Walking without a hip joint

Hmm, I never really thought about this much, but there is an interesting (if old) precedent. Back in the 1950's my brother had a condition called Legg-Calve-Perthes disease, which is a temporary necrosis of the femoral head. A brace was used to keep weight off the joint, the pelvis rested on a frame or the abdomen was wrapped in one, and the brace, with a shoe attached extended below the foot. Needless to say, it was a clumsy device, but the only other treatment at the time was a-frame casting for up to 2 years.
Recently, my friend was fitted with a similar device for 6 months after hip replacement because she had traumatic tears in her muscles and a damaged tendon, which mad her hip extremely unstable. With the brace she was able to stand and walk for short distances, safely & without pain.
If I was looking for information, I would start with a teaching hospital specializing in orthopedics...
Sue

I was born with a congenital hip dislocation and had 3 surgeries between the ages of 2 and 15. At the age of 26 (1985) I had a THR. There were 3 revisions, the last in 2006 at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit. In 2013 I was admitted with sepsis, a massive mrsa infection which later mutated into visa. March 2014 the prosthesis was removed and I spent 2 1/2 years in a wheelchair and on IV antibiotics most of that time. Last summer my case was taken over by another surgeon who deemed it unwise to try another revision and we agreed. A new infectious disease doctor changed antibiotis and I am now mrsa/visa free. I have no hip and no spacers, the femur is significantly shorter, leg length difference is 3 1/2 inches. The new surgeon has me walking with walker and crutches and a 3 inch lift on my shoe. 3 months physical therapy to strengthen muscles atrophied from so much time in the wheelchair. I am about to move to one crutch, and the goal is a cane. Xrays show excellent build up of scar tissue supporting the leg. My original question was wondering if there are others having the same experience.

I am 76 and have congenital, bilateral hip dysplasia. I have no hip joint. The acetabulum is shallow and the head of the femurs are embedded in the hip muscles. But, I am doing great! I have never had surgery. I participate in aqua aerobics 4 times a week for an hour at a time. Thank you, Lord.

Well this is very interesting, considering I have been a member of this forum for at least 5 months and have been looking for someone, like me who is living without a hip joint. I have found no one until just now. Everyone else is living with a spacer and awaiting a 2 stage or living without a hip until their staph infection is gone. February will be the one year mark of having no hip joint. My whole saga should be on this site somewhere. Maybe you could try to find it and contact me and then we can share some advice on how we're both getting around. That would be great. It's been a long day of pain and I can't sit in this chair anymore but please, do get back to me. I'm actually very excited to find someone without a hip like me. Robin

@dzoneill, thank you for telling us more about your hip issue. You have overcome so much already and I have no doubt your perseverance will be empowering to some of our other members.

While my initial search has not found anyone who has experienced something exactly as you, but I will keep looking. I would like to invite some members who have had hip replacements and hip issues who will have some shared experiences with you in the meantime. @amber67, @beatricefay, @mnpat @grandmacheryl @popolopo @bobg10, @tallteri, and @sma1952 have all discussed hip replacements

A warm welcome to @reneesa128 and @chellez2222 for joining Mayo Clinic Connect. I wanted to introduce the two of you to each other since you are both new and inquiring about the same situation. Renee for herself and Chelle for her mother.

Can you both tell us a little more about your/your mother's mobility with no hip joint?

Thank you for the warm welcome. Very happy to be part of the community.
My mother had liver failure which caused avn in both of her hips. They are completely gone and they cannot see any bone on the xray. She was in a lot of pain until her liver transplant and could only walk a few steps with a walker.
Since the transplant she does not have pain (the new liver helped rebuild strength), walks 90 steps a day with walker and can free-stand for 15 seconds at a time without buckling.
She wants to walk again and has a dr willing to do reconstructive surgery, however i am worried about doing it due to infection after surgery. It would be hard to clear because she is on immunosuppressant due to the transplant.
Lastly, The bone is in soft tissue of some kind, dr’s have no idea what, and have no idea how she is walking.

My questions is, could it be possible to walk and put all her body weight on a leg without a hip?
As she doesn't have pain now, could it be a question of strengthening the leg muscles and she could walk (with cain/do stairs) or would walking without hip joints make her very unstable and be dangerous?
If anyone has any idea who could answer this, please send me the reference. Thank you!!!

My mother had both of her hips disintegrate and they do not know what tissue she is walking on. I wanted to know how you are doing? Can you walk on your scar tissue? She is supposed to get a major reconstructive hip surgery and was wondering if there is a possibility to walk without going through major surgery? Thank you so much! Hope you are better.