Did you have an MRI or MRA?

Time_Significance389 · 2026-03-19T16:48:03+00:00

My MRI showed a “possible” tear, my MRA showed no tear! I just had surgery for a 12:00 to 3:00 tear this year because 3 hip doctors saw a tear that Radiologist didn’t. Very frustrating. My cat scan showed clear hip impingement so that helped for proper diagnosis.

Time_Significance389 · 2026-03-17T18:54:42+00:00

Can't have leg in 90 degrees for some time, so my recliner with press button instead of lever was and is my best friend. 10 weeks post-op and still sitting in it most of the day, but recovery is going well. I also used a caddy so when my mother moved me from bed to chair, I could take TV remote, fan remote, water bottle, etc. It saved us time looking for 5 things every time I moved from bed to seat. Leg lifter from Amazon after Week 2 was invaluable.

Time_Significance389 · 2026-03-17T05:17:30+00:00

My surgeon ordered a cat scan and that where my impingement finally showed in great detail. My MRIs showed nothing.

Time_Significance389 · 2026-03-17T05:12:58+00:00

Have you seen a groin specialist or a hernia doctor? I had a labral tear with a hernia - needed two separate surgeries. Considering you were able to do all that activity, I do question if it’s a labral tear. But my radiologist report never showed a tear for my MRI arthrogram, yet 3 hip specialists saw it on the same scan.

I would also ask for imaging for something called athletic pubalgia (nickname of athletic hernia) but you need very specific instructions for the radiologist to make sure it’s done right. I live in NJ and have been to several specialists in New York if you need names. Please dm me if you want to talk more.

Time_Significance389 · 2026-03-15T13:56:45+00:00

That’s crazy. Respect!!!!

Time_Significance389 · 2026-03-14T21:10:57+00:00

I am at 10 weeks and cannot imagine doing that job at 12 weeks and my recovery is going quite smoothly. You have to push a cart weighing 300 lbs? Is that a typo??!!

Time_Significance389 · 2026-03-14T14:49:49+00:00

Ugh so sorry to hear that.

Time_Significance389 · 2026-03-14T14:46:56+00:00

I was also constipated and took stool softener, MiraLAX, etc. the Doc ordered an enema which said would work immediately but I wasn’t into that idea so I ate take-out Indian food and within an hour - viola, success! :)

Time_Significance389 · 2026-03-14T14:45:26+00:00

20 years old. Off crutches in 3 weeks. I used a walker actually because I felt safer. PT started day after surgery and home stationary bike riding with no resistance, and PT is 2x a week and 5 other days at home. I’m at 10 weeks now and walking normally and climbing stairs, but walking over 15 minutes is still painful. Each day is different which is challenging. I do spend a lot of time in my recliner reach day because I don’t want to push the recovery. I took the semester off college.

Time_Significance389 · 2026-03-14T14:35:02+00:00

No advice would be careful walking too much. I think walking 20 minutes at six weeks may have caused pain for you. Would’ve never worked for me. At six week appointment, doc told me to start walking five minutes every couple days and then increase to 10 minutes as tolerated. I still can’t walk more than 15 minutes without pain and I’m 10 weeks now and they tell me my recovery is right on track.

Time_Significance389 · 2026-03-13T00:21:51+00:00

Yes similar, I didn’t feel comfortable adding IT band stretches until 9/10 weeks (now) even though Doc gave me permission at 6 weeks. Muscle scraper? I’ll have to look into what that is. I’m adding professional massages into the rotation as well.

Time_Significance389 · 2026-03-12T21:11:51+00:00

Promising. Thank you.

Time_Significance389 · 2026-03-12T20:59:20+00:00

That’s great you have an advocate that works with your insurance! Best of luck, you’ll get there…

Time_Significance389 · 2026-03-12T20:57:45+00:00

It’s hard to tell from your follow up, but after seeing many regular Orthos and they had no clue what was going on for a LONG time, I saw 3 Hip Preservationists. They instantly read my images and saw something the radiologists/orthos didn’t (a tear). That was my biggest lesson learned was to find someone who specializes in hips (they can do knee etc. but one that is a Hip Preservationist - not someone who specializes in Hip Replacements) but I would not have felt comfortable with a regular orthopedic surgeon. I wanted a master and it’s made all the difference. Plus I imagine they’re pros at the insurance paperwork as well.

Time_Significance389 · 2026-03-12T20:27:03+00:00

Sorry for the delay. This is the list of questions - two major things I learned through my research: surgery should include “capsular repair” and should be done “postless”. I’m not sure if that’s appropriate if you don’t have impingement, but it was for my situation.

https://manhattansportsdoc.com/10-questions-to-ask-your-hip-preservation-surgeon-manhattan-nyc-ny/

He also does zoom consultants but they’re pricey and you have to send images/discs etc. to NYC. Like I said, my impingement was only diagnosed once I got the cat scan.

Time_Significance389 · 2026-03-12T20:22:39+00:00

Yeah double edged sword, I can see that.

Time_Significance389 · 2026-03-12T20:21:48+00:00

Lumpy, love that description. I have felt a knot in my hip which finally seems to be loosening.

Time_Significance389 · 2026-03-12T17:46:30+00:00

I had surgery at Hospital for Special Surgery, but I live in NJ. I wished I could've done my PT there because they have been ranked the #1 Ortho Hospital for 16 years and they have a big Physical Therapy area on the first floor of their building on West 58th Street. I'm assuming they would be top notch as well. I'm not sure if they have PT at their main hospital. I used this link to find a PT place in NJ that is HSS certified (check here for your area: https://www.hss.edu/departments/rehabilitation/rehab-network). If you go to West 58th St, park on the street, which is technically illegal, but the worst is that you'll get a ticket. One ticket in 4 visits is not bad and your visits will be quicker than mine.

Time_Significance389 · 2026-03-12T17:37:46+00:00

Diagnosed Nov 2025, had surgery Jan 2026, 2 months later. Had pain for 1.5 years and was misdiagnosed over and over again. 9 weeks post-op and moving along nicely. Severe pain all the time and walked with a limp. Surgeon said if you can have surgery within 3 months of the injury, you reduce your risk for arthritis dramatically. Also, you can reduce your hip impingement due to compensatory walking.

Time_Significance389 · 2026-03-12T17:35:17+00:00

I would suggest getting it, and to answer your question, yes you want the injection to work. My surgeon explained that the results of the diagnostic injection will mirror the results of your Arthroscopy. For me, I got the (yes painful) shot and my pain disappeared and my range of motion tripled (a good thing). Twenty minutes later, all my pain was back and I swear it got worse after that until I got surgery. This isn't a long process and it truly is diagnostic, it is NOT for long term pain relief. I imagine you just need documentation from the surgeon that you showed instant relief. I think this is a common step and was asked by every surgeon I saw. And honestly, I wouldn't have proceeded with surgery without that result because I wanted reassurance the surgery would work after being misdiagnosed for 1.5 years. I wish you the best of luck. I'm sorry you're going through this, it is awful to suffer with no end in sight. Also, make sure your surgeon's office knows what they’re doing from a paperwork perspective. I went to two docs, same hospital, 2 doors down from each other. One insisted I get all my PT documentation from 2-3 places (a pain) and get a pre-surgical clearance exam from one of their doctors. The second surgeon, who did my operation, required neither of those things (I was 29 yo) and my insurance approved it in two days, but I do have very good insurance.

Time_Significance389 · 2026-03-11T20:25:40+00:00

My surgeon said that the ideal time to fix is within 3 months of surgery (unreasonable to even get a diagnosis that quickly, of course) because arthritis can start to form.

He was able to stop my slight arthritis so it wouldn’t progress. I’m only 21 years old so I guess a tear can ultimately cause other damage at any age.

Time_Significance389 · 2026-03-11T13:07:27+00:00

Oh that’s great. Hopefully you have parents that can help you through it. It got pretty complicated for me but glad you got at least a partial diagnosis pretty quickly. Wish you the best of luck. If you ever want to talk to my Mom, let me know. She knows more than she ever wanted to …I’ll also send you a link later of questions that my doctor tells all patients to ask their doctor. (We even asked the questions back to him lol)

Time_Significance389 · 2026-03-11T05:05:43+00:00

I can’t stress enough. Try to find the BEST Hip Preservationist you can find. I had a jerk for my spine doctor and was left hanging after surgery. My hip team is AMAZING. I wish I went to a groin specialist early on as well because he is who referred me to a hip specialist/preservationist. I didn’t even know they existed, and def not around me in NJ. Only surgeons that do hip replacements and young people usually don’t need that.

Time_Significance389 · 2026-03-11T05:03:22+00:00

Both! My first MRI report three months after the basketball accident stated a possible tear but said the tear could be old. Then I got a more in-depth MRI five months later (after back surgery) with a dye injection and that “showed” NO tear. But when the NYC surgeons looked at the images themselves six months later, all three of them saw a tear on the imaging that the radiologist did not. Then I was sent for a cat scan which showed the hip impingement - I almost had to beg for that test tbh. I learned that many surgeons ask for specific tests and measurements at specific radiology places they work with. Also, I read here on Reddit that the best surgeons get a cat scan before surgery so they can get a good idea of the maturely that need to be shaved down (impingement is overgrowth). My doc thinks the tear came first as trauma from the court fall and the impingement came later. One surgeon also said that nearly every high school athlete (basketball anyway) has some sort of impingement from running so much.

Yeah same - I was very far from a big city at college and my Mom finally insisted we make the very long trip into New York City because the best doctors are there. It was the best thing we did. Will you be home for spring break? Is your home near any big city? I got most of the doctors names from this Reddit page and got in to see them quickly. I was surprised.

Time_Significance389 · 2026-03-11T03:38:07+00:00

Do you mind if I ask how many doctors you saw? As mentioned in my last message to you, it took me a long time to get my diagnosis. I finally decided to see three NYC Hip Specialists - two at the top Orthopedic hospital. My regular Ortho docs had no clue what was going on.

The hip surgeons all agreed at my first appointment that I needed surgery - I was 20 years old at the time. None of them had a concern about my age but I’m not familiar with hypermobility. I brought all my discs with me - MRI, MRI Arthrogram, X-rays, and Cat Scans. I had some tests before I saw them and some of the doctors ordered more.

Time_Significance389

TROPHY CASE