Ruth, Total Hip Replacement

My name is Ruth and I'm 48 years old and two years in to a full hip replacement and another possibly coming my way in the future. Here's my story.

For the best part of my life I have been a tennis player. Brought up in the UK, I was a nationally ranked junior. I took a tennis scholarship to Florida some 30 years ago. I played at a good collegiate level, played some satellite events then took to teaching the sport. The amount of miles that I have shuffled, sprinted to and run in general must be in the 10's of thousands by now. When I was turning 40 I took up cycling. Not just cycling to work or recreation but to road race. In August 2008 I got hit by a car coming back from a training ride and broke my pelvis badly. I recovered after several months of physical therapy and got right back on my bike and eventually continued to teach. My left hip had been an issue for awhile but I put it down to the accident and the amount of strain teaching and my general exercising would put on it. A Broad Street run here, a half marathon there and my first marathon in November 2007 to name but a few plus the 100s of miles I was pedaling. 

The X-rays that I had for a broken pelvis also showed the damage to my hips. Bone spurs, not much spacing in the joints. Fast forward to 2014. I'd had several injections in both hips, continuous PT to try and strengthen the hips. Remarkably I still managed to do my job. I'd given up cycling and almost stopped running. I'd gone to 5 different surgeons for their opinions - all of who said either running shouldn't be in my future maybe take up riding a bike ! The biking I could do without, the running I could not. SO - I continued in my search of a surgeon who would tell me what I wanted to hear. I walked into Rothmans for an appointment with Dr. Sharkey. I couldn't believe it - it was music to my ears "Absolutely you can run. You're an athlete, you'll have no restrictions". Within 2 weeks I'd had the surgery. Dr. Sharkey and his staff were fantastic. The surgical centre in Royersford was marvelous. I was home the next day and walking with a stick. My attitude in physical therapy was that which was very similar to my bike accident. I wanted to be as good as I could be. I wouldn't settle for much less. 9 weeks after surgery I once again ran the Broad Street run in Philadelphia. 8 months laterthe Rock 'en rock half marathon and with very few folk knowing I ran the Chicago marathon 2 months later. 

My new hip has been amazing. I've maintained my strength on both hips and work continuously at being functionally even. Now some 2 years and a few months I have run three full marathons, including the London marathon in aid of the charity "Children with Cancer" on my new hip. Each time I run I'm getting faster ! I hope to run the Berlin Marathon next September again for Children with Cancer. It reminds me that for as much discomfort that a person can have with a joint problem it's probably not as much as some others are faced with.

Thank you Rothmans. Thank you Dr. Sharkey. When it's time to do the second hip I will not hesitate to come back to you.