Donna S., 70, of Titusville, Pa., had been dealing with increasing hip pain for nearly 20 years when she decided to face it head-on in December 2024.
She and her husband own a catering business and are a very active couple — taking long walks, riding an exercise bike, and keeping up with busy family and work lives. Donna’s desire to continue life at this pace pushed her to see a doctor she’s known for many years at UPMC.
Addressing the Pain
Robert Woods, DO, is an orthopaedic surgeon specializing in total joint replacement. He sees patients at Orthopedics and Sports Medicine Associates — UPMC in Franklin and Meadville.
Donna has known Dr. Woods for many years and even underwent shoulder and hand procedures with him when he was at a private practice in Titusville. She appreciated that he listened to her and didn’t sugarcoat the process; she knew she wanted to see him about her hips.
“We own a catering company, and I was concerned this past summer that my hip could pop out while lifting a large amount of weight,” Donna says.
“I also noticed I could no longer get on our motorcycle or four-wheeler without a lot of pain. It got to the point where it was really affecting my way of life, so I got some x-rays, got an MRI, and went to talk with Dr. Woods.”
The imaging tests revealed bone spurs on both hips, severe arthritis, and very little remaining cartilage. Dr. Woods presented the option of removing only the bone spurs but warned that Donna would likely still need replacements in the coming years. As a result, he recommended total joint replacement for both hips.
Choosing Double Hip Replacement
“I talked over the options with Dr. Woods and my husband, and I decided I would like to just do both of them, get them done, and they agreed,” says Donna.
Donna had her left hip replaced on Dec. 23, 2024, and returned to UPMC Northwest on Feb. 10, 2025, for the right hip replacement surgery.
“Both times I left the hospital the same day of surgery,” Donna says. “There is some pain from the incision and muscle soreness, but it’s amazing how the actual hip pain was completely gone as soon as I woke up from the surgery. Everyone was pleasant, and the hospital ran like a well-oiled machine.”
Patients who undergo total hip arthroplasty (replacement) must successfully get in and out of bed, walk the hall and stairs, and use the restroom before the hospital will discharge them the same day. Some patients stay overnight.
Donna also met with an occupational therapist before leaving the hospital. They provided her with mobility tools to help with daily life. These included a sock aid to help pull her socks on, a leg lifter to help support her legs while changing positions, and a reach extender to help her reach items more easily.
Dedication to Recovery
Donna shares that she’s so active and eager to recover that others often remind her not to push it too far. She performs her physical therapy exercises by the book and goes on frequent walks.
The Visiting Nurses Association (VNA) of Venango County, through UPMC Home Healthcare, supports Donna’s recovery from home. She says they removed her staples, did some light exercises with her, and released her on her fourth visit.
From there, she could continue her recovery independently.
“I would never know that these aren’t my own hips,” Donna says. “The pain is gone, and only two weeks after my right hip surgery, I can already get on the exercise bike.”
Encouragement to Take the Leap
After going through this process, Donna shares that she’d encourage anyone with hip pain to get it checked out — and not wait. Her hip cartilage was too far gone when she went to see Dr. Woods, so hip replacement was her best option, but there are other nonoperative options for early arthritis.
“It’s well worth the outcome,” Donna says. “I won’t say the entire process is pain-free, but when you have replacement surgery, the hip pain is gone. There is light at the end of the tunnel. Hands down, I trust Dr. Woods to help me maintain my quality of life.”