With just 21 shows left in a 120-date lineup, Lady Gaga had to abruptly end her concert tour due to a hip injury. With her rigorous choreography and demanding schedule, the wear and tear on her hip over the years caused debilitating pain that shot through her entire body. Previously, doctors had reviewed her MRIs, diagnosed her with a labral tear –  an injury to tissue within the hip – and recommended over-the-counter painkillers and anti-inflammatories.

Upon seeing another physician after ending her tour, Lady Gaga was quickly diagnosed with a hip fracture and treated with surgery to repair it. In her own words:

“When we got all the MRIs finished before I went to surgery there were giant craters, a hole in my hip the size of a quarter, and the cartilage was just hanging out the other side of my hip. I had a tear on the inside of my joint and a huge breakage. The surgeon told me that if I had done another show I might have needed a full hip replacement.”

Had she required hip replacement surgery, Lady Gaga would have been unable to perform for at least a year. As it was, the repair surgery involved six months of recovery. She has since embarked on a multi-phase treatment plan including trigger point injections and massage. But the effects of the fracture – possibly missed by doctors for months or even years – continued to cause intense pain and body spasms for more than five years after her surgery. The ongoing pain and effects on her daily life also took a severe toll on her mental health. What might have been different had her fracture been recognized sooner?

The array of doctors and treatments available to an A-list celebrity like Lady Gaga are much less affordable and accessible for the average patient, yet she still suffered the effects of misdiagnosis. Everyone deserves to be confident in their diagnosis and provided the proper treatment. If you or someone you love are seeking another review of an MRI, reach out to our network of physicians at SecondOpinions.com.