Malcom Adkins
Malcolm Adkins, 63, is a retired principle lecturer and senior course tutor at Coventry University. He discovered that both his hips were arthritic after falling whilst out running.
"Until three years ago I ran about five miles on a weekly basis, although it was fairly on and off. My main problem was that I now work as a boat builder and house restorer, which involves a lot of lifting and hands-on labour, not to mention getting in and out of boats. I mainly work with wood and have to sit down whilst working.
"After a fall one day whilst out running, my GP sent me for an X-ray which revealed that I had arthritis in both hips. Until then I had no idea I had arthritis, although it is possibly hereditary as my mother had a hip replacement. Having been told that I would need a hip replacement myself, I took up swimming for the first time since I had swum competitively at school in the 1950s. I built up my stamina slowly over a period of about a year, knowing that I was facing a sizeable operation and that my post-operative recovery would be better if I was fit beforehand.
"I did get a lot of muscular pain, which was relieved by a very good chiropractor. She sorted out the painful muscles one at a time, but of course could not solve the increasing pain in my hip. Prior to the operation I was reduced to going up stairs one step at a time, with both feet on each tread.
"Sitting in a car was painful for anything over a few miles. My wife drives most of the time when we are together, but driving for work presented a problem. I sold my Ford van, which had a low driving position, and bought a Suzuki which has an 'armchair' driving position. I also bought a bike as an alternative to walking, and amassed quite a collection of walking sticks for when there was no alternative.
"Before my operation I could not sleep in our double bed and having only recently married, my wife thought it strange when I moved to a single bed, where for some reason I could sleep!
"With the waiting list likely to be about two years at my local NHS hospital, I reasoned that the cost of having the operation done privately was probably well worthwhile. At the same time, I first heard about hip resurfacing from a friend who had had the operation himself. He gave me some literature and I decided to look at this more closely, since there seemed to be distinct advantages in this technique for someone of my age. Armed with this information I went to my GP who agreed to refer me to a surgeon who was experienced in this technique.
"The main advantage of private medicine is that it puts you in charge and I was seen very quickly. After agreeing with my surgeon that I was suitable for hip resurfacing, I was able to more or less choose when I wanted it done.
"The operation at the Warwickshire Nuffield Hospital was on a Saturday. I was up on Sunday, walking up and down stairs on Monday and discharged on Tuesday. I was fairly active by two weeks after the operation and actually went up on a roof to tie down a tarpaulin that the wind had blown about, although my physiotherapist thought I was mad! I was back to 'normal' by about four weeks after the operation, including driving my car. I started swimming again within three weeks of the operation. The only after-effect about a year after the operation is a certain amount of numbness where the scar is.
"Since the operation I have been able to climb stairs and get up and down ladders normally. My sleeping habits are also back to normal, and I have thankfully been able to abandon the single bed in the spare room!
"My new hip feels very strong. My left hip, which I am expecting to be done under the NHS soon, did not give me very much trouble to begin with, despite being as bad on the X-rays as the right one was. I suspect this is because I can put more weight on the new hip, but the other side is progressively getting more painful now.
"I am a keen swimmer again now, and once I have had my other hip done I am aiming to break the 20-minutes barrier for a kilometre. I am definitely not going to do impact activities such as running again as I want both hips to last, but at least I will be able to work normally, and be able to go walking when on holiday with friends and family.
"My one new hip has made me active again; two new hips will make me super-active!"
