7 Healthcast: Hip resurfacing

Jim Menno, 53, is a pond hockey champion who loves to hit the ice.

Jim Menno, had hip resurfacing surgery
"I grew up right on a pond, I grew up playing pond hockey, that's how I learned how to skate in those days."

But playing so much hockey caused him to develop severe arthritis in his hip.

Doctors told him he needed a hip replacement, and would most likely have to give up the active lifestyle he loves.

Jim Menno, had hip resurfacing surgery
"You get depressed, you get sad, you get, you know, you start freaking out about it, and I said jeez there's got to be another way, there's got to be something I can do here."

Orthopedic Surgeon Dr. Daniel Snyder of Newton-Wellesley Hospital told Jim there is another option- a new procedure called hip resurfacing.

Dr. Daniel Snyder, Newton-Wellesley Hospital
"Hip resurfacing conserves the entire proximal femur and femoral neck and head, which gives you two things, high level of functionality in terms of return to sport, which is what people really like about it, and conservation of bone."

The procedure is much less invasive than a hip replacement.

Instead of completely replacing the hip joint, a metal cap is put on the top of the femur and a metal surface is put in the hip socket.

Since no bone is removed, the recovery time is expected to be much faster, and for Jim it was!

Just a few months after having the surgery, Jim was back on the ice, and better than ever.

Jim Menno, had hip resurfacing surgery
"I feel better than I did when I was almost younger, I've got so much, now I've got my mobility back so I feel great."

Jim even made it back to the pond hockey championships in Canada this year. His team finished 66th out of about 120 teams.

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