Finding Strength Beyond the Hip

This blog series is my story of living with hip dysplasia for eight years, the choices I had to make, and what it was like to finally have a hip replacement. My hope is that by sharing openly, I can give others guidance, comfort, and maybe even a little strength for their own journey.

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1. Life Before Hip Dysplasia

For you to better understand what impact my hip dysplasia had, and still having, on my life, I am going to give you a bit of a back story on my journey pre injury.

My life before hip dysplasia was.. active! As a child of 80s I was growing up playing outside, skiing, skating, dancing, going camping and adventuring around with the family amongst other exciting things.

My fitness journey started at the age of 13 with Callanetics (I know!), and then progressed to multiple weekly fitness classes. I used to attend 2-3 exercise classes a day three times a week on top of going to the university, working part time and having a pretty much full on student life. I loved it! I was not a scrawny child and teen, quite opposite, believe it or not, and I burnt myself quite badly by going on a silly diet of almost starving myself at the age of 14 that caused ongoing issues with my digestion amongst other things. When fitness came into my life I started losing weight gradually and eating a normal diet and felt great! I loved the music, sweat, movement, weight loss, muscle gain, choreography - it became my life! I spent most of my bursary on fitness clothes and a membership at a local studio.

That is why it was not such a surprise that I felt so drawn to the fitness and wellness industry. I still graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Languages back in 2006 (and then got myself another Degree in Business, Management and Marketing in 2017- long story), but I started building up my fitness career from 2007. Fast forwarding to today, I have qualifications in all Zumba modalities and I also was the first one to introduce Zumba to the Highlands back in 2009; Barre Concept - was also the first one to bring it up here; Street Dance, Bokwa; Powerhoop, Fitness Pilates, Pilates, Yoga, Yin Yoga, Aerial Yoga, 2 x Myofascial Release trainings; Pre and Post Natal qualification; Nutrition, and an array of mini trainings and workshops.

I really miss Aerial Yoga and hoping to eventually re introduce it at some point

Run at 'Tribal Clash'. I came 44th out of 150 runners. THE toughest run I have done!

Round about 2010 I added running to my list of activities and did a few 10k races and a couple of half marathons. Then came 6 Years of Crossfit and a few competitions. By that time I was already teaching a lot of classes a week, running, walking a lot, doing my second degree and trying to have some life. I also started going to Pole Fitness classes which I later had to drop because of my hip. Typical type A personality, thriving on cortisol with no time to breathe! But at that point of my life I loved it (everything except for the degree!).

CrossFit Competition 'Tribal Clash'

So as you can tell movement, especially high intensity exercises, were an integral part of my life. And so was stress.

Touch Mudder N1 - cut my eyelid with barbed wire, and continued with the race

Looking back on my pre dysplasia life now I kind of feel like the Universe decided to interfere at the exact point where everything was becoming too much. It could have been a more subtle push, but I, somehow, do not think a subtle push would have made me stop or come down on my activity levels.  Every cloud has a silver lining as they say…

  To be continued in the second part of the blog..