Knee Surgery Allows Roger to Return to His Adventures Again

Roger, 65, an investment counselor, has always pursued a physically demanding lifestyle. Between golfing, hiking and active vacations, Roger doesn’t let much slow him down.

This wasn’t always the case. For a number of years, severe knee osteoarthritis from an old skiing injury caused Roger so much pain: “I started to say to myself, ‘I give up.’ I like to walk 18-holes of golf carrying my own bag, but eventually I couldn’t even walk nine-holes. The pain was so intense that I couldn’t hike anymore. Even whitewater canoeing was out because kneeling in the boat was uncomfortable. Most of the things I enjoy I could no longer do. My life was passing me by.”

Roger did some research on the Internet, and spoke with his orthopaedic surgeon about his treatment options. “The real turning point for me in terms of electing to have the knee surgery was when playing golf with my surgeon, Dr. Richard Scott. We walked down the first fairway and when we got on the first green he said, ‘That is terrible.’ And I said, ‘You mean the golf or the knee?’ And he said, ‘Both.’ Well, I knew it was time then.”

Rogers’s knee replacement surgery went very well. His doctor chose an implant called a Sigma® Rotating Platform knee, which is designed to bend and rotate. It’s made by DePuy Orthopaedics, Inc.

Following surgery and rehabilitation, Roger was back to his active hobbies. “I had the surgery in early July and was playing golf on Labor Day and a short time later trekking in the Kingdom of Bhutan, which is located on the southeast border of the Himalayas, Tibet and India.”

Now, instead of feeling like his life is passing him by, Roger sends his surgeon photos of his adventure-filled vacations. “Thanks to this surgery, I can once again satisfy my thirst for adventure.  I’m so thankful to have my life back!”

As with any medical treatment, individual results may vary. Only an orthopaedic surgeon can determine whether an orthopaedic implant is an appropriate course of treatment. There are potential risks, and recovery takes time. The performance of the new joint depends on weight, activity level, age and other factors.

Last Updated: 02/22/2008