arsguide@yahoo.com wrote in message
<1104183160.299311.323400@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com>...

   I am a bit confused by the "facts" of your post:

 a.  I got a Total Hip Replacement at age 58
 b.  I was 30 lb. overweight
 c.  I received the slow-recovery (non-glued) type because the surgeon
"guessed" that I had a fighting chance to live to 80.
 d.  My recovery was uneventful though extraordinarily boring
 e.  I am Type 1 diabetic  (you know,  heal more slowly,  more prone to
infection,  etc, etc)
 f.   I assume that my Step Aerobics regime  (age 63) will eventually
destroy my hip.    Too bad.   I'll get another one.  I don't intend to be
buried with "excellent",  unmarred hips.

One of the "other" grandparents to my grandson received an total hip
replacement early this year.

  a.  .  She was 64
   b.  She was ~150 lb. overweight
  c.  She had rampant diabetes with all sorts of complications and all
sorts of post-operation infection/poor circulation  etc dangers
        (just about as bad as it gets for a diabetic)
  d.  No Step Aerobics for her;  she attends "Water Aerobics" three times a
week.
  e.  Her recovery was more pain-free and more uneventful than mine  (she
received the glued hip)

My wife got a total hip replacement also.

 a.  She was 52
 b.  She was 50 lb. overweight
 c.  She didn't have much at all in the way of muscle tone or musculature
 d.  She actually had a congenital deformity of the hip,  her doc shows the
X-Rays to visiting VIP's
 e.  She received the non-glued form
 f.  Her recovery was uneventful though extraordinary boring
g.  No Step Aerobics for her either though she does Nautilus with me 2-3
times a week.

Regards
 Old Al

If steroid injections and/or  hip arthroscopy haven't helped, then yes, it
sounds like hip replacement is his best alternative.

The so-called "Two-incision" hip replacement operation is availble in some
places in the US too http://tinyurl.com/45kco . It's very difficult, steep
learning curve, but really does provide less pain and faster healing. Not
all patients are candidates for that operation, but your first job is to
find an orthopedic surgeon than can do the operation and has experience with
it.

Zimmer is an orthopedic equipment manufacturer and is the leader in the
technology for the Two Incision Hip Replacement. Go to
http://tinyurl.com/56bnk and read about it, and note that they have a doctor
locator. They will know the closest orthopedist who has been trained to do
the procedure.

HMc