAI-CAM impingement and a labral tear. I went straight for the arthroscopic surgery to repair both problems. I wound up being on crutches for 4 weeks and couldn't run for 12 weeks. Now I am slowly coming back and up to about 40 miles a week. While I'm aerobically out of shape my hip feels better than it ever has before.
I do not believe there is a way to heal FAI without surgery since it is basically extra bone on your femur. There is a small chance for cartilage tears to heal, but they have to be small and then it takes a very long time for it to heal. All the doctor's I talked to basically told me to have surgery or I could continue to run with some pain, but that could eventually lead to needing a hip replacement. I am know 5 months post-surgery and glad that I had it."
How has the recovery been since the surgery?
I had been averaging 100-120 mpw when I first felt pain in the hip back in April. I haven't been able to run much at all since then (i.e. maybe a total of 15 times). (Lots of referred pain down in the IT band/quad area.) MRI showed gluteus medius strain, but MR Arthrogram showed slight impingement with iliofemoral tendon tear and slight tear in tissue of the labral capsule but not the labrum itself ("contained conrast leak along the lateral acetabular rim with associated lateral capsular tear). The problem for me is not so much the pain in the hip itself, but the loss of proper function. It took three different doctors and 7 months to get diagnosed. Cortisone shot was ineffective as a temporary solution.
I need the surgery to a)get back to serious running, and b) complete my training for my new federal law enforcement job.
I'd like to know if you've been able to make a full recovery to your pre-"injury" levels. Any insights would be appreciated. I am meeting with my ortho/hip specialist in two days to discuss setting up the surgery.