Prolonged therapy for hip deformity: 38-year-old individual receives extensive treatment at the Knappschaft Clinics Paracelsus Marl.
Maurice Weiß (38), a pipe channel cleaner, was diagnosed with congenital hip dysplasia later in life, leading to a lengthy recovery process. Specialists like Dr. Lars-Christoph Linke, a renowned orthopedist, can manage such cases.
The story begins four years ago when Maurice started experiencing sharp pain in his groin, attributed to his job's physical demands. Despite his working 10-hour shifts, the pain worsened, feeling like his bones were grinding against each other. It wasn't until the leg numbness set in that he sought medical help, leading to the hip dysplasia diagnosis.
Hip dysplasia, the most common congenital bone and joint disease, affects around 3% of newborns. In Germany, roughly 30,000 children, mainly girls, are born with it annually. Despite early diagnosis often influencing the disease's progression, Maurice was diagnosed as an adult, making his recovery process more arduous.
Dr. Lars-Christoph Linke, head of the Orthopedics Clinic at the Paracelsus Marl Knappschaft Clinics, is one of the world's few specialists capable of correcting such hip malformations in adulthood. The operation, which took four hours, involved cutting through the pelvis bone at three points, realigning the hip socket, and fixing it with long screws. Additionally, a femur correction near the hip joint was necessary for optimal alignment.
The first days after the operation were difficult. Maurice could only move in bed, and pain therapy was administered via a catheter. As the days passed, mobilization with aids, under unloading of the operated hip joint, was gradually increased.
Now, Maurice is on the road to recovery,1 expecting to be out for six months and unable to resume his previous job. Fortunately, he has an understanding employer who will reassign him to another area. Maurice is a resilient individual who takes life as it comes. "Whining won't help. I've got to get through this now."
Currently, Maurice is recuperating at home. Three months post-op, he can put minimal weight on his operated hip for the first time, marking a significant milestone. However, several follow-up appointments remain. Determined to regain his full mobility, Maurice eagerly awaits his summer recovery.
Adults with late-treated congenital hip dysplasia can expect a recovery process that involves surgery, rehabilitation, and lifestyle modifications. Surgical interventions like hip preservation or reconstruction surgeries and extensive physical therapy help strengthen the hip and surrounding muscles, improve gait, and increase range of motion. Prehabilitation, prior to surgery, can improve overall fitness and quicken recovery times. It's essential to avoid high-impact activities and maintain a healthy weight to reduce stress on the hip joint[1][2][3].
The recovery time can vary significantly, taking between six to twelve months, depending on the surgery type and the patient's commitment to rehabilitation[3].Patients must undergo regular physical therapy sessions to improve their hip's strength, flexibility, and function[1][3]. Although the recovery is possible, some patients may experience persistent symptoms or limitations, necessitating ongoing management and monitoring[4].
- Maurice's recovery process, as a result of late-diagnosed congenital hip dysplasia, includes surgery, rehabilitation, and lifestyle modifications, such as avoiding high-impact activities and maintaining a healthy weight for reduced stress on the hip joint.
- The story of Maurice's health journey underscores the importance of early diagnosis of medical-conditions like hip dysplasia, as it often influences the disease's progression and recovery process.
- Dr. Lars-Christoph Linke, a renowned orthopedist and the head of the Orthopedics Clinic at the Paracelsus Marl Knappschaft Clinics, specializes in managing chronic diseases and complex medical-conditions, like congenital hip dysplasia, even in adulthood.
