Articles
 New Hip Keeps Nicklaus on Course
By Gregory Smith, MD
Jack Nicklaus is considered the greatest golfer of all time, with a hundred worldwide victories, and a record 20 major championships. However, as good as he was at breaking down his opponents, Nicklaus just could not beat progressive arthritis in his hip. Nicklaus believes that his hip problems began after an injury in 1963 when he mis-hit a shot and had immediate pain in his hip. At the time, it was not unusual to use cortisone injections on a frequent basis, and he underwent some twenty-five injections over a ten week period. Although it ultimately lead to his improvement, it likely hastened the development of arthritis in the hip. Ultimately his hip was too much to bear, and he underwent a hip replacement in 1999 under the care of Dr. Ben Bierbaum of the New England Baptist Hospital.
I recently had the opportunity to participate in an event hosted by Nicklaus. After a morning round of golf, I had the pleasure of meeting with Nicklaus, and then participating in a question and answer luncheon. Nicklaus reported "My hip is great and I don't even think about it anymore." He has said in the past that he "did it to get back my life, not just for golf." With a dedicated physical therapy program, Nicklaus was able to get back to competitive golf quickly, returning in just three months to the Senior PGA TOUR. In fact, he told me that currently his only problem is a bad wrist which he hurt in a game of tennis just a few days earlier.
Nicklaus recalled how his hip had essentially overtaken his life, affecting not only his golf, but his day to day activities as well, such as playing with his grandkids, driving, and shopping with his wife. His remarkable talent allowed him to be competitive with his golf, finishing sixth in the 1998 Masters despite his debilitating arthritis. Eventually it was too much for him to take, choosing to end his streak of 154 consecutive major championships by skipping the British Open and PGA, and have his hip replaced in January 1999. At the recommendation of his doctor, he chose a ceramic-type implant manufactured by the Stryker Corporation. Nicklaus was so impressed with his recovery that he is now a spokesman for the Stryker company. Nicklaus has said that he wants to help educate the public about surgical options for he feels that had he known better about what he could have done, and how it would improve his quality of life, he would have had his hip replaced sooner, and not have had to endure the pain of his arthritic hip.
A hip replacement involves cutting out the arthritic ball of the hip joint, and replacing it with a smooth ball implant, and replacing the arthritic socket with a metal cup with a replacement liner. Hip replacements are typically performed in persons over the age of sixty, although that does not prevent younger patients from having surgery. The average lifespan for a hip replacement is about 10-15 years, and most recommend that younger more active patients wait as long as they can before having surgery. Studies have shown that the younger and more active a patient is, the more rapidly a patient can wear out the hip replacement, and then more extensive and more difficult surgery would then be needed.
This column is written to discuss issues regarding sports, medicine, and safety. It is not intended to serve as a replacement for treatment by your regular doctor. It is only designed to offer guidelines on the prevention, recognition, and care of injuries and illness. Specific concerns should be discussed with your physician. Mail your questions to Gregory Smith, MD - Sportsmedicine, 1250 S. 18th Street, Suite 204, Fernandina Beach, Fl 32034. For appointment call, 904 261-8787 : www.gsmithmd.com
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