Cindy Colina

Cindy has always enjoyed an active lifestyle that includes salsa and ballroom dancing, yoga, pilates and walking. When arthritic hip pain and discomfort forced her to hold back she knew it was time to take action.

When she was 17, Cindy was diagnosed with Systemic Lupus, an autoimmune disease that can lead to inflammation and damage to various body tissues. Seven years later, she was diagnosed with Avascular Necrosis, a disorder where the blood supply to the bone is reduced, causing bone to weaken and potentially collapse.

Between diagnoses, her joint pain became apparent. "I was a college student at the time, and much of the pain was a result of doing regular things like walking to and from classes on campus," Cindy recalls. As her symptoms worsened, she realized the condition was limiting her abilities. "I couldn't go through one dance session without having extreme pain and inflammation, and it usually took a couple days to recover from the irritation I felt in my joints. I began noticeably limping and had to sit more frequently, which really hindered my busy schedule. I was often in pain, very frustrated, and simply did not have the strength to do all that I wanted to do."

Thanks to the recommendation of a friend, she was introduced to an "amazing" orthopedic surgeon. Cindy says, "My biggest concern was that I wouldn't be able to enjoy an active lifestyle as I had before and that I would have serious limitations to my mobility and endurance." At the age of 26, through conversation and careful consideration, the decision was made to proceed with joint replacement surgery. "I trusted my surgeon - his knowledge, skills and ability." Cindy's surgeon recommended Biomet's M2a-Magnum™ Metal-on-Metal hip replacement.

After her surgery, Cindy remarked, "I was surprised at how quickly the surgery was completed and how small my incision was! I was impressed at how neat the surgery site looked and that I experienced only a couple days of discomfort after the surgery... I didn't even need pain medication."

Since her surgery, Cindy has returned to her active lifestyle. "I have regained full mobility in my hip and can do all the dance and exercise activities that were once extremely painful. It has made a huge impact on my health and happiness to have full function of my joints."

Cindy does have advice for those who are considering joint replacement. She highly recommends researching those who are involved in your treatment. "It has been my experience that as a patient, you are in control of your health, and it is up to you to choose who your doctors are. When it comes to joint replacement... My metal-on-metal hip was the best option for me, and I am more than satisfied with my surgeon, my hip replacement, and the results I have enjoyed."

This article is meant solely for educational use and is not meant to replace or promote one orthopedic surgeon's advice or practice over another. Individual results may vary. Surgery involves potential risks and requires recovery time. The life of any joint replacement will depend on your age, weight, activity level, and other factors. Only an orthopedic surgeon can determine if surgery is right for you. Please click here to search for a local orthopedic surgeon.

The persons named in this article have consented to be named and have given Biomet, Inc. the exclusive right to use their personal and medical information for educational purposes.

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