Conrad Morrison

Conrad Morrison started bowling at a young age. He recalls, "I did a lot of bowling in the D.C. area, in some of the big leagues. I thought about turning pro."

After several years of bowling, Conrad began having shoulder problems. He says, "[In my experience] the pain is not what gets you. It's the restriction of movement. If I needed to reach up high, I just couldn't do it. And if I did try to do it, it hurt."

Eventually, Conrad had to end his bowling career. He recalls, "As it worked out, the thing that finally ended it was when I had to have shoulder [replacement] surgery. [Before surgery] I couldn't keep [my shoulder] in the joint. I'd take a back swing, the shoulder would come out of joint, and I'd have to go bang it on the wall to pop it back in place. My wife made me quit. She said it wasn't worth it anymore."

When faced with the decision to have total shoulder replacement, Conrad remembers, "I was in pain. I couldn't do the things I wanted to do, so I wanted it [total shoulder replacement]. I had to do what they told me to [during physical therapy] and know that it was going to get better. And it has. Everything has worked out fine."

Since his total shoulder replacement surgery, Conrad is once again enjoying an active lifestyle. He remarks, "I can drive the car, I can drive to California with no problem. The other thing I can do, is if someone has a question and I have the answer, I can put my arm up and say I know it, I know. I couldn't do that before, so everyone thought I was stupid because I never answered any questions (laughing)."

This article is meant solely as a human interest story and is not meant to constitute medical advice. 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. For risks regarding joint replacement, visit www.biomet.com and talk to your orthopedic surgeon.

Not all patients are candidates for total shoulder replacement. Only your orthopedic surgeon can tell you if you are a candidate for joint replacement surgery and, if so, which implant is right for your specific needs. You should discuss your condition and treatment options with your 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.