Frankfort Man Reaching New Heights After Total Knee Replacement
Mount Bierstadt in Colorado has an elevation of about 14,000 feet, and on July 25, Bob Svenningsen went hiking up the mountain. Climbing up any mountain is impressive in itself, but especially for Bob, who eight months prior to his hike underwent a total knee replacement at Silver Cross Hospital.
Svenningsen has always loved to run, and has even completed several triathlons and marathons over the years. His two Husky Border Collie mixes are always a little down when they don’t get their 3 to 5 mile walk every day, he said. However, that grueling pace is how his knee started to deteriorate.
I got to the point where I just wasn’t getting around the way that I should,” said Svenningsen, who lives in Frankfort. “Knee surgery was just one of those things I kept postponing.”
He could still walk on flat terrain, however, there were areas where he couldn’t even hike around his neighborhood in Frankfort because of the hills. So, Svenningsen came to Silver Cross and met with Dr. Robert Daley, orthopedic surgeon with The Midwest Institute for Robotic Surgery at Silver Cross Hospital. After his meeting with Dr. Daley it was clear he was going to need a knee replacement. “I had been putting it off at least 3 to 5 years, but I finally pulled the trigger and got it done.”
So, on November 28, 2016 he underwent the Triathlon Total Knee Replacement with Dr. Daley. The Triathlon Total Knee System promotes a natural circular motion by working with the knee’s form.
Svenningsen said the only regret he has is not doing the surgery sooner. “It’s life changing,” Svenningsen said. “I can go back to hiking again. When I went to Mount Bierstadt I didn’t quite summit, but I went further than I could’ve gone with my old knee.”
Total knee replacement, or arthroplasty, uses an artificial metal or plastic part to replace an arthritic knee joint. Orthopedic surgeons at Silver Cross use minimally invasive techniques, which allow for faster recovery and less time in the hospital. Still, patients benefit from a precise fit and alignment that is associated with a traditional open surgical approach.
Recovering
Svenningsen said the best advice he got when recovering is not to compare himself to others. “I’m not a super competitive person, but if I see someone doing something I’m going to try to match them or do more.”
His advice to others going through knee surgery is to take their time and recovery at their own pace. “The finish line is the same no matter what.”
“After years of wear and tear on his knee, I’m so glad to see Bob hiking again,” Dr. Daley said. “His recovery has been phenomenal.”
“Coming to Silver Cross was a no brainer for me. It’s such a great hospital with wonderful personnel,” Svenningsen said. “My wife loved that Dr. Daley came down and spoke with her after the surgery, and explained everything. She even told me afterward that she wouldn’t hesitate to come to Silver Cross if she ever would need surgery from Dr. Daley.”
