Well.
It seems I only update this blog now on my hippiversary. That's good news -- because my hips are no longer a big deal. In other good news, not much has changed since my last report a year or so ago, or the report before that.
I have been walking as much as I can, and I can easily do 3 - 4 miles at a good pace. I'm not race walking and I'm certainly not jogging, but I am able to do more than I could in the past because I've worked at it. I still may get sore if I walk a long way on hard surfaces, but it's not the kind of soreness I experienced before my PAOs. I still don't think walking is the best exercise for me or for many post-PAO patients. However, I enjoy it and now that I've moved to San Diego where it's sunny one of the joys of my existence is walking on the beach and around my neighborhood. So, I've worked to build up those walking muscles. It can be done.
Due to an ankle injury, I haven't been able to skate since October. I thought my hips would be the end of my skating and I see the irony in knowing that I was able to come back from the PAOs -- not to my prior skating level, admittedly -- but I was able to work on international dances again. It took a sprained ankle, not a broken pelvis, to end my skating career. Beware the sprained ankle, readers! If your hips are unstable you may be more likely to roll your ankle. A high ankle sprain is not something to take lightly, and can lead to further problems such as Sinus Tarsi Syndrome (which I now have) if not allowed to properly heal. Anything called a "syndrome" is generally bad news when it comes to your anatomy. Consider yourself warned.
I still lurk on several PAO and hip dysplasia forums, and refer people to my blog when they ask. I know based on traffic reports that a lot of people from all over the world still read this blog. I'm always happy to answer questions from fellow hippies. If this chronicle has been helpful to you then it has served its purpose.
Peace out! Terri
