"The scar is so neat, you can hardly see it"
When Richard experienced intermittent pain in his leg, he assumed it had been from an incident while gardening. It was only when the pain began to radiate that an X-ray revealed the extent of the problem.
Richard Muir, 71, from Battle, said: “About a year ago, I pulled a fence post out of the ground in the garden and felt a horrendous pain in my leg. I thought I’d pulled a muscle, but I didn’t think too much of it.
“But it didn’t get better. The pain would come and go. I went to see my GP a few months later who prescribed a non-steroid anti-inflammatory.”
This provided Richard with some relief for a while, but when the pain increased to his lumbar region and down his leg, he returned to the GP, who advised him to see a physiotherapist.
Richard, a published author, explained: “I did the required exercises on the right leg and when I tried to do the same exercises on my left leg, it took the physiotherapist two minutes to say it is not your leg that is the problem – it’s your hip.”
A subsequent X-ray identified moderate to severe osteoarthritis in Richard’s left hip and moderate osteoarthritis in his right hip.
His GP explained the options. Richard said he did not want to end up walking with a stick or develop a permanent limp, so decided to proceed with a hip replacement.
Richard had a consultation with Mr Tofunmi Oni, Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon at The Horder Centre, and was booked in for his procedure in April this year.
“Everything from start to finish was absolutely faultless,” said Richard. “I was in for surgery at 9.30am on Monday, and by 2.30pm Wednesday, my wife was able to take me home.
“The only hitch was I had low blood pressure for about half a day on Tuesday. But then everything kicked into place, so the physiotherapists were able to get me out and about, walking down the corridor. On Wednesday before going home, I was able to go up and down the stairs.
“I used crutches for a day or two, then sticks, following all the physiotherapy advice.
“The bruising came out quickly and the swelling took a lot of time to go down. It was the first time I had dissolved stitches. The scar is so neat, you can hardly see it.
“I was able to drive within a couple of weeks when Mr Oni was happy for me to do so. My car is automatic, so all I had to do was be very careful getting in and out slowly.
“As the weeks go by, I am feeling nice and strong, but I make sure I take it steady and don’t do any sudden movements. My wife has been amazing helping me.
“The important thing I say to people is you have to listen to your body. Your body will tell you, so don’t be flash and push it.”
“I was delighted but not surprised to hear how well Mr Muir has done after his total hip replacement. I hope this means he not only has time to concentrate on activities he loves, but also is able to focus on writing another book.”
Tofunmi Oni, Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon
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