Roy Rosenblatt has been active all of his life. Running, tournament tennis, distance cycling, hiking—you name it, and Rosenblatt was doing it with the gusto that defines his personality. But when extreme hip pain from osteoarthritis began to take a toll on his regular activities, he decided to take action. His journey took him to a chiropractor, a physical therapist, a pain management doctor and then to arthroscopic surgery and rehabilitation.

After all of that, Rosenblatt found himself at age 55 in even worse pain, using a cane and with no cartilage left in his hip. Finally, Rosenblatt came in contact with Andrew Yun, MD, an orthopedic surgeon at the Hip & Pelvis Institute at Saint John’s Health Center, who recommended hip resurfacing.

“Hip resurfacing allows people like Roy to get back to their normal activities. It’s really an athlete’s dream,” said Dr. Yun.

“With hip resurfacing, the worn cartilage and damaged first layer of bone are replaced with a fresh, low-wearing metal surface. The procedure reproduces normal anatomy and normal bone loading, allowing for athletic activities that normal hips can tolerate, including impact activities after successful rehabilitation.”

In contrast, total hip replacement requires replacement of the upper segment of bone with a large metal stem.

Researchers have found the best candidates for hip resurfacing are active people ages 40 to 55. Older people with good bone quality and good overall health, however, may also be considered. Dr. Yun has performed hip resurfacing on a variety of patients with traumatic injuries or osteoarthritis, including a NASCAR racer, a fire chief and an international surfer. “All were able to get back to their usual lifestyles. The racer is back to competition. The fire chief is still the fire chief, and the surfer just traveled to Indonesia in search of the perfect wave,” said Dr. Yun.

Having undergone the procedure in April 2008, Rosenblatt admits that the post-surgery rehabilitation is tougher than most, but he feels it is worth it. “I was initially walking using crutches. Within three weeks, I was walking a mile each day. Now, I’m cycling again,” Rosenblatt said. “You are supported not just prior to surgery—but, importantly, post-surgery and during rehab. Dr. Yun views our relationship as a lifetime commitment, which means a lot. I recommend this to anyone who’s a candidate, it will change your life.”