Local doctor treats overlooked hip condition in women

What started as a dull ache in her hips turned into a life-altering pain for Laura Sullivan. The Buffalo Grove mom struggled through pregnancy and early motherhood, unable to lift her baby or sit comfortably, all without knowing what was truly wrong.

“My joints have always been super flexible, but also painful, even simple activities like sitting on the floor were uncomfortable,” Sullivan said

She assumed it was just part of being pregnant.

“I had never been pregnant before, so I thought my hip pain was just part of the pregnancy,” she said. “My pregnancy was during COVID, so I didn’t have many people to talk to about it.”

After giving birth, the pain became debilitating. Daily tasks like lifting her daughter or playing on the floor became unbearable.

“I felt so sad and guilty for not being able to care for my daughter. It was a very difficult time,” Laura said.

Encouraged by her husband, she sought help and met with Dr. Zachary Domont, MD, an orthopedic surgeon with Advocate Condell Medical Center. She was diagnosed with femoroacetabular impingement, a condition in which extra bone growth in the hip joint causes painful friction and damage to the cartilage.

“FAI is especially common in women with joint hypermobility,” Dr. Domont said. “They often have naturally flexible joints, which can increase range of motion, but also lead to increased stress on the joint. Without a proper diagnosis, that stress can lead to joint pain, labral tears, and even early arthritis.”

FAI is an underdiagnosed source of chronic hip pain, affecting an estimated 10-15% of adults in the United States.

“It’s particularly common among active individuals and postpartum women,” Dr. Domont said.

Sullivan’s diagnosis included labral tears in both hips, and she underwent two minimally invasive hip arthroscopy procedures to reshape her hip joint and repair damaged tissue.

“The goal is to relieve pain, restore function, and help patients get back to the activities they love,” Dr. Domont said. “The recovery wasn’t easy, but the result was life changing. Today, Laura enjoys yoga, hiking and picking up her daughter, pain-free, for the first time in years.

“I feel so lucky that I can be such an active mom now,” she said.

She now urges other women, especially mothers, to take persistent hip pain seriously.

“If you have pain, do something about it, “Laura said. “Surgery or rehab might sound intimidating, but it’s worth it. Why live with pain if you don’t have to?”