Mary Lou Retton, 38
Hip Replacement

Mary Lou Retton's constant hip pain started off as a dull ache in her early 30s. The source of Mary Lou's debilitating pain was hip dysplasia, a hereditary abnormal formation of the hip joint. Her suffering progressed to where routine movement was excruciating and Mary Lou was unable to perform daily tasks.

Gymnastics didn't cause the dysplasia. However, the sport that made her one of the nation's most recognizable people also advanced her hip condition faster than normal.

During her search for relief, Mary Lou met Dr. Brian Parsley, who offered what seemed like a radical plan: total hip replacement surgery.

It's an option for people who suffer from debilitating hip problems such as hip dysplasia or osteoarthritis, a disease that involves the breakdown of cartilage in one or more of the joints.

Hip replacement surgery wasn't an unfamiliar concept to Mary Lou. Her father had undergone the procedure to relieve pain from his own hip dysplasia condition. Yet, despite her awareness of hip replacement surgery, her initial reaction was one of extreme doubt. Wouldn't a new hip slow her down?

"So, I went in with my list, and I said this is what I want to be able to do after." Despite Dr. Parsley's confidence, Mary Lou left his office unsure that hip replacement surgery was the answer. However, as the pain continued, she decided to revisit Dr. Parsley. This time she was ready — with a few conditions. She didn't need to score 10s on the floor, but she did want to do things within reason, perform general exercise work outs and sit comfortably on the floor with her girls.

In June of 2005, Mary Lou's left hip was replaced. When talking with Mary Lou, it's easy to see just how much this surgery means to her. While she's the first to admit that the surgery wasn't easy and included a full three-month recovery, she couldn't be happier with the results.

There is one thing she regrets — living with the pain for so long.

"I wasted part of my life waiting. Now I'm back to living again."

Patient testimonial provided by Biomet, Inc.
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