A NEW SPRING IN HER STEP
Total Hip Arthroplasty Helps 55-Year-Old Norwalk Resident Walk Pain-Free Again
Christina Ramos
“It’s been over a year, and I’m feeling absolutely great. I’m back to gardening and taking walks without any pain at all.”
Every year, one in 1,000 babies born in the United States has hip dysplasia, a condition that happens when the femur doesn’t fit into the socket of the pelvis correctly. Norwalk resident Christina Ramos, 55, was born with this condition in her right hip, which worsened after a car accident in her 20s. She had a right hip replacement in her early 30s, which solved the problem and eliminated the pain.
Fast forward 20 years. Christina developed pain in her left knee, which has gotten progressively worse. Over the course of two years, she tried physical therapy and over-the-counter pain medications, but nothing solved the problem. Her daughter-in-law recommended PIH Health Orthopedic Surgeon Bindesh Shah MD, so Christina asked for a referral from her primary doctor.
“Dr. Shah was very thorough and pleasant,” she said. “He did extensive measurements, X-rays, and evaluations, ultimately determining that my knee wasn’t the problem—it was my left hip. Over the years, my body compensated for my right hip problems, which finally took its toll on the other side.”
“Christina had severe osteoarthritis in her left hip, and due to the disabling pain, she had trouble sleeping, standing, walking, getting up from a seated position, and getting in and out of a car,” said Dr. Shah. “She was an excellent candidate for a left total hip arthroplasty surgery.”
Christina had the surgery in September 2023, and it was a tremendous success. Christina couldn’t be more grateful.
“Dr. Shah was meticulous on getting my two hip replacements to align—he didn’t want me to have a limp and cared very much about getting it right. This gave me a lot of comfort,” she said. “It’s been over a year, and I’m feeling absolutely great. I’m back to gardening and taking walks without any pain at all.”
Are you or a loved one living with joint pain? For a consultation or appointment, call 562.789.5462, or learn more at PIHHealth.org/Ortho
