Before meeting Dr. Nawabi, I was told by four surgeons in the Bay Area that my only option was a hip replacement because my arthritis was so bad that a scope would only exacerbate the problem. At 37 years old, I did not want to start down that path given the lifespan of an artificial hip. On the other hand, I could not sit longer than 10 minutes without my hip becoming so painful that car rides and dinners were unbearable. I had to stand mid-meetings at work and push my hips up as if I were doing a slight bridge while driving. I'd tried everything - massage, acupuncture / dry needling, PT - to no avail. Dr. Nawabi acknowledged the risk that a scope could make the problem worse, but he also had a solution that, if it worked, would allow me to avoid replacing the hip. We went ahead with the scope, during which Dr. Nawabi removed inflammatory tissue and cleaned up bone spurs, etc. then used my own stem cells to treat the labral tear. The whole procedure took about 90 minutes and I have just two very small scars (not even an inch long) that are fading more each day.
The first two weeks post-surgery were a constant rotation of the CPM machine, then Game Ready icing, then PT exercises, repeat. It was boring and the crutches were not fun, but I got stronger every day and three months later I was back to my normal routine of spin & barre classes, though not pushing it. I even went to Europe for 10 days and had a very active vacation which included a 15-mile bike ride along the coast of Puglia. I am now 6 months post-surgery and just finished my last weekly PT session, though the exercises will not stop. That's a forever life adjustment. Every day consists of foam rolling, stretching, and PT exercises to strengthen the glutes, core, and muscles around the hip and keep them agile - when I do that, I have zero pain and fantastic hip flexion. I am back to all of my normal routines and movements, and can actually push harder and go farther in workouts than I could before the injury.
I am beyond pleased with the surgery results and Dr. Nawabi, himself. He has a warm demeanor, tremendous patience, and a great sense of humor. I had never had surgery before and I felt completely calm and supported going in with him and thereafter. Dr. Nawabi is a miracle worker!
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