Today I had PRP therapy. (Platelet Rich Plasma Injection) I understood going in that I would be uncomfortable today. And I am.
The procedure itself was simple enough. The doctor took 60ml of blood and spun it down to about 2ml of just plasma. The plasma was then injected into my joint. It is considered experimental therapy, so I sort of feel like a test subject. I will receive a follow up survey in a month and then again in 6 months and again in a year to assess my progress.

That was then....
I started walking for exercise when I was 15. I loved it. It was a great way to clear my head and to lose the weight I was gaining from being a sedentary teen. It helped my depression and my energy levels. As I went into my 20's I became interested in weight training.

The more I trained the more interested I became in competing. I tried race walking. I felt stuck, like I couldn't make my legs go any faster. While I enjoyed it, I found it extremely painful. I thought it was probably normal pain, and that everyone felt that way. But I felt I couldn't continue regardless. Later I moved into fitness training. I have trained and competed in 2 NPC bikini competitions. I trained with an amazing team of women as well as one on one with my trainer. I never felt like I my squats were low enough or that my jumps were springy enough. We all experienced post work-out soreness but the other girls never seemed to be in actual, severe pain. After every session I felt like a had been in a car wreck. Even the posing was awful When onstage, it took everything in me not to cry because the pain in my hips was so severe. Again, I felt that everyone probably felt that way.

Jump to 1 year ago. I figured I had I had simply injured myself or over taxed my hip-flexors through workouts and yoga. The pain changed from only hurting during and after workouts to a sort of dull ache all the time, with sudden sharp pains occurring from time to time. X-rays were taken. Initially my doctor told me I had a hip impingement and if I wanted to, I could get a scope on my hips to shave off the misshaped ball of my hip. If I chose the scope early enough I would probably avoid arthritis as I get older. At that point I figured I had time on my side and I would do the scope maybe in a year or 2.

This is now...
Jump to this year. My training began to suffer. Post workout was awful. I could no longer get into many simple yoga poses. Sleep was uncomfortable. Riding in a car for more than 15 minutes was torture and getting out of the car was even worse. I felt like I was a geriatric at 44. I knew it was time to do something.

I decided to move forward with a scope. I scheduled an MRI and a consultation with the surgeon.

The surgeon was great. He went over my MRI and gave me the sobering news that I already have osteoarthritis in my right hip and realistically it's probably also in my left hip. Not only that, I have hip displaysia, which I've probably had my whole life! Not just a little impingement - full on displaysia, which by the way apparantly was a blessing to me when I was younger and a ballet dancer. It helped me to be more flexible. Who knew? I would have had to have had a scope in my teens or 20's to avoid arthritis. He went over my options. This was not what I had planned. My plan was to AVOID arthritis not treat it! He suggested I start with a cortisone shot and then move forward from there. My regular orthopedist gave me the shot and went over the options with me again and also suggested resurfacing.

The cortisone shot was awesome! Since cortisone is degenerative I knew I did not want to do more than 1. It was amazing to have almost 4 weeks with little to no pain though. Toward the end of the 4 weeks I ran in a mud race, and before the race was over I knew I was going to regret it. Again, I felt like I had been in a car accident. My hips never fully recovered from that race.

So here I am today. Post-Injection. I tried to do normal tings when I got home. After less than an hour, which was about 2 hours post-injection, I had to stop and lie down. I've attempted going up steps, which I can do but it is at a super slow pace and I can't lead with my right leg. It's the same going down steps also. Any side moves or swift turns are downright painful and so is bending down. I can walk in a straight line. I was instructed not to workout for 2 weeks, but I can do gentle yoga. So I guess I'll stop working on crow pose and handstands for a while. If the injection works, I should feel some relief within about a month. And I should feel the full benefit at around 3 months. My follow up will be in 2 months. At that time, if it's starting to work we will discuss doing the same for my left hip. If after 1 or 2 years I have good results from PRP, then we will move on to stem cell therapy. If PRP does not work for me, then my next option will be either resurfacing or hip replacement.