Hear What Patients Have To Say / Patient Success Stories
Conrad Robinson
"...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..."
Conrad Robinson 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.
While the patient in this story is a true joint replacement recipient, his results are not necessarily typical, indicative, or representative of all joint replacement patients. Joint replacements have been used successfully in achieving restored mobility to many patients. However, as with any implanted device, there are factors affecting performance which ultimately result in variable outcomes, including levels of mobility and pain. These factors include, but are not limited to, the patient’s pre and post-operative health conditions, weight, activity level, and adherence to instructions regarding the use of the affected joint. Due to these variables, it is not possible to predict specific results or patient satisfaction. For additional information regarding joint replacement, refer to the patient risk information located at the top of this page and talk to your 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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