Conditions + Treatments
Hip Injury/Condition
Hip Replacement (Anterior)
I am 62 years old and I love spending time outdoors. Hiking is my passion and I usually spend a lot of time exploring 14,000 ft. mountains in Colorado.
A year ago, as I was climbing Mount Yale, I realized that I was using only my right leg to move. After continuing to do so the entire hike, unfortunately I was unable to reach the summit. My body was already telling me that something was wrong. I was experiencing hip problems and my back was feeling sore. Once I returned home to Alabama, my physical therapist recommended I call Andrews Sports Medicine.
I scheduled an appointment at the Greystone/Hwy 280 location of Andrews Sports Medicine because it was convenient to where I live. My appointment was with Dr. Rachel Henderson, a non-surgical orthopaedic physician. After she reviewed my x-rays, Dr. Henderson explained to me that my left hip was all but gone - complete bone on bone.
She advised me that I needed to see Dr. James Flanagan, Jr., an orthopaedic surgeon at Andrews Sports Medicine who specializes in joint replacement. Because both physicians were in the same practice, the transition from one physician to the other went very smoothly. Dr. Flanagan’s staff called me to schedule my appointment.
During my initial appointment with Dr. Flanagan, we discussed the plan for me to have a total hip replacement with the anterior approach. A few weeks prior to my surgery, a member of the St. Vincent’s Hospital Joint Camp contacted me to attend a class that would help me better understand what to expect and how to prepare for the surgery and recovery. I did not initially think I needed to take this class but glad I did. I learned that therapy was just as important in the recovery process.
I am proud to report that I am doing very well since my hip replacement. Five weeks after my surgery, I completed a short 3 mile hike with a cane, of course, at Oak Mountain State Park. Seven months post-surgery, I accomplished a successful climb up Mount Lincoln in Colorado, which is the eighth highest mountain in Colorado, at 14,295 ft.
Thank you to Dr. Henderson and Dr. Flanagan for working together as a team to get me back to the great outdoors!
