Innovations in joint surgery over the past few decades have helped many people regain lost function and range of motion while also reducing their pain. But traditional total joint replacement surgery is highly invasive, requiring the removal of significant bone, cartilage, ligaments, and tendons followed by the insertion of an artificial joint that may feel foreign to the body.
Anika is a global leader in joint preservation, an approach that preserves as much of a patient’s native anatomy as possible and uses implants that mimic the joint’s native shape. There are several advantages to this approach. First, these minimally invasive surgeries often take less time than their traditional counterparts. Recovery times are significantly shorter; post-surgery pain is less; and range of motion often improves more so than with conventional total joint arthroplasty. There is also a lower risk of complications such as fractures near the restored joint and minimal blood loss. And as any of the 30 patients we highlight below will tell you, people are e to return to the activities they’re passionate about quickly with reduced pain and increased range of motion. Here are their stories:
- Swimming: Chip, a competitive swimmer, could no longer do the butterfly stroke, his best stroke, because of shoulder deterioration and pain. The first orthopedic surgeon he consulted with told him that post-surgery, he would only be able to raise his arms 45 degrees which would be detrimental to his swimming. He opted for the OVOMotion with Inlay Glenoid Total Shoulder implant and after surgery Chip was back to competitive swimming, weightlifting and doing the farm chores he used to find difficult.
- Yoga: Ruth, a yoga instructor, fell onto one of her big toes while doing a headstand. Six weeks post-surgery with the ToeMotion Arthroplasty System, she was back to her yoga practice with a range of motion she never could have imagined.
- Running: Bill, a former member of the U.S. Air Force, could no longer run, one of his favorite activities. After surgery with an Anika knee implant, [JM1] followed by physical therapy, he was back to running a 7-minute mile within six months.
- Golf: Jack became addicted to golf in college. But severe pain in his big toe joints eventually made it difficult for him to walk the course. Reluctantly, he began riding in a golf cart and the game became less enjoyable. Bilateral Toe HemiCAP implants transformed his life and his golf game.
- Softball: Mark has loved softball since he was young, but years of shoulder wear and tear eventually caught up with him. Two procedures relieved the pain temporarily, but eventually it was so severe and his mobility so restricted that he was no longer able to throw overhead or swing his bat. Online research led him to the OVOMotion with Inlay Glenoid Total Shoulder System. After a quick recovery, he’s now playing 30 softball games a month.
- Zumba: Melissa, had suffered with knee pain since she was a teenager. By age 22, she had undergone multiple knee procedures. After surgery with bilateral Knee UniCAP implants, she was back to teaching Zumba and engaging in the other activities that enrich her life.
- Baseball: He runs bases, he bats, he catches flyball. Watch Dave do it all after his Anika OVOMotion Total Shoulder surgery.
- CrossFit: Larry injured his right shoulder doing CrossFit, and the pain was so bad he was unable to sleep on that side. With the OVOMotion with Inlay Glenoid Total Shoulder System, he has resumed his high intensity interval training as well as his other favorite activity — softball.
- Mountain biking: Dave, another OVOMotion with Inlay Glenoid Total Shoulder Patient, had dislocated his left shoulder multiple times over the years and by age 45, he was in serious pain. After surgery, he was able to return to all the outdoor activities he enjoys, including mountain biking near his Colorado home.
- Rock climbing: Joe, a seasoned rock and ice climber, lost not only his range-of-motion but his confidence too when his shoulder became arthritic. After surgery with the Shoulder HemiCAP implant, he was back on the rock face, doing challenging climbs again.
- Taking flight: Wear and tear left David with severe pain in his left shoulder that limited his ability to fly an aircraft, lift weights and even get dressed. With the help of the OVOMotion Total Arthroplasty System, David is back in the air and able to reach all the controls with ease.
- Snowboarding: Dave’s knee pain got so bad he couldn’t walk more than four blocks at a time. But after receiving the Knee UniCAP implant, he was back on his snowboard, carving turns around the trees at his favorite ski slope.
- Martial arts: Julie owns and operates three martial arts schools with her husband. After injuring her knee running, she ended up having five failed surgeries. She admits she was skeptical when she heard about the Knee HemiCAP procedure. “Boy was I wrong,” she admits, and she’s back to doing martial arts six days a week and running her schools.
- Ballroom dancing: The podiatrist who Debbie initially consulted with told her that toe fusion was the only way to relieve the extreme discomfort she was experiencing in her big toe joint. But she would never be able to dance again or wear high heels, he warned. She sought a second opinion with an orthopedic surgeon, who recommended the Toe HemiCAP implant. Four weeks post-surgery, she was back on the dance floor, wearing high heels, of course.
- Riding motorcycles: Roger injured his shoulder by doing things like hoisting 100 lb. bags of cement. When he heard that recovery after surgery with the OVOMotion with Inlay Glenoid Total Shoulder System would take far less time than traditional shoulder arthroplasty, he knew he’d found his answer. Now he’s back to riding his motorcycle, doing yardwork and all the other outdoor chores he loves.
- Dog walking: Wendy’s toe pain forced her to walk on the outside of her foot, which then affected her ankle. She opted for the ToeMotion Arthroplasty System and today she’s back walking her dogs, shooting hoops, and running.
- Sprinting: Brian, a master’s level sprinter, was unable to raise his left arm to his shoulder, which meant he could no longer sprint. Pumping the arms is critical to maintaining efficient speed. The Shoulder HemiCAP implant returned him to his favorite sport and gave him back his quality of life.
- Kayaking: Running was one of the activities Jordan believes wore away the cartilage on his knees. After receiving a Patello-Femoral Wave implant, he had full range of motion within 12 weeks. Watch him do some impressive kayak rolls.
- Driving: Jerry’s WristMotion implant has enabled him to drive a car again pain free. His range of motion is better than ever and at the age of 76 he’s able to engage in all the activities he loves.
- Spending time with family: Mary landed on her feet when she fell down the stairs one day, but her knee was severely injured. After two knee surgeries and months in a bulky brace, she opted for the Knee HemiCAP implant and is back to doing her favorite activities with her children: hiking, biking, and horseback riding.
- Gardening: After surgery with another company’s toe implant, Mamie says her pain was worse than ever. But everything changed when she received the ToeMotion implant. Check out how easily she can now tend her garden.
- Baking: Ester, a bakery owner, reinjured her shoulder after breaking it years ago. Her Shoulder HemiCAP implant returned her to the activities that enrich her life: playing with her grandchildren, baking, and gardening.
- Triathlons: Letia was training for a Half Ironman (1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike, 13.1 mile run) when her knee suddenly locked up and she felt excruciating pain. After a couple of failed surgeries with multiple complications, she sought out another solution: the Patello-Femoral Wave Implant. Six months after her surgery, she was competing again.
- Photography: Thirty years of walking up and down long flights of stairs at the high school where he taught finally caught up with Ron. Post-surgery with bilateral ToeMotion implants, he is once again moving nimbly as he shoots photographs, one of his favorite retirement hobbies.
- Krav Maga: Hank is back to practicing and teaching Krav Maga, a self-defense and fighting system developed by the Israeli Defense Forces. Before his Knee HemiCAP implant, he thought he would have to give up all his physical activities.
- Boxing: Al never addressed an old shoulder injury and in his 50s, he found himself unable to do many everyday tasks. Now he has returned to the boxing ring thanks to the OVOMotion with Inlay Glenoid Total Shoulder System.
- Powerlifting: Rudy, a powerlifting champion, feared that osteoarthritis in both shoulders would put the kibosh on his long-time passion. A year after surgery with his second OVO Stemless Total Shoulder System with Inlay Glenoid implant, he was back to setting world records.
- Weight loss: Amy injured her knee years ago, and the pain got progressively worse over the years. After her Knee HemiCAP implant surgery, she was able to resume her long-abandoned gym workouts and eventually lost 49 pounds.
- Exercise classes: Jim is back to doing lunge- and squat-heavy exercise classes after having surgery with the Knee UniCAP implant on his right knee.
- Walking: Kellie’s acute knee pain made it impossible for her to do most things, including working. The Hip HemiCAP Implant has changed her life. Now she’s walking again on the boardwalk in Ft. Lauderdale and doing Warrior Two yoga postures on the beach.
