Forty-seven-year-old Jennifer McGill is a very active woman and mother of four. Throughout her life, she has enjoyed gardening, walking, biking, hiking, swimming and skiing. But over the past few years, McGill noticed an increasing pain in her hip. It was sore and achy for about six months. Then, she started getting sharp stabs of pain.
She decided to have things checked out by her family doctor, who ordered x-rays of her hip, but didn't notice anything out of the ordinary. He told her that if the pain continued, it would probably be a good idea for her to consult an orthopedist. As luck had it, McGill was in the process of getting a fusion procedure done on her neck by Middlesex Hospital orthopedist Dr. Jeffrey Bash. McGill mentioned her hip pain offhandedly to Dr. Bash, who recommended she consult with the newest member of the medical practice, Dr. David Hergan.
McGill promptly made an appointment with Dr. Hergan who she says, "knew what the problem was right away." Because McGill's particular condition, a hip impingement and torn labrum, doesn't usually show up on x-rays, Dr. Hergan ordered a CT scan of her hip.
"That's why you need a specialist for this sort of thing," said McGill. "The CT scan showed what was wrong and I had the surgery about a year and a half ago," she added.
McGill's hip impingement surgery was a real success. "By the time I had the surgery, the pain was unbearable. It hurt when I walked up stairs or when I drove my car. I actually felt relief immediately after the surgery. Dr. Hergan told me that this particular condition can be hereditary and that's exactly the case for me. My brother also has the condition."
Before the surgery, McGill was deliberately avoiding all of the physical activity she had enjoyed her entire lifetime.
"But after the surgery, I was able to regain my ability to be active and I've now lost 40 pounds as a result and am feeling great!" she excitedly reports.
