Chennai:

In 1976, Frederick Schmidt was part of the Austrian team that won a silver medal for skiing in a qualifying competition for the Innsbruck Winter Olympics.

Agonised over severe pain of the hip in December last year, this athlete-turned-physical trainer logged on to the internet in search of a hip surgeon.

It took him to Chennai orthopaedic surgeon C Vijay Bose who specialises in joint replacements. “Many friends supported my idea,” said Schmidt, after a 3km walk towards the Mamallapuram beach on Thursday.

Schmidt underwent a hip replacement surgery at SIMS Hospital in Vadapalani on January 28. Doctors declared him fit for discharge on Thursday.

Schmidt said he would be flying back home soon.

Doctors at the hospital said Schmidt developed secondary osteoarthritis after he sustained hip injuries in a bike accident.

“He was medically managed but he told us he was in pain,” said his surgeon Dr Bose.

Schmidt had refused surgery in Sweden because he was told there would be a lot of restriction on his sports activities. “When we spoke to him about hip resurfacing, he was convinced that he could start competing again in endurance races,” he said.

During the surgery doctors cut the capsule along the femoral head the highest bone on the thigh without disturbing the other parts of the bone.

“So we preserve blood vessels along the femoral neck, which may in turn preserve blood supply for the femoral head.This will improve longevity of the resurfacing and enable a faster recovery,” Dr Bose said.

Schmidt left the hospital on Thursday evening, promising to return as a participant for the 2017 Chennai Marathon.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Chennai / TNN / February 05th, 2016