Dr. David Covall and his patient, Roy Wyatt, were recently featured on Fox 5 News as part of a series of stories leading up to the 40th annual Peachtree Road Race. The 2009 Peachtree was Mr. Wyatt's 16th race, and it's only the tip of the iceberg for this man with two artificial hips.
"Obviously, Mr. Wyatt is not our typical hip replacement patient," said Dr. Covall. "He's an amazing guy. The fact that he was so active before his surgery and so motivated played an important role in his recovery afterwards."
Health reporter Beth Galvin spoke with Mr. Wyatt to learn of his amazing adventures, which include climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro in January 2007, scaling Denali (the highest peak in North America at 20,320 ft.) in 2008, and successfully completing a six-week bicycle ride across the country from St. Augustine, Florida, to San Diego, California.
Besides being able to boast of biking from the Atlantic to the Pacific, Mr. Wyatt has conquered two peaks in the Andes, one of which required ice climbing to reach the summit.
Some of Mr. Wyatt's feats take place on a regular basis, much closer to home. He rides his bicycle along the 96-mile-long Silver Comet Trail from Smyrna, Georgia to Anniston, Alabama four or five times a month.
"When you get old, you have two choices. You either do it, or you sit," Wyatt joked. "I've always flown airplanes, raced motorcycles, and exercised, and I have no intention of slowing down."
According to Dr. Covall, total hip replacement patients tend to do very well. "Almost 95 percent of my patients go home from the hospital the day after surgery," he said, calling the surgery "probably less risky than driving on Interstate 285."
The biggest problem Dr. Covall sees from hip replacement surgery may be when patients wait too long to have it. Patients who are older and have lost mobility experience longer recovery times. "These patients take longer to recover because there is more to recover from," he said.
Resurgens Orthopaedics, Georgia's largest orthopaedic practice, has 20 offices and six surgery centers throughout metro Atlanta. With 90 physicians, Resurgens provides specialized expertise and broad experience in the areas of sports medicine, joint replacement, neck and back surgery, foot and ankle surgery, non-operative spine care, general orthopaedics, hand surgery, arthroscopic surgery, epidural steroid injection, and trauma care. Resurgens provides comprehensive musculoskeletal care in a single location, from injury diagnosis and treatment to rehabilitation services. Learn more at www.resurgens.com.
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