My name is Wally Green and I'm a table tennis (ping pong) and paddle (pop) tennis pro. I have represented the US in over 35 international table tennis pro tours across the globe and I am making a comeback on the pro tour circuit this spring. Exactly one year ago I had hip resurfacing done at HSS. It was one of the best things I have ever done and it changed my life. This is my story.
I have been suffering with hip pain for about 10 years and it went from bad to worse to even at times unbearable. Simple things like tying my shoe, putting on my socks, or walking to the store were not so simple, but painful and difficult. Although I have been advised many times about looking into surgery, surgery was not an option for me at all because I refused to even think of the notion of someone cutting me open for some surgery that in my mind was questionable.
Now we all do this... We know deep in our minds heart and souls that we most likely should get the surgery done, but we still refuse it because we feel we can just get by the way we are, sometimes no matter how much pain we're in. For the last 2 years although I was still somewhat playing, I had stopped training and competing at the international level. As for paddle tennis I was also still playing a bit, but I was in so much pain.
My physical therapist at the time looked at my x-ray and said, “Wally if you don’t get this hip fixed immediately, you will fracture your hip and you can forget about sports”. What??? No sports!? That was my life we were talking about so I immediately started my search for a hospital and surgeon.
HSS was a no brainer, but now I had to search for the perfect surgeon. I thoroughly went through every possible surgeon at HSS including surgeons at other New York facilities as my backup plan. I searched the HSS website and came up on Dr. Edwin Su. I read one line that said it all! It’s read something like this: “Young adults looking to get back in the game.” I immediately knew he was the right one for me! Not to mention I had also been looking for someone who could do the anterior approach to hip replacement. That was pretty much the most important thing for me.
When I finally met Dr. Su he was very nice and extremely knowledgeable. A very cool dude! After a thorough examination, testing, etc., he said to me, “I would like to do a hip resurfacing on you so that we could preserve the bone and you’ll be able to get back to your sports with no restriction.” He also mentioned that if I still wanted to have the total hip replacement with anterior approach it was my decision to make. The fact that I had a choice made it so much easier for me. Not only he was reassuring but he made me feel so comfortable that I didn’t even care anymore about the anterior approach that I had been dreaming about. I felt so comfortable with Dr. Su that I said, “You’re the surgeon whatever you think is best that’s what I’ll do!"
The surgery, of course, was a huge success and the physical therapy team at HSS helped me through a speedy recovery. One of the greatest things about Dr. Su and the HSS team was that they were all so easily accessible especially, Dr. Su! If you ever had a concern I always knew that I could reach out to him and he would get right back to me! Today I am 100 percent a new man because of Dr. Su and the HSS team! Thank you so much!
Please don't wait like I did. GET BACK IN THE GAME NOW!
Wally Green
All by Physician