Reply To: New Member

[DougErickson82264]

This is more of a rant than a comment. I, too, was told by the first orthopedic surgeon I saw that I would never run again after getting my hip replaced. For the life of me, I don’t understand why doctors continue to say this, especially with all of the evidence to the contrary, on this site alone. It’s so counter-productive. Why take away all hope? Shouldn’t doctors want to encourage physical activity and mental health? For many of us, running has been a balm that has gotten us through rough patches. Shouldn’t doctors want their patients going into surgery with an optimistic attitude, not devastated and depressed? After the surgeon told me I’d never run again, I asked follow-up questions, like, “Well, what will I be able to do?” A lot, of course, including hiking. When I asked how far I could hike, he said unlimited miles. I asked, “Like 30 a day?” He said, “Sure.” He never asked about the terrain or how heavy my backpack would be. How can hiking 30 miles with a heavy backpack up and down mountains be OK, but running a couple of miles on grass not be? It makes no sense. Fortunately, the second surgeon I saw — and the one who did my hip replacement three months ago — supports a return to running. I will wait a couple more months before trying, but just the possibility that I will be able to run again, even a little, is inspiring. That’s all I wanted.