Article

Osteoarthritis (OA) of a hip joint, with subsequent total hip joint replacement
surgery, is portrayed in the literature in terms of quantitative research
studies, where the person living with the hip disappears in objective statistical
analyses, or in qualitative studies where one person's story is fragmented within thematic findings.
This phenomenological study of a physiotherapist's (Peter)
lived experience of OA offers insights relevant to practice. In the initial
stages of the disease, Peter was too close to 'see' the possibility of OA as a
diagnosis. As the pain limited what he could do, he needed to reinvent ways of
retaining his sense of 'self'.
The pain worsened; there was nothing that relieved
it. The experience became one of endurance, leading to a moment when he decided
the time had come to have surgery. Post-surgery, the journey of recovery was one
of the feelings vulnerable. He wanted guidance and re-assurance. Paradoxically,
recovery showed itself as 'forgetting' the body. The insights call for therapists
to listen to the experience of clients and be alongside side them as they
struggle with vulnerability. Sharing an understanding of the nature of the experience can bring confidence to clients.

Langue : ANGLAIS