As a long-distance runner, Dana Christensen had completed four marathons in his late 20’s and early 30’s. His training included interval workouts and running almost every day. He was one of the few who enjoyed running and the runner’s “high” that came with it. “Running gave me peace of mind. It was an outlet to unwind while staying fit and healthy at the same time,” says Dana.
On a very cold morning in 2006, Dana did what he did every morning – went for a run. “I went for an early morning run on a very cold day – with another runner ahead of me, the competitive spirit in me wanted to pass him before the turn to my house. I’m not sure if it was the quick sprint that caused it, but after this run, I noticed pain in my right hip that was never there before,” says Dana. Dana decided to take two weeks off from running to see if the pain subsided. After two weeks, the pain was still there.
Dana made an appointment with, a now retired, orthopedic surgeon who took X-rays and told him that he had arthritis and cartilage deterioration from overuse and should stop running. “It came as a shock to me that I shouldn’t be a runner. All these years I had put all my exercise “eggs” in one basket. I got a lot of reward from running and now I was being told that it had to come to an end,” says Dana. So, Dana made the hard decision to cease all running and take up the exercise bike as his new form of exercise to prolong the inevitable – a hip replacement.
The inevitable came in 2021, when Dana realized that he couldn’t handle the worsening pain any longer. A friend suggested that he make an appointment with Dr. Todd Miner of Colorado Joint Replacement. Colorado Joint Replacement is a world-renowned practice built on a strong foundation of education, research, and passion. CJR’s team of experts perform more joint replacements each year leading to better patient outcomes and a 5-star patient experience.
“I was done with the pain. Since 2006, I knew that ultimately, I was going to have to have a hip replacement. Fifteen years later I was ready to start living a pain-free life again,” says Dana.
Dana says that “the surgery was pretty easy” mainly due to the anterior approach that Dr. Miner uses for hip replacements instead of the posterior approach that is commonly used. “Since Dr. Miner performed the anterior surgical approach on me, my recovery was quick and four months after the surgery I was pain free. I was walking perfectly again with the help of physical therapy,” says Dana. In fact, in August of 2022, Dana, along with his son, hiked four 14ers in two days – the final four he needed to complete the list of all 14,000’+ peaks hiked in Colorado.
When asked if he wished he would have done the hip replacement surgery sooner, Dana says “It all happened as it should have. The timing of the surgery and recovery time allowed me to climb the 14ers, almost eleven months post-surgery. I’m so happy I had it done! Everything worked out perfectly and I couldn’t recommend Dr. Miner and Colorado Joint Replacement enough.”
