After hip replacement surgery, Matt came back faster

“Chronic hip pain was taking a physical and emotional toll on Matt, a high school gym teacher and wrestling coach who could barely walk. “Not being able to do routine things like working out or going for a walk was getting to me,” said Matt, 46, who admits he was hesitant about undergoing surgery.

The wavering ended when Matt met Greenwich Hospital’s Jonathan Berliner, MD, an orthopedic surgeon who recommended he have an anterior hip replacement.

“By the time I left Dr. Berliner’s office I knew he was the right surgeon,” said Matt. “I researched the different options and felt his approach was best.”

An anterior hip replacement – a technique to replace worn ends of the bone in the hip joint – is a less invasive, muscle sparing approach through the front of the hip. In contrast, a traditional posterior approach involves detaching muscle from the bone to access the joint and then repairing the tissue at the end of the procedure.

“Because the anterior approach preserves the muscles and tendons around the hip joint, it likely results in a more rapid recovery after the operation. Some studies have also demonstrated lower pain medication requirements and reduced rates of dislocation,” said Dr. Berliner.

Matt’s surgery went smoothly. He was walking a few hours after the operation and experienced minimal pain. He was home the next day.

“My experience was off the charts. The quality of the nursing staff was excellent,” he said. “I can’t imagine having this surgery anywhere else.”

Matt was back teaching physical education at Blind Brook High School in Rye Brook, NY, in just three weeks. His advice to others contemplating hip replacement surgery: ;