Yuriel - Total Hip Replacement

Hi I’m Yuri and I’m an energetic 55 year older who is one year into a total hip replacement and surprising a whole host of people that I’ve encountered.

I’ve always been active and have participated in sports since my youth and it’s a laundry list of stuff you can believe me. I practically grew up in our neighborhood YMCA taking part in everything from Karate, to Soccer, basketball, boxing, swimming, and baseball. 

My passion for consistent athletic movement soon found its way to Contemporary Dance and I auditioned for Philadanco a world renowned dance company in the city and landed in a third level training division under the tutelage of one of their many premiere instructors. 

Alas parenthood interrupted my Broadway aspirations but Philadelphia’s Freedom Theater a Repertory theater and performing arts training program offered me the opportunity to share my passion and skills with their students which kept me active in the world of dance I’d come to adore.

I took to running because it provided for me an additional adrenaline rush of sorts the whole world came together on the road after mile six. I’ve always considered it a meditative instance and I dove passionately into the sport after many years of just running. I fondly remember participating in the Broad Street Run when we had no more than maybe five to seven thousand participants and over the years thereafter participating in the ongoing growth of the event.

After several marathons a handful of triathlons and a healthy sprinkling of 5ks, and half marathons I was well underway to continue to podium in events participated in throughout the region when one afternoon during a training run I felt a discomfort in my left hip area that over the subsequent months developed into something that robbed me of my joy of running. Swimming and cycling just weren’t going to be a viable substitute as some folks suggested in their attempts to pacify me.

My Orthopedic Surgeon who helped with repairing a torn meniscus suggested the doctors at Rothman’s although he was candid in considering that I’d might want to think about hanging up the running shoes and sticking with riding and swimming. 

My wife and I met Dr. Parvizi three weeks later and we were both impressed by his manner, knowledge, and optimistic outlook which helped to lessen the cloud of despair which had begun hovering over me after weeks of pain medication and ongoing discomfort. 

During our initial consultations I informed Dr. Parvizi just how active I was and that my referring surgeon had explained that I’d probably receive relief from the folks at Rothman’s but I would probably not be able to run my favored events at close to my familiar pace again. 

Dr. Parvizi explained that I would make a full recovery from the surgery because my athleticism was going to be a chief contributor and anything after that was possible and completely up to me. After our consultations my wife and clearly understood that this was not going to be my grandfather’s hip replacement because medical skill and technology had made some leaps and bounds over the years.

Our final consult before the surgery Dr. Parvizi noted that I was brimming with enthusiasm with the thought of “I’ll run again” and looked at me as he left the room and said “I’m looking forward to making you pain free”.
Five months after my surgery I participated in my first athletic event a Sprint Triathlon on Drexel University Campus and I’ve been off to the races, literally ever since. I’ve completed two Half Marathons one was the Half Saur Half Kraut Penny Packer Park Half Marathon Trail Run, two additional Sprint Triathlons one of which was this year’s Philadelphia Senior Games (50+) here in Philly in which I won the Gold Medal in Triathlon, along with weekly mileage of 15 to 25 miles which goes into preparing for those events and others to come. 

I’ve completed the Liberty Bell Challenge here in Philly during the Marathon Weekend events in November of this year which entails completing a Half Marathon on Saturday and a Full Marathon on Sunday. A gargantuan task to say the least but my training and preparation for the event/s went well with the help of my new hip.

I’d just like to say thanks to Dr. Parvizi and the professional and helpful folks at Rothman’s for making sure that I got pain free.