At 66, Jack McGowan has no plans of slowing down.
A longtime Baltimore resident, Jack stays active through regular workouts, golf, time with his family and his work as a fundraiser for a local nonprofit. After years of playing basketball and maintaining an active lifestyle, he was no stranger to orthopaedic care. He had previously undergone a knee replacement with Dr. Scott Tarantino at Towson Orthopaedic Associates.
So when increasing hip pain and stiffness began interfering with his daily life, Jack knew it was time to find out what was going on.
When Hip Pain Started Getting in the Way
Jack first noticed problems with his hip during the summer. He began working with a physical therapist and performing exercises to manage his symptoms, but the discomfort and stiffness continued to get worse.
By the fall, even one of his favorite activities, golf, was becoming more difficult.
“I struggled through the fall golf season,” Jack said. “All kidding aside, I knew I needed a new hip.”
After talking with his physical therapist, Jack scheduled an appointment with Dr. John “Jack” Steele at Towson Orthopaedic Associates. X-rays showed significant arthritis in his hip, confirming that a hip replacement was the appropriate next step.
Rather than rushing into surgery, Jack and Dr. Steele discussed his symptoms, how they were affecting his life and when it made sense for him to move forward.
Jack wanted to finish out the golf season, so he chose to schedule his surgery for December.
A Smooth Experience From Start to Finish
Having already been through a knee replacement, Jack had some idea of what to expect from joint replacement surgery. Still, he was impressed by how smoothly the entire process went.
From scheduling his procedure to his experience at the hospital, Jack described the process as seamless.
“The nurses were phenomenal. Everything was just really great,” he said.
For Jack, the experience also felt personal. His wife was there with him, members of the care team helped him feel comfortable before surgery, and he appreciated the coordination between everyone involved in his care.
“I just felt like it was a real team effort,” Jack said.
A Faster Recovery Than He Expected
One of the biggest surprises for Jack came after surgery.
He expected a difficult recovery based partly on his previous experience with knee replacement, but he quickly noticed progress following his hip replacement.
“I was pleasantly surprised about the recovery, how fast I was able to start walking without a walker,” he said.
Within approximately 10 days to two weeks, Jack was walking without his walker. He still experienced some soreness when he pushed himself and understood that healing would take time, but he was encouraged by how quickly he regained his mobility.
As his recovery continued, Jack worked on exercises for both his hip and lower back. He noticed improvements not only in his hip but also in some of the stiffness he had previously experienced in his back.
Before long, he was back to exercising regularly and gradually returning to the active lifestyle he enjoys.
“I feel good,” Jack said. “If I really go and stretch and get a sweat in, I feel so much better.”
Back to Moving Forward
For Jack, his experience with Dr. Steele and Towson Orthopaedic Associates was about more than the surgery itself. It was the combination of communication, organization and teamwork throughout the process that stood out.
“Coming here and talking to Jack was so easy,” he said. “The office here runs really smoothly.”
After experiencing both knee and hip replacement care through Towson Orthopaedic Associates, Jack remains focused on staying active, spending time with his family and, of course, getting back on the golf course.