Dr. Harwood and team replaced my hip and gave me my life back! After 4 weeks I attended the BottleRock Music Festival and now, about 12 weeks out, I am almost 100%
-Sidney
In 1996 Drs. Harwood and Butler did a hip fusion reversal and total hip replacement on my left hip. This gave me a new lease on life. For the first time since I originally broke/dislocated my hip in 1966, I was pain free. It is now 27 years later and I’m still going strong.
-Douglas
I had a full hip replacement in November 2018. My surgeon was Dr. Harwood. It was a great experience. I tell people about this all the time. All doctors I have met here are the best. I am very happy and pleased with the services.
My experience with UOA was positive from its inception to completion. The expertise and care I received from Dr. Harwood and Robert Wood began my journey toward good health. Dino Pinciotti with his knowledge, care and patience left me with a quality of life I had not experienced in many years. Each day my functioning improves. Kudos to the therapy center. Thank you all.
I went cross country skiing today. It was bitter cold, but the cold temperature was an advantage as the snow tends to stick to the skis and make gliding difficult when the weather is milder. The canal tow path in the Princeton area is an excellent cross country ski venue for the few days a year when there is good snow cover. But today was the first time I have been on my skis in several years. I am excited to be out on the skis again, and I have Dave Harwood to thank.
For several years, I was cutting back on physical activity because of chronic knee issues. First I gave up squash, then after an aggravating touch football injury I had to give up almost everything else. I could barely walk. So I admitted to Dave that it was time to act, and in April of 2016 I had a partial knee replacement on my right knee, followed by a full replacement of left knee at the end of August. After the first surgery, even with the other knee still problematic, I was walking in a couple of days, working from home for less than a week, and I was biking to work (about 5 miles) within a month. During rehab, I made an effort work both legs (I referred to the process as pre-hab) so that I would be OK for the second surgery.
The second surgery (full replacement) took a bit more recuperation, but I was still walking within about 3 days, and was biking to work within about six weeks. I am told by multiple sources that full recovery takes six months to a year. My experience is that I was back to my pre-surgery self within about six weeks after the second surgery, and then I started to get pieces of my life back: biking to work, tennis, platform tennis, then longer bike rides. For me the milestone that marked full recovery was a the Covered Bridges Bike Ride in Bucks County in October of 2017. I did the hilly 32 mile course, and the knees were not an issue at any point during the ride.
No one wants to have surgery. But I can say that the team at University Orthopedics and Robert Wood Johnson made the experience as easy and painless as possible. Dr. Harwood uses an implanted catheter to administer a local anesthetic after surgery, so I largely avoided using any other prescription pain killers. This did require two or three nights in the hospital, but once I was discharged I was mobile. The staff at RWJ provided excellent care, and managed to be attentive without being intrusive.
I will add that anyone considering surgery also needs to be prepared for physical therapy. Between the two surgeries, I was going two or three times a week for almost a year. The surgeon can make the miracle of recovery possible, but the therapists (if you work with them) make it inevitable.
I cannot say the new knees are perfect. They ache occasionally, and are sore after a lengthy platform tennis session. But then again so are my hips, ankles and other joints. The bottom line is that I am back to doing the various forms of physical activity that I enjoy. I am again optimistic about extensive travel when I retire in a couple of years. Many days, I do not think about my knees, at least not as a limitation on my life. When I do think about them, I am grateful to the staff at University Orthopedics for my ability to walk, bike, and cross country ski.
June 21st this year, I had TKR Surgery – left Knee (Dr. Harwood) Did Pre/Lim Home Therapy after short Hospital stay. Mid July started Outpatient Physical Therapy at Somerset UOA with Lynn Ust as primary.
By the first half of September my progress was extraordinarily successful..! was very comfortable, resumed driving and performed many of my daily activities in a normal fashion. This September 20th , Back again to RWJ ( Dr. Harwood) for a TKR on my Right Knee. Plan is to return to UOA Somerset for Physical Therapy. Here also I expect excellent results.
My History with UOA goes back 40 + years , seven Ortho procedures/surgeries. (I tend to be a bit active) They have the very best caring, competent, skilled, office, medical and physical therapy staff in their profession.
I had an exceptional outcome from my bilateral knee replacement – I bicycle, dance, and wear high heels. I would trust Dr. Harwood to replace anything!
Patient David Hayes was limited to any athletic activity because of severe pain in both of his hips. After meeting with Dr. David Harwood and learning that both of his hips were severely arthritic, he decided go ahead with undergoing the Birmingham Hip Resurfacing (BHR) option. Thanks to Dr. Harwood, Mr. Hayes’ BHR surgery was life-changing, enabling to return to a pain-free active lifestyle he loves.