THIS POST IS PART OF THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO TOTAL HIP REPLACEMENT
For Chad Grote, it was another day working in the field with the same hip pain he had since he was a child. Chad learned how to deal with the pain over time and it typically never prevented him from doing activities he wanted to do. However, that all changed when the pain in his left hip continually worsened.
Living with hip pain
“I have worked in the agriculture field all of my life and it was getting harder and harder for me to perform the tasks that I needed to,” said Chad. “I couldn’t climb up and down my equipment nor could I walk across uneven terrain.”
Chad has three children all between the ages of eight and 12. He found it hard to play sports with his kids as they became more and more active. It was at this point Chad was ready to do something about the pain in his hip.
“Not being able to play around with my kids and overhearing my children being asked by their friends why I walk funny, was the final straw,” said Chad.
Chad attended a free joint screening at a local hospital where the doctor determined that all of Chad’s cartilage was gone and that his hipbone was in bad shape. “I didn’t want to have my hip replacement done on the local level and my brother-in-law had his knee worked on at OrthoIndy so he highly recommended that I go there,” said Chad.
Chad then scheduled an appointment with total joint replacement specialist Dr. Eric Monesmith.
Hip replacement surgery
Dr. Monesmith determined that Chad would eventually need both hips and knees replaced but started with the left hip. “Chad has a congenital, meaning from birth, hip deformity which results in early hip arthritis. For him, it was a matter of when, not if, he was going to develop arthritis of his hip,” said Dr. Monesmith.
Chad was thrilled about his experience at OrthoIndy. “I really appreciated how quick the wait was and how efficient the staff was from checking in for X-rays to consultation,” said Chad. “I really like Dr. Monesmith, he was straight to the point and was quick to devise the best plan of approach.”
Going into surgery, Chad was very nervous since he had never had a procedure done other than having his wisdom teeth taken out. But upon waking up after the surgery, the pain was almost already gone from Chad’s left hip.
After hip replacement surgery
“The pain from the surgery was minor compared to what my hip had felt like,” said Chad. “I was, and still am, surprised at how much discomfort was gone so quickly.”
The rehab for Chad went very well and worked great with his schedule since he could perform the exercises at home. Chad’s recovery was quicker than he had ever expected.
“Before the surgery, I had to second guess or think about what I was about to do in order to avoid the sharp pains, which meant in a lot of cases I just wouldn’t do many things. That is what has taken me the longest to get used to. I am now able to trust my left hip to do what its supposed to do without the worry of hurting it,” Chad said.
From time to time, Chad still catches himself cautiously waiting for his hip to hurt but as time continues to pass, he has learned to trust it more and more. “It sounds like a small thing being able to trust your body to do something it’s supposed to do, for most people is second nature, but for me that hasn’t always been the case,” said Chad.
Chad’s next adventure is to keep up with his kids as they continue to become more and more active.
“Recovery after hip replacement is much easier than most people think. Chad was a lot of fun to work with and I am very happy for him,” said Dr. Monesmith. “I love helping people get back to their active lifestyle!”
To schedule an appointment with Dr. Monesmith, please call 317.884.5166 or learn more about joint replacement surgery at OrthoIndy.
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