Recently, during the follow-up of patients who have undergone surgery, I found several relatively concentrated questions, which I have summarized here, hoping to be of some help to you. Patient Q: Is it better for me to exercise more or not to exercise after surgery? I’m afraid of wearing out my joints, but I’m afraid of muscle atrophy if I don’t exercise, so I’m torn. Cheng Hui A: Various forms of exercise have different effects on the joints. The wide range of motion of the affected hip joint under weight-bearing is very likely to wear out the joint and should be avoided. Non-weight-bearing exercises and weight-bearing muscle exercises without moving the joint are both encouraged. For example: 1. when climbing mountains or ladders, the weight of the body presses on the hip joint and the joint is moving in a wide range, which is a bad exercise and should be avoided; 2. when swimming or pedaling a bicycle (except racing bicycles and power bicycles), although the joint is moving in a wide range, there is no force pressing on the joint and it can be done; 3. when squatting horse stance or playing taijiquan, although the weight of the body also presses on the joint, the joint is not moving too much. The prone leg lift, where the joints are not weighted and there is no wide range of motion, is much better. Of course, the above is only a general principle. According to the different circumstances of each person sports should also be individualized. If there is no discomfort or slight muscle soreness in the joints at all the day after exercise 2.3.4. is performed, you can continue to try it, but if there is a problem, don’t force it. Patient Q: Although the length of both lower extremities are measured to be equal, I always feel that the operated side of my leg is shorter after surgery, and I walk with a limp What is going on? Cheng Hui A: Generally speaking, if the strength of the affected limb is well practiced, limping will not occur even if the difference in length between the legs is as high as 2cm. However, if the lateral lift is not practiced well enough, the whole pelvis will collapse to the healthy side. The hip on the healthy side cannot be lifted, the leg is dragging, and it will feel like the leg on the healthy side is long and the leg on the affected side is short. You must not have practiced the prone lateral leg raise recently, but you need to work harder. Patient Q: I’ve been post-surgery for six months, I don’t want to exercise anymore, can I? Cheng Hui A: Think about it, the muscle has been in the deformed position for more than 10 years, and it is not easy to make it close to normal with a few months of rehabilitation. Exercise is essential for healthy people, and it is even more important for post-operative patients. Surgery only creates the conditions for recovery, not the whole recovery. Surgery can only give you a normal bone position, not muscle strength, which depends on you. It is not difficult to lift your legs while watching TV every day, so why not give yourself a chance to become perfect. Patient Q: I’ve been post-op for X years and recently wanted to have a baby, can I have a normal delivery? Cheng Hui A: Theoretically speaking, it is possible because the PAO surgery has very little impact on the birth canal. We also asked Professor Ganz, the inventor of peri-acetabular osteotomy, for advice on this issue when he came to China last time, and Professor Ganz’s experience is that normal delivery is possible. However, my personal opinion on this issue is still conservative. I have carefully reviewed the literature and have not yet seen strong evidence to support the claim that a normal birth is better for the fetus. According to the Royal Society of Medicine’s 10-year observation of over 1,000 newborns, there was no significant difference in height, weight, physical ability, or academic performance between the ages of 0 and 10 years between children born by normal birth and those born by cesarean section. Based on the above evidence, I personally recommend cesarean delivery for prudential reasons.