HIP SHAKE

 

Oops! Sorry, wrong video.

Try this:

That's better - "Do the hip shake baby." Mind you, I wouldn't mind Rosario teaching me how to shake my hips.

"Why hips?" you might ask.

Well, today I visited an orthopedic surgeon and he said:

"Oooh! Nice hips. Those are the best hips I've seen for sometime and I see a lot of hips baby."

That was the gist of what he said anyway. A more literal version as he pointed to the x-ray images on his computer screen might have been:

"See the hips there? Note how they are even on both sides. The structure is good showing no degradation. See the synovium - the thin cover that wraps around the bones in the joint. It makes a fluid that provides lubrication so your bones can move easily without resistance. It's perfect. The bursa , the fluid-filled sac that provides cushioning and a smooth surface for the bones, muscles and tendons in your joints to move on. is also in great condition. Your hips are in really good condition - for your age."

OK, that was good news (except the "for your age" comment and I felt relieved. He told me that no invasive surgery or needles would be required and that a course of physiotherapy will get me back to normal. He diagnosed Gluteal tendinopathy which used to be known as Trochanteric bursitis. This typically causes pain on the side of the hip, making it difficult to lie on that side, walk up stairs, or even just normal walking. 

He is a very good surgeon (has his own website and all - maybe I can encourage him into blogging) and explained the condition well. Apparently rest is good for the condition in the early stages but then, like a stretched spring, the tendon needs to be forced back into 'recoil' by physio and selected exercise. This makes the body form new collagen fibres for strength.

Here's what the surgeon's website says:

Tendons are made up of tiny little ‘ropes’ called collagen fibres. Building these ropes is a slow process which occurs in response to the tendon being used (through weight bearing exercise). As we age and become less active fewer ‘ropes’ get made and those that are present become brittle. These weakened tendons may not be able to withstand a sudden movement or certain exercises as its normal ‘spring and recoil’ system becomes overwhelmed. The remaining normal fibres within the tendon then become sore as they try to adapt by growing new ropes to carry the load. Just as our muscles need to grow and adapt in response to exercise so do our tendons. Pressure also affects tendons, especially the gluteal tendons. Tendons are not designed to withstand compressive forces for prolonged periods of time. When they are constantly exposed to these forces tendon structure adapts and changes further weakening them (collagen fibres become cartilage). A structure called the ileo-tibial band (ITB) places pressure on the gluteal tendons where they join the bone of the hip.The pressure exerted on the tendons by the ITB changes depending on the position your legs are in. Crossing your legs increases the pressure while keeping your legs parallel has little effect.

Doing the two glacier walks on the same day was for me, unusual exercise and put pressure on my hip tendons. The good news is that the condition is not tendonitis (inflamed tendon) or tendonosis (tendon tear and degeneration).

You didn't know and now you know. I'll soon be back to hill-walking, tennis and golf. Unfortunately I will no longer have an excuse for not doing weeding, gardening and home maintenance. That paved pathway might have to get finished after all.