Runners & Cyclists
Arnie's winning long jump at the 2019 New England T&F Championships
Congrats to Arnie for winning 1st place in the long jump for his age group at the 2019 New England T&F Championships! Dr.Su Performance Enhancing Resurfacing Hip!!
Arnie Pollinger Dr. Su RBHR 4/9/12
M55 Arnie Pollinger of Holliston, Massachusetts, is a rare bird — he runs roads and sprints. Recently, he wrote me: “I realize my running and jumping might not be noteworthy except for the fact that I am doing all this with an artificial hip.” His surgery was in April 2012, and he’s run dozens of distance races since this list began in 1997. He’s also prolific in the 60, 100 and 200 — and long jump. New York’s Hospital for Special Surgery posted a great profile of his case. “My hope is that other masters runners with degenerative hip arthritis who have been told they will never run again will read my story and realize there is a viable alternative out there,” he says. So I dug for more info, and he graciously responded.
Tim Bergman Dr. Su 11/23/11
This is a rather long narrative, so possible lessons for those not able to endure the length, especially those just now considering HR, are:
Michael DeLattre - Baseball RBHR 9/28/10, Dr. Della Valle **VIDEO**
Fellow Hippies,
Here is another video of me running to first base, and beating out a groundball to the shortstop. I had my wife keep the camera on me every time I batted. I ended up going 3 for 3 this game with 2 doubles and 3 RBI, and I even stole a base! I have been playing with an arthritic hip for the past 2 years and I didn't have 1 double in those 2 pitiful seasons. I even had guys as old as 60 running for me when I did get a single or a walk, and I was only 40! After 3 games this season, I already have 3 doubles and 2 stolen bases.
I thank this board for my new hip. I just can't imagine what I would feel like if I would have listened to my first 2 doctors, and went ahead with the replacement. I would be totally devastated when I found out about hip resurfacing by someone else! I just hope I can pay it forward. I brag about my hip to every team I play against. I figure playing baseball with mostly guys in their 40's and 50's, someone is going to need a hip soon! I already have 2 guys calling me for further information. That feels so good.
Bill Doughty - LBHR Dr. Rector 3/2/11
I've been dealing with hip pain for about 4 years now, progressively worse. Actually started with back pain and initial diagnosis was couple of degenerative discs in low back. Complaints about hip, knee pain were dismissed as related to back. I tried yoga, physical therapy, supplements, lumbar injections, hip injections, chiropractic, massage, NSAIDs, pain meds, etc. In April, moved from Atlanta to Denver and, trying to enjoy the healthy Colorado lifestyle. Like so many people, I could continue DOING activities like hiking and cycling, but would definitely PAY for it that evening and for days afterward.
Nick Powell RBHR Dr Whately 21/03/2010
For as long as I can remember I have always played and enjoyed sports, as one of 3 brothers and now with 3 active children of my own, sport and competition has been a fundamental part of my daily life. Through most of my teens and twenties it was predominantly team sports, football, cricket, rugby, hockey…you name it I probably played it at sometime. My main activity during my late twenties was hockey which I probably played twice a week accompanied by training twice per week. During this time I can remember many injuries but being young I always seemed to bounce back quickly.
Mike Greene November 4, 2009 Dr. Gross
I have always been extremely active (my wife calls it a sickness). I've played basketball pretty much weekly since I was 11 years old. I currently run a men's basketball group at a local gym where I went 7 years without missing a week until I started having too much hip pain in May of this year. I run competitively and have since 1985. In 2008 I ran 34 races from January through the first of November when the pain finally made me quit. I also play 35+ baseball, tennis, and lift weights twice a week. I just turned 47 years old on November 1.
Robyn Benincasa *Firefighter & Adventure Racer* 8/29/07 RBHR Dr. Kimball & 7/30/09 Dr. Su
Robyn Benincasa is a full time firefighter by profession and she has a full time passion. She is a World Champion Adventure racer that has completed 10 Ironman competitions and 36 "expedition length" adventure races. She has been in Sports Illustrated, Vogue, The New York Times, Hooked on the Outdoors, Adventure Sports and Inside Triathlon magazines, to name a few.
Robyn had her right hip resurfaced on August 29, 2007 by Dr. Kimball in San Diego. She was back to full duty fire fighting and was actively involved with battling the blazes in the Rancho Bernardo fires, at only 5 weeks post op! Then she had her left hip resurfacing by Dr. Su on July 30, 2009 and was back to full duty at only 4 weeks post op!! A personal interview with Robyn is below. Here is her bio and an update below:
Patrick Kenealy – Cyclist, October 23, 2007, Dr. David Mulcahy
I have been an active cyclist since 1987, racing most weekends from March to September. While out training one January in 2005 I was hit by a car which resulted in a dislocated right hip. I was in hospital for a month after having it relocated and on crutches for another 6 weeks. I then returned to my training and racing but the pain gradually got worse over the years and for 2007 I hardly did any cycling and no racing.
Linda Smith- Bilateral Dr. Gross
I am about to celebrate my 3 year anniversary of my right resurfaced hip and 2.5 years for my left resurfaced hip. I can't believe it's been that long since I got my life back. With both resurf surgeries, I had no complications and easy recoveries. However, I will never forget how traumatic it was for me to find out that all that pain and stiffness I had been experiencing for years was actually osteoarthritis and I needed major hip replacement surgery. 3 years ago I was panic struck!!!.
Spencer Roberts – 6/26/08, Dr. John Rogerson **VIDEO**
I am a 49 yr old male (50 on Nov 2) from Tucson, Arizona and had RBhour performed by Dr. John Rogerson in Madison, Wisconsin on June 26th,2008. I have been an active athlete since childhood. I played football in high school and college. I turned to endurance sports while serving in the military and bec ame an age group triathlete and duathlete (run/bike/run) in 1988. From 1988-2004 I competed in over 100 events and even made Team USA World Duathlon Team in 1999, 2002, and 2003. My only injuries began to surface in 2002 with hamstring and Achilles tendon issues. Little did I realize at the time but it was an arthouritic hip that was tweaking my running gait.
Chris - RBHR 1/10/2007, Dr. Clarke
Two years ago I ran what I thought might be my last road race ever. I was bone on bone with OA. It was a 15K (9.3 miles) in Schenectady NY. With the help of several Advil the night before and the morning of the race I managed to finish OK.
Bruce Benson – Runner, Oct 2, 2006, Dr. Stocks
Some folks know that I had a hip operation in 2006. After reading the news in last months newsletter concerning the Corporate Track and Field meet, some of them asked how I could run full tilt in a 100-meter sprint (we even won our heat) after such an operation. So, after prompting, I wrote this article.
My right hip started hurting in 2002. It was diagnosed as arthritis, possibly brought on by a very minor case of dysplasia (shallow hip socket, a birth defect). In the “before” picture (2005), you can see the “lumpiness” of the femoral head (normal is smooth and round). The doctor said that I would probably need my hip replaced in my forties. He was wrong – I was 39.
Bradley Poster – 11/15/06, Dr. Su
Posted on May 20, 2010
Running Hard after BHR
I love this subject. I searched the web for months before my surgery
back in nov of 06 for info. There was less back than and it wasnt until Corey
started posting about his running that this took off.
I have been racing since 5 months after my surgery. I did Mt Washington at 7 months and my first marathon at 1 year. Now I am racing once a month, usually a 10 miler or half marathon and my times are improving.They aren't what they were when I was 25 but my half marathon time is down to 1:36 since my surgery and at 55 I feel good about that. I also run on all surfaces. I don't have a problem on pavement. I tend to think its not the surface that is the problem but the way I run. When I run across the ground as opposed to into the surface I find I create less stress on my body. It also seems as I go faster its less stressful. So running a 7 min pace although is more tacking aerobically it feels better when I am done. I also did no physical therapy after my surgery and I don't warm up before my runs.
Brian Gilbert - RBHR March 28, 2007, Dr. Dungy
A Runner Looks Back at 50 and a BHR
Approaching 50 was really no big deal for me, at least not until a routine physical exam and x-ray screening in the summer of 2007 revealed I had degenerative arthritis in my right hip. After staring at my chart for some time my physician asked how much I was running. I explained I'd competed in two ultras and a marathon in the past three months. "Maybe at your age its time you learn how to ride a bike," he dead-paned. I failed to see the humor. I had two bikes but riding was something I did when I needed a break from running.