Twenty years of teaching dance took a toll on Corinne Wnek’s body. When the aches and pains in her right leg no longer subsided with pain relievers, she knew it was time to find a way to get her life back.
Twenty years of teaching dance took a toll on Corinne Wnek’s body. When the aches and pains in her right leg no longer subsided with pain relievers, she knew it was time to find a way to get her life back.
For almost a year, Ms. Wnek assumed that her discomfort came from strained muscles, but the pain continued to intensify until it no longer responded to medication. She never expected to learn at age 57 that the cartilage had worn away to the extent that she needed a hip replacement.
“I’ve always been terrified of hospitals and the thought of surgery—but at that point my pain was so unbearable, I had no other option,” says Ms. Wnek. “From the moment I came to the Joint Replacement Center, the entire staff went above and beyond to make me feel as comfortable as possible. They are very sensitive to the fact that this kind of pain changes a person’s life.”
Facing the Music
David E. Rojer, MD, orthopedic surgeon and medical director of the Joint Replacement Center at RWJ Rahway, explained that her pain resulted from “bone-on-bone” contact resulting from joint deterioration. Within a month, Ms. Wnek’s pain had become so intense, she agreed to a total hip replacement.
After completing the Joint Replacement Center’s Joint Boot Camp education program and undergoing joint replacement surgery in June 2009, Ms. Wnek spent three days participating in inpatient therapy. Just six weeks after surgery, she was able to return to her job as a high school counselor on a part-time basis. Two months later, she also returned to the dance studio, gradually building up new strength and flexibility.
“The Joint Replacement Center staff delivered on everything they told me to expect, and I knew exactly what would happen before, during, and after surgery,” says Ms. Wnek. “Where you go for treatment really makes the difference. At the Joint Replacement Center, everyone from the physicians and nurses to the housekeeping staff is compassionate and accommodating.”
Getting Back on Your Feet
Ms. Wnek is not alone in her success. Because of the Joint Replacement Center’s comprehensive program and expertise, most patients are able to undergo joint replacement and return home in just three days, eventually returning to the active lifestyles they enjoyed before.
“Ms. Wnek is a great example for those who want to get back to their active lives,” says Phil Colombrita, orthopedic manager and joint care coordinator at the Joint Replacement Center. “Our program and the technology now available allow people to consider joint replacement surgery at an earlier age than was typical not that long ago.”