For Dr Hilary Flockhart, choosing where to have her second hip replacement was a very easy decision. Having already undergone successful surgery on her right hip at The Horder Centre in 2021, she returned four years later for her left hip replacement, despite having moved to Northern Ireland.
Hilary is a keen walker and has always enjoyed being active, but in 2021 she experienced increasing pain in the muscles of her thigh. A chiropractor suggested the problem could be coming from her hip, so she arranged an X-ray, which revealed worn cartilage in her right hip.
After going to her GP, she decided to see an orthopaedic specialist at The Horder Centre. Hilary had a consultation with Mr Syed Ahmed, a Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon who specialises in hip surgery, and he advised hip replacement surgery.
Hilary explains: “I was shocked that I needed to have a hip replacement. You realise you are not invincible and that things can go wrong with you.”
“I had been lucky in my life to have had good health, with little previous experience of hospital treatment or major surgery, so undergoing hip replacement was a completely new experience. I prepared myself as well as possible and followed the exercises before and after the operation provided by The Horder Centre, encouraged by a friend who stressed how important they were.
“My recovery was remarkably quick. I was walking well with elbow crutches while still at The Horder Centre, and just three weeks after my operation, I was hosting my annual August Bank Holiday barbecue. Everybody was very impressed that I was doing so well.”
Four years later, Hilary began developing pain in her left hip. This time, the symptoms were more severe and completely different. She found it increasingly difficult to put weight on the leg and was eventually walking with a stick. By then, she had moved to Northern Ireland, but she contacted her local chiropractor and decided to return to The Horder Centre for another consultation with Mr Ahmed, where an X-ray confirmed that her left hip also required replacement.
Hilary adds: “Mr Ahmed explained that in the right hip, I had worn away cartilage at the top of the hip joint. However, this time, in the left hip, I had worn away cartilage at the bottom of the joint. That was why it was so much more painful.”
On choosing The Horder Centre again, Hilary explains: “I had had such an excellent experience and result the first time, why would I have it any different? For the operation, I had the same assistant surgeon and anaesthetist as the first operation. It was nice to be welcomed back by the team!”
“My recovery followed a similar pattern to the first, and I drove back to Northern Ireland 4 weeks after the operation.”
Today, Hilary is once again walking 10,000 steps a day and has recently returned from a 7-day walking holiday in the Alps. She says: “This would have been impossible last year, but following successful surgery, I was certainly not the slowest in the group and enjoyed the holiday immensely. We walked every day in the mountains, along small trails, climbing to 3000 metres at the highest point.
“A huge thank you to Mr Ahmed for making this possible. While under his care, I found him to be courteous and direct. I was very interested in the procedure, and he answered my question fully.
“The Horder Centre was excellent. I have recommended it to family and friends, who have all had positive outcomes and good experiences.”
“It has been wonderful to see Hilary return to such an active lifestyle following her minimally invasive hip replacement. The aim of surgery is not simply to relieve pain, but to restore confidence, mobility and quality of life, and hearing that she was able to walk in the French Alps at 3,000 metres less than a year later is incredibly rewarding.”
Mr Syed Ahmed
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The Horder Centre is an award-winning Centre of Excellence that offers patients a unique therapeutic environment. Specifically designed for orthopaedic surgery, our facilities include a physiotherapy inpatient gym and courtyard gardens designed by clinical experts to enhance recovery. Finance options available.
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