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S anta Clarita resident Liana Kitchener, 61, has always enjoyed being physically active, whether it's working out with weights or taking long walks with her two huskies, Conan and Loki. "I have big dogs, and they need to walk fast, too, so it's awesome for me," she explains. That made it all the more distressing when she started experiencing pain and soreness, which began in her knees and gradually spread to one of her hips. A cortisone injection helped a little, but after she did a lot of walking on a college visit with her daughter, the pain grew bad enough that she had to rely on a cane. That's when an X-ray revealed an even more pressing problem: severe arthritis of her right hip. "When I heard 'hip replacement,' I thought, 'That's for people in their eighties,' " Kitchener recalls. "I mean, I was still in my fifties." But her worries about joint replacement surgery were alleviated after she got a referral to Alon Antebi, DO, a board-certified and fellowship-trained orthopedic trauma surgeon who's part of the joint replacement program at Providence Holy Cross Medical Center. Dr. Antebi specializes in complex joint replacements like the anterior hip replacement, a relatively new procedure that involves making a 3- to 4-inch incision on the front of the hip. The anterior approach is referred to as a muscle-sparing surgery because it allows the joint to be replaced by moving muscles aside without detaching any tendons, reducing damage and making recovery less arduous. This minimally invasive approach results in less pain, allowing patients to resume normal activity much more quickly than patients who undergo traditional hip surgery. Kitchener says what reassured her was Dr. Antebi's friendly and caring manner. "We ended up talking about our kids and dogs," she says. "My husband, Craig, and I just felt like 'This is a doctor who cares about people.' That's a time when you feel apprehensive and so insecure, and he made us feel like 'You're going to be okay.' " After getting a hip replacement in 2020, Kitchener was so satisfied with the result that when she continued to have knee problems, she came back to have both knees replaced—the left one in the summer of 2022 and the right in January 2023. Justin Sherfey, DO, a board-certified orthopedic surgeon at Providence Holy Cross and one of Dr. Antebi's orthopedics partners, notes that while patients receiving new hips or knees typically used to be in their mid-seventies, many are now getting the operations in their mid- to late forties and fifties. "People are very active now, and they have more sports and recreational injuries," he says. "So they 're wearing out their joints a little faster." Dr. Sherfey is fellowship-trained in total joint reconstruction and performs primary and revision joint replacements. He specializes in sports medicine and complex trauma and fracture surgeries. Fortunately, advances in both surgical technique and artificial joints are making joint replacement a better option. "The designs of the joints have been improved to allow better and more normal range of motion," Dr. Sherfey says. In addition, new, more durable materials help replacement joints last for decades. Kitchener worked hard to build up strength in her legs and core before her surgeries to make recovery easier, something she urges other patients to do as well. Even so, she was surprised that less than a year after her hip replacement, she was strong enough to handle Conan and Loki on a walk. "Amazing" is the word she uses to describe her experience with joint replacement surgery. Now she wants to spread the word about how it can help some patients remain active. "It's important," Kitchener says, "for people to know more about it." To schedule an appointment with an orthopedic surgeon or to learn more about joint replacement treatment options, call 844-510-4325. Providence Holy Cross Medical Center 's orthopedics program is nationally recognized by U.S. News & World Report's Best Hospitals program. We are honored to be ranked No. 35 in the nation. Our orthopedic and sports medicine specialists are dedicated to providing state-of-the-art care and treatment for orthopedic conditions. MEASURE YOUR JOINT HEALTH Take our brief quiz to help you better understand the condition of your joints. Based on your results, we'll offer helpful treatment options. Scan the QR code to start your assessment. Dr. Alon Antebi Dr. Justin Sherfey Health Matters: Providence Holy Cross Medical Center | 9

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