My Hips Don't Lie

Lessons from hip surgery

Using my cane post hip surgery.

A little over a year ago, I was training to run my third half marathon. Having completed two the year before, I was confident I could do it again.

But during training, I started feeling a shooting pain in my right hip that made me stop and stretch.

What did I do? I kept running—right through the pain.

“It’s gonna go away,” I thought. “I just have to run it off or stretch it out.”

Then, on one of my longer runs, the pain worsened. It didn’t go away. I eventually had to stop with two miles left, limping all the way to my car.

After multiple treatments, (such as acupuncture, massage, and physical therapy), along with scans and doctor visits, I learned the cause: a labral tear in my hip socket. Unbeknownst to me, I was born with extra bone growth (hip impingement), which caused friction while running and damaged the cartilage. It’s bilateral, meaning if I continue running, I could injure my other hip and require surgery again.

So I’m retiring from running. This is a huge shift in my identity—I am a runner, and now I am not.

After some time grieving, I’ve started to see this as an opportunity. Now, on the other side of surgery and in recovery, I look forward to a life of movement without pain—even if it doesn’t include running.

I’ve also learned other lessons along the way:

• Any movement is good movement. There are no rules.

• Exercise on your terms. I no longer push myself to move a certain way; I do what feels good. This has reduced stress and pressure.

• Rest is essential. I take breaks for recovery, no matter what.

• Listen to your body. If I’m tired or sore, I stop—even in the middle of a workout.

• Nutrition over exercise for body size. I focus on what and how I eat to maintain my optimally healthy body, using exercise for mental and physical wellbeing rather than weight control.

• Benefits can come in many forms. You can get the same mental, emotional, and social benefits of running through other activities—morning walks in nature, endorphin-boosting workouts, community movement, and strength training.

Part of me wishes I had learned these lessons sooner, but I’m grateful they came now, just in time to save my hip and ensure a lifetime of joy in movement. This is another step on my Real Forking Change journey toward ongoing peace and freedom with my body.