Reclaiming the Finish Line:
Endurance Athlete Shares His Story About Life After Anterior Hip Replacement Surgery
A lifelong runner, biker, and endurance athlete, Stephen found himself sidelined by debilitating hip pain, a harsh reality for someone whose life revolved around the thrill of the race and pushing his body to the limit.
“I was 52 years old when my primary care doctor said it was time to consider hip replacement. I wasn’t happy about it, but the pain was keeping me up at night and nonsurgical remedies such as physical therapy and medication weren’t giving me the relief I needed.”
After meeting with an orthopedic surgeon and confirming he was a candidate for outpatient hip replacement, Stephen was matched with an Orthopedic Care Coordinator who guided Stephen and his family through pre-op education, scheduling, post-operative care instructions, follow up and more.
Too young for hip surgery?
“Like a lot of people, I thought hip replacement surgery should be delayed until later in life, so the implant doesn’t wear out and need replacement,” says Stephen.
That is a common misconception.
“Implants have gotten much better. The notion that your joint replacement will last 15 years is largely not true anymore with modern implants. An average 50-year-old with a new implant — barring some catastrophic injury — should expect it to last a lifetime,” says Chris Nanson, MD, orthopedic surgeon.
Innovation in the anterior hip replacement method
Hip replacement surgery no longer requires months of recovery time.
Instead of the traditional method of replacing the hip joint by making an incision in the side or back of the body (known as the posterior approach), Stephen’s surgeon used a surgical technique known as anterior hip replacement.
The incision is made in the front of the hip, allowing the surgeon to avoid splitting the major muscle surrounding the hip joint.
“We know these muscle-sparing surgical techniques are important for faster recovery,” says Dr. Nanson. “For people like Stephen, that makes a world of difference. He was able to be more active more quickly which was incredibly important to him and his lifestyle.”
An innovative approach to anesthesia also aids in recovery.
“Through advances in multimodalpain management,” adds Nanson, “we are able to combine pain medications with different mechanisms of action to help reduce the need for narcotics – this facilitates a smoother recovery, with little to no dependence on opioids.”
Getting back in the race
“I’ve healed faster than I thought I would and felt relief within the first 10 days of my hip replacement,” says Stephen. “As a lifelong athlete staying sidelined wasn’t an option for me. I have restored mobility; I’m back on my bike training for races, and basically doing the things I love.”
Whether you are exploring treatment options or have already decided to undergo total hip replacement surgery, this article from the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons may be helpful.