Declan's story - From being diagnosed with Perthes disease to becoming a professional footballer
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- Опубликовано: 11 янв 2021
- Declan Thompson was diagnosed with Perthes Disease at a young age. Despite his diagnosis at the age of 7, he believed in his dream to be able to play football again.
He realised his dream in 2021 by becoming a professional footballer when he came on as a second half substitute for his beloved Sheffield Wednesday Football Club.
Understanding Perthes
Perthes disease or Legg-Calve-Perthes disease as it is sometimes known, is a condition which develops in childhood and affects the hip joint. There are two parts to the hip joint; the ball or femoral head and the socket (acetabulum).
In cases of Perthes, the blood supply to the top of the thighbone (femur) around and underneath the ball part of the joint becomes disrupted. This means that the blood supply to the growth plate (epiphysis) is restricted, causing the bone to become soft and start to break up (necrosis).
It is not know why the blood supply to the hip becomes affected; it is not reported to be caused by physical injury or a problem with blood vessels in the rest of the body and there are no other childhood conditions which are known to be linked to Perthes.
In most cases, over time, the affected blood vessels begin to regrow, allowing new bone to be produced in the damaged area. Recovery may take several years as the bone around the femoral head reforms - in a similar, but more prolonged way, to the recovery of a bone following a fracture.
Symptoms and Presentation
Perthes is approximately 4 times as common in boys as girls and generally occurs between 4 and 8 years of age. Active children tend to be more affected. The first symptom is usually a painless limp, but symptoms can be very subtle, with a mild ache in the thigh or knee not being uncommon.
Treatment
Medical agreement on the best way to treat Perthes has not yet been reached. Pain relief, such as analgesics, anti- inflammatory drugs and restricting high impact activity are commonly used to alleviate symptoms. Physiotherapy and or hydrotherapy and, potentially surgery to the femoral (thighbone) head are sometimes used. The final aims of such treatments are to help the child have a normally formed hip joint when the grow up.
I actually have Perthes and was diagnosed over 9 years ago now. I was told football may not be an option, but now I play Ice-Hockey (and am the captain), do weekly exercise, and run. If you’re seeing this with Perthes, keep going and pushing. You may feel bad now, but keep going and it will get better. This was very inspirational.
Hello my name is Ahmed.
I am a person who has the disease and I am tring to find the cause.
If you could tell me what leg is the disease located at and what leg is your main leg that you play football with.
Sorry for the question but I am going to try everything to find out the cause.
Thank you for your valuable time.
Hi, I was diagnosed with perthes in my right leg when I was 6, I was in a wheelchair from age 6-12, they later found I have perthes in both legs. I have never had an operation or surgery I've never took pain medication I've just dealt with the pain. I became very over weight for my age because I was on a no weight limit. I am now turning 15 in November and my femur's are both healing nicely. When I was six my doctors said I would need a double hip replacement by the time I was 16, now they say I will be in my late 30's which is great news. Thank you for reading this, hope it helps🙏
Great to hear a story like this. Fair play to you Declan. I was diagnosed with perthes when I was 11 (34 now). I was told I needed to quit any sports that where high impact on my hip. Too stubborn to listen to doctor's advice I would play soccer or go running but then be in pain for a few days after. The biggest things that have helped me over the years was to strengthen the muscles around the hip to best protect it. Swimming, lunges, squats, stretches etc. My only regret was not taking care of it properly when I was younger. Now, with the help of physio and strengthening training, hip pain is minimal and I am much more active. Even back playing 5-a side weekly! For anyone going through the treatment now just try to keep positive!
Hello my name is Ahmed.
I am a person who has the disease and I am tring to find the cause.
If you could tell me what leg is the disease located at and what leg is your main leg that you played soccer with.
Sorry for the question but I am going to try everything to find out the cause.
Thank you for your valuable time.
I got told I had perthes when I was about 4 years old. My mum was constantly told I was a 'lazy child'. After changing my gp I finally had my diagnosis. The damage was so great that I eventually had a hip replacement when I was 18. I'm 25 now & the hip joint has come loose but I'm grateful I can still play & chase around after my daughter & I can still do the job I love ☺️
Thank you so much for the story, im 22 with this problem and there is no way in hell I will let it keep me from trying to fix it. People should Remember that not only can doctors be wrong, but they also base part (who knows how large) of their knowledge on people who didnt do much to fix their hips through hard work and eveyday efforts. Better keep going, you can improve it and maybe even fix it.
I had perthees as a young boy, I was diagnosed at age 6. By age 10 I was back to normal. No surgery, just physical therapy. I was healthy enough to be a pretty competitive cross country runner and baseball player in high school. I played college rugby (club level) and skied my whole life. It wasn’t until I joined the American Marine Corps that I started to have pain again. That was in my early 20’s. I’m now 42 and I feel like I’m crippled. I’m headed for a hip replacement of the affected hip and I can’t wait. I’m really looking forward to being pain free again. Great story Declan!
I'm sorry to hear this I hope your pain is better now I know I would be glad to go back to the sports I love
What an inspiring story - be proud Declan of your courage and patience in dealing with Perthes. I too had the disease as a young boy and thanks to the skill and care of my surgeon Mr Rennie in Aberdeen and my wonderful parents I was able to go on to play football and many other sports with the same enthusiasm as yourself . Congratulations on your football debut - your perseverance will have inspired many youngsters with physical difficulties .
All the best
GEORGE LEADLEY
Hey George I too suffer from perthes. I am a teenager that loves to be active but my hip holds me back from running and playing sports. How long did it take you to fully recover? What did you do to recover and continue to play sports? I can easily run on my leg and do everything normally but it obviously is not good for it. My leg will start hurting after an hour or two of running. Any tips for quick improvement?
@@georgepandulev Not much you can do about it. If you didnt have surgery as a kid you should stop running and playing sports. It will only get worse. Best thing you can do is strengthen the Quadriceps and Glutes with strengthening exercises that dont articulate the femoral head as much. (Squats are not so good, as they articulate the femoral head completely).
My son is going through everything you mentioned. From not getting diagnosed, me knowing right away, the pain at night and he even has a younger sibling who rides around with him in his chair! You are SUCH an encouragement to him. It is his dream to return to soccer. Thank you!!!
Heart warming story Declan, onwards and upwards now hopefully. I for one will be cheering you on from the main stand at Hillsborough once we are allowed back in. Good look son 🤝
Your story is so like my own. I was around 7 when I was finally diagnosed with the condition it took so long for the doctors to realise what is was and just like you my mum at the time changed my consultant and he noticed it straight away from an ex Ray image. Spend along time in a hospital bed with weights attached to my leg . I'm 35 now and currently trying to lose some weight has im 13 stone but finding difficult has my hip is really painful after a few day of training. You've done so well to go so far with this condition. All the best for the future
I am female and was diagnosed with perthes nearly 20 years ago now. I was always really active and into sports so i found it hard going through the surgeries and stopping my hobbies. Fast forward to today and i can run 5k regularly, i often hike mountains and go rock climbing. I now have arthritis in this hip which sometimes causes pain and find restrictions due to flexibility but it is manageable and doesnt stop me achieving what I want.
Thanks for sharing this inspiring story. I wanted to be a professional footballer and the doctor told me there was no chance I could play on my perthes hip. I focused on my education instead of football, eventually got a hip replacement at 26 years old and at 33 now I play tennis recreationally. This story makes me look back and think maybe I shouldn't have listened to the doctor as Leeds wanted to sign me at the time. The running training I imagine will be the biggest challenge, but stay focused and keep believing.
Hello! How much did your hip replacement actually help? I’m 26 and feel like I’ve been a few years overdue for that, but still hesitant about it
@@jamescloutier5472 Great to hear your story James. I was beginning to get some pain on my good hip due to the 2.5cm height difference and my lower back was starting to worry me too (for normal day to day activities and playing sports). If you get a hip replacement you will instantly see you leg muscle develop a lot due to the new found stability. I have found cycling as the best way for me to keep up my fitness, whilst I also play tennis. If you are super disciplined with the rehab you will be able to run and play sports. But upon rehab you have to be patient (especially if there is a heigh difference of approx 2-3 cm).
@@dawitmulholland1820 Thanks a lot for the info! I actually went to a natural produce place after sending you the first message and was told by the lady that glucosamine chondroitin does not regenerate cartilage, it only helps maintain the cartilage you already have. Collagen, however, does help repair and regrow cartilage, especially Type 2 collagen. She also recommended Boswellia which helps with flexibility/range of motion. Before bed that night I took hyaluronic acid, glucosamine chondroitin msm, calcium magnesium zinc, d3 k2, which I usually take, plus collagen and Boswellia. My hip's range of motion unlocked overnight (not fully but a TON better) and it stopped feeling like there was sandpaper in the joint. Now I can resume doing stretches and low-impact exercises. I'll put off the hip replacement for longer, but I'll keep in mind what you said. Thanks again for the info!
@@jamescloutier5472 How is it going? was it just placebo? I take type II collagen but there is not improvements on my side.
great to see this man fr
My 9 year old boy has been having treatment for around a years now. He has just watched this video and has given him so much more motivation to not give up! He loves his football and not played for a years and can’t wait to get back to it. Consultant is now putting him on the surgeons radar incase that’s the next steps..Thank you for this video and sharing 💙
Una historia de peli! Inevitable no emocionarse con cómo lo narra; envidia totalmente sana hacia Declan... Chase your dreams kid!!!
I was diagnosed when I was 3. Perthes left my hip so badly damaged that I am currently 18 with arthritis, chronic pain and awaiting a hip replacement. I wish I had been this lucky, I would have done anything to play football
Ohh that's sad but never give up. I for one I was diagnosed with Perthes disease in 2004. I never gave up and this year I graduated with a degree in Petroleum engineering.
Great story . You defo shouldn’t stop . I was diagnosed with it at 8 after year old after years of tellin me it was growing pain .
I am now 34 . My left hip mobility is stiff lol but I have completed 2 marathons . Half Ironman. Played football most of my life
Best thing I have realised to have less pain is actually keep doing stuff like yoga swimming even running . Building strength up around the hip in the gym .
My goal is to complete a full Ironman. Got a third marathon booked for May nxt year .
Mibi need a new hip when am 40 but May aswell run this one into ground first 😂
We also found out when he was 7 and he couldn’t get diagnosed. Now he’s 8 and in treatment 😊❤
My son Shawn was diagnosed in 2019 and is 7 years old. He is the only kid in Oklahoma with this disease.
I doubt he is the only kid in oklahoma with that disease. 1 in 20.000 people have it. Oklahoma would be an anti-perthes environment and worth studying if that was the case, as it is thought perthes development is highly environmental during pregnancy. I am studying to become an statistical epidemiologist, so that is why I say it. Perthes develops more commonly in underdeveloped places. And it is a real struggle to find a correlation.
This being said, I wish your son Shawn all the best though!! this disease is a stone on your way, but it can teach you a good lesson and make you stronger.
I have lost a friend to perthes and it’s devastating
im glad you are better, im not so lucky i have had it since 1981 not much they even knew about it back then. when i turned 18 they gave me 2 options fuze the hip joint solid(no movement) or wait till im 50 and have it replace(im 45 now) well in the meantime my right foot and knee is gone(from all the yrs walking on the other side to deal with the pain).
stay strong!!!! not all of us are this lucky, but we are still strong!!
Hey, I am from Namibia. I also have perthes disease. I had a operation a few years back, but failed. Now I am searching for solutions and came across this video. If there is anything you can help me with, referrals maybe.
Thank you
I actually have Perthes now I'm 13 and I was diagnosed about the start of March I think it was and well I started feeling bad pains in my hip in October but apparently when I got checked on well I had to go to doctors first and I went to one hospital for x-rays and stuff and then I was sent to orthopaedics hospital and now I am doing physiotherapy and waiting for my check up what is coming up in June to see what happens next time hopefully I'll be okay lucky I haven't had it to be to painful yet and I was lucky I got it checked on when I did
I had perthes since i was 7 and now i am 15 but i play football it used to hurt but i got threw it but now it fine
Everyone here getting diagnosed at a young age, meanwhile I just found out I have had this disease at age 20 😭 only my right hip so thats good I guess but I need something to buy that can help loosen my hip and relax it cause its always tight and hurts fr
yeah man read my comment I think it really sums it all up. I was diagnosed young but they did fck-all and now I am in the same place as you... lol
I have this diseases but mine is far worst then everyone the surgery was a disaster when I was 6 they hit the main artery in my leg and I have to deal with a messed up leg far worst then you thinkz
Stay strong!!!!! keep fighting fella we got this
This disease is not the same for everyone. For some people full recovery can happen spontaneously, while others get a progressive degeneration of neighbour tissues of the Femoral Head causing osteoarthitis. I am 20 years old, and I had to stop playing football at 14. There is nothing, and I mean nothing I can do about it. The Healthcare system in spain did absolutely nothing about it. I visited the hospital a couple of times aged 6 to 9, and they just did "revisions" but no interventions. They considered it good enough, but it was certainly not. So right now, my disease is progressive and chronic. These motivational videos do me the opposite, as there is virtually nothing I can do. I just have to wait until I can barely walk so that public healthcare decides that I deserve a surgery.
I think in this case it is important to understand that each case is different. It is a serious disease, and fairy tales about keeping playing football and things like this are not realistic. This can only happen for those that had an early intervention, and a very good follow up after it. Which is less than 1% of the people that have perthes (Having public healthcare and a early good intervention). For the other 99% that have been late diagnosed, or poorly treated (solely because of the resources of where we grew up) this video is not our reality.
And those who say, keep going, it will get better! They are probably too young (14 to 25) to experience the degeneration of the disease. If you have perthes, your leg can only get worse. It is the sad reality, and the earlier you realise, the earlier you will be able to cope with it. This disease also comes with differential leg lenght, long term this leads to abnormalities in the spinal chord and severe back pain. It has psychological associations, such as a 50% higher risk of developing ADHD, higher incidence of depression etc. The causes for these are not so clear.
The point is, I have always been told that it is not that bad, that its not that serious etc. These shit messages shift away your attention from the disease, and I think it is important to speak the truth sometimes, because if you keep playing football, not taking care of it, and not taking it seriously, you will be limping, struggling to have sex, suffering from back pain, having pain while sitting, not being able to sleep because of the pain... All of this will happen in a blink of an eye. And it is pretty much irreversible until surgery. This being said, it is absolutely possible to cope with these things, you just have to be a bit more cautious than everyone else, and be AWARE. I dont mean to depress yall, i want you to be AWARE. Because I dont want you to be as bad as I am, and I am only 20!!! And trust me I took good care of it.
At one point, when disease progression is enough, we will get a hip replacement that will hopefully fix most of our problems. Until then, we have to take good care of it. So dont go around playing football and eating up the pain after, please. Strengthen the Quadriceps and Glutes, with low motion exercises (eliptic, swimming etc.), and take care of yourselves.