A few months after his short-stem hip replacement, one of my patients cycled through the French Alps. His route included the Col du Galibier and the climb to Alpe d'Huez. A tremendous athletic achievement. His feedback: His hip remained pain-free.

As a surgeon, I am particularly pleased to receive such news. An X-ray allows me to assess how a prosthesis is positioned. A photograph from the Alps tells me what the treatment means to this person personally.

Not everyone wants to conquer Alpine passes. Perhaps you miss a walk with your partner. Playing with your grandchildren. Or a trip where you don't have to plan every route in advance.

Therefore, an important question for us at ENDOPROTHETICUM is:

What would you like to experience again?

Regarding the patient photo: Seven days, nine Alpine passes: Just a few months after his short-stem hip replacement surgery with Prof. Kutzner, this patient was back cycling in the French Alps. According to him, he experienced no hip pain. Published with his consent.

Back to the French Alps with a short-stem hip prosthesis

The Col du Galibier and the climb to Alpe d'Huez are special destinations for road cyclists. Anyone who includes them in a tour with a total of nine passes within a week is taking on a very ambitious sporting challenge.

For my patient, this trip was possible again just a few months after his hip surgery. He was able to take on a demanding challenge and indulge his passion for road cycling – without the hip problems that had previously limited him.

That is precisely where the personal significance of this story lies. The hip replacement has a value for him that goes far beyond the implant itself: he was able to resume an important part of his life.

Personal goals can be ambitious

During consultations, we often discuss walking distances, climbing stairs, and managing daily life independently. Some patients also have athletic ambitions that contribute significantly to their quality of life.

These wishes should also be discussed.

What sports have you participated in so far? What is important to you in these sports? What kind of physical exertion would you like to be able to handle again?

My patient's Alpine trip is an exceptional individual case. It is not a benchmark for recovery after hip surgery, nor is it a general recommendation to undertake such a tour just a few months after the procedure. Returning to sports must be tailored to the individual's circumstances and healing process and must be medically coordinated.

But an ambitious goal can be stated. We would like to know what it is so we can discuss the possibilities, limitations, and the path to achieving it.

For one person, the destination lies high up in the French Alps. For another, it begins right on their doorstep.

When hip or knee make life smaller

Joint problems often change everyday life gradually.

The walks are getting shorter. For outings, one looks for a parking spot as close to the destination as possible. When playing with the grandchildren, one prefers to stay on the sofa. Before a trip, a question now arises that never used to matter: Can I even manage the distances there?

Many things can be adjusted for a while. But at some point, you realize how much you've already given up.

The following three stories describe such situations. They are fictional examples, not actual patient reports. Perhaps you will nevertheless recognize something from your own daily life in them.

Walking together along the Rhine again

They used to just leave after breakfast.

Along the Rhine, sometimes as far as the next café. On the way, they talked about the children, their next vacation, or what still needed to be done at home. Neither of them cared how many kilometers they had walked.

She now looks for a bank more often.

Her hip starts bothering her on the way there. Her husband slows down without saying a word. She knows he's adjusting to her pace. Sometimes that bothers her more than the pain itself.

"You go ahead and move on," she says.

Later she suggests that he go alone. She has something to do anyway.

What she misses is the time together, the conversations along the way, and the feeling of simply being able to set off.

What does "running better again" mean to you?

In a consultation, her initial wish might be: "I would like to be able to walk better again."

Only through conversation does it become clear what is meant. How long were the walks before? What is still possible today? When do the symptoms occur? And what significance does the shared walk have for her?

These questions help us understand the limitation. Whether non-surgical treatment can help or an artificial hip joint is advisable will be decided based on the individual situation and the medical findings.

We would also like to know which change would make the biggest difference for you personally.

Playing on the floor with my grandson again

The model railway is in the middle of the living room.

His grandson has set up the tracks, dug a tunnel under the coffee table, and prepared the locomotive. Now all that's missing is a playmate.

He would have simply sat down in the past. Now he thinks about it.

Getting down would be manageable somehow. But how would he get back up? Could he use the table for support? Would his knee hold up?

So he stays on the sofa and has the railway explained to him from above.

He would like to be able to compete at the lower levels again.

Self-employment takes many forms

When people have joint problems, they often think first of walking distances or stairs. However, for individual patients, other activities can be just as important: putting on shoes, getting up from a low chair, working in the garden, or bending down to a child.

That's why we're asking more questions.

What kind of movement are you missing? What are you avoiding these days? Where do you need help, even though you would prefer to do the task yourself?

Here, too, an honest assessment is essential. Not every movement can be fully restored through treatment. Mobility, strength, other medical conditions, and the individual's starting point must be taken into account.

A personal goal gives direction to the treatment. We will discuss with you individually whether and to what extent it is achievable.

Traveling again without having to plan every route in advance

The hotel is booked. The pictures of the old town look beautiful.

Nevertheless, she always checks the city map before her trip. How far is it from the hotel to the city center? Are there any hills? Is there a bus service? Where could she take a break?

She used to look for restaurants and tourist attractions. Now she looks for short distances.

Her hip is involved in every plan.

She would love to stroll through a strange city again, without constantly worrying about whether the way back would be too far. Maybe even spontaneously turn down a side street.

What she lacks is a piece of freedom.

Which businesses have you already abandoned?

Joint problems can sometimes influence the decision to do anything at all. An invitation is declined. A trip is postponed. A journey isn't even booked in the first place.

Therefore, in addition to current resilience, it is important for the consultation to know which activities have already been discontinued.

What would you like to do again? What concerns do you have? Is there a specific event you're hoping for?

If you have a trip, family celebration, or other appointment in mind, please let us know as soon as possible. Together, we can determine the most sensible planning approach. However, surgery and the subsequent recovery cannot be scheduled around a specific date you desire.

Your story is part of the medical decision

An X-ray provides important information. However, it does not show what your hip or knee problems mean for your daily life.

People with similar diagnoses can experience varying degrees of limitations. Their expectations of treatment also differ.

At ENDOPROTHETICUM Rhein-Main, we therefore combine the medical findings with your personal situation. This includes, among other things, the following questions:

• What symptoms are present and how have they developed?
• Which treatments have you already tried?
• How severely are daily life, sleep and movement affected?
• What comorbidities need to be taken into account?
• What do you hope to achieve through treatment?
• What concerns and unanswered questions do you bring with you?

Based on this, we will discuss your options.

The question "What would you like to experience again?" does not prescribe a specific treatment. It helps us develop and explain a recommendation that fits your situation.

Do I need a hip or knee replacement for that?

The desire for a better quality of life does not automatically lead to the decision to have surgery.

The first step is to determine the cause of your symptoms and assess your previous treatment. This consultation will also address whether non-surgical options are still a viable option.

If joint replacement is an option, we will discuss the reasons for it, possible alternatives, and the opportunities and risks with you. Equally important are the limitations: an artificial joint cannot eliminate every ailment or guarantee every personal goal.

You should understand why we recommend a particular course of action. And you should have the opportunity to ask your questions – even if you haven't yet decided on surgery.

If an artificial joint is advisable: How do we plan your treatment?

Planning a hip or knee replacement involves many medical decisions. The most suitable treatment depends on factors such as your anatomy, bone quality, joint condition, and other individual circumstances.

When considering hip replacement surgery, one of the questions is whether a short-stem prosthesis is suitable for you. The choice of implant depends on your individual medical needs. Therefore, the successful Alpine trip of one patient cannot be generalized to other patients or to a specific type of prosthesis.

You also have a practical question: What does the entire treatment process look like?

At the ENDOPROTHETICUM in Mainz, we therefore consider both the preparation and the post-operative period. Depending on your individual situation, we discuss, for example:

• How you can prepare for the treatment.
• Which organizational framework is suitable for you?.
• What support you need after discharge.
• How rehabilitation and aftercare are planned.
• Things to consider when returning to everyday life and sports.

Your place of residence, your home situation, and the support you receive from relatives can also play a role.

Our treatment concept combines specialized medical care with the surgical options available at the curaparc clinic Mainz, as well as complementary rehabilitation and accommodation services. We will discuss which components are right for you personally.

Here's how you can prepare for your consultation

You don't need to be able to describe your symptoms in medical terms. Concrete examples from your everyday life are helpful.

Perhaps you will recognize yourself in one of these sentences:

"After ten minutes I have to stop."

"I only use the stairs when absolutely necessary."

"I often cancel trips these days."

"I need help getting dressed."

"I want to be able to ride longer distances on my racing bike again."

Also consider what change would make the biggest difference for you. This could be a sporting challenge. Often it's an everyday activity that you'd like to be able to do independently again.

Feel free to write down your questions and requests before the appointment. That way we can go through them together.

After the treatment: What can you do again?

During follow-up care, we are interested in the medical findings and your actual daily life.

How are your symptoms progressing? What is already working better? Where are you still experiencing difficulties? And how are things going with the personal goal we discussed at the beginning?

Perhaps the walk has become longer again. Perhaps getting up is easier. Perhaps it still takes time, training, or further investigation because something isn't going as expected.

This is also part of personal support: recognizing progress and openly addressing difficulties.

Sometimes we receive a photo from the French Alps. Other times, someone tells us that they can once again go to the café together. Both can mean a great deal to the person in question.

What would you like to experience again?

Taking a walk along the Rhine with your partner. Playing on the floor with your grandchildren. Planning a trip without calculating every route beforehand. Or actually conquering the mountain peaks on a racing bike?

Perhaps while reading, you thought of a particular person. Of a place you would like to visit again. Or of a small, everyday thing that you have been missing for a long time.

Tell us about it.

At ENDOPROTHETICUM Rhein-Main, we take your symptoms and personal goals as the starting point for a thorough consultation. Together, we determine which treatment is appropriate for your hip or knee and what expectations are realistic.

Schedule your personal consultation appointment at the ENDOPROTHETICUM in Mainz.

We would like to know what is important to you.

Prof. Dr. med. Karl Philipp Kutzner,
Specialist in Orthopedics and Trauma Surgery
, Founder and Medical Director of the ENDOPROTHETICUM Rhein-Main