Kansas men’s basketball assistant coach Norm Roberts shares his hip replacement story

Looking at Norm Roberts on the court, he is the picture of health But the longtime assistant coach for the Kansas men’s basketball team has turned to OrthoKansas and undergone not one but two hip replacements over the past three years

When Roberts knew he needed to seek care for his hip pain, he made an appointment with Adam Goodyear, MD, an orthopedic surgeon at OrthoKansas specializing in knees and hips

First look

Goodyear performed the surgery on Roberts’ right hip at the LMH Health Main Campus in 2020 using an approach that has gained notoriety over the last 15 years — the direct anterior approach . Where a traditional surgical approach involves entering the hip from the side and back to place the new joint, Goodyear explained that the direct anterior approach provides some different benefits to the patient .

“Studies show that this leads to less pain after surgery and typically a quicker recovery,” he said “It is the primary approach that both Dr (James) Huston and I use when it’s appropriate Every patient is different, but it was perfect for Coach Roberts ”

After surgery, Roberts spent one night in the hospital He began physical therapy soon afterward with a provider very familiar to the basketball team — former KU guard Tyrel Reed, a physical therapist with LMH Health Therapy Services

Round two — robotically

When he chose to first have surgery on his right hip, Roberts knew that it was only a matter of time before he needed to address the deterioration on his left side In August 2022, he once again turned to OrthoKansas for a replacement, but this time the surgery was performed with the aid of the MAKO robotic arm

“The MAKO system can be more precise than traditional surgical techniques The system utilizes a preoperative CT scan to create a 3D computer model of the patient’s joint, which helps us place the implant with more precision,” Goodyear explained “We typically cause less damage to soft tissues which can lead to less pain, less need for pain medication and a quicker recovery . ”

Roberts noticed a huge difference following this hip replacement

“Having my hip replaced robotically, it was 100 percent better than the first one . I felt much less pain — all I really had was discomfort — and I was off of the pain medications in two days My mobility was coming back even quicker than it did the first time,” he said

Roberts is back on the court this season as the Jayhawks defend their national title . He recommends turning to the experts at OrthoKansas for world-class care close to home when you need treatment for orthopedic and musculoskeletal issues

“There’s a comfortable feeling about being at LMH Health and OrthoKansas They want your surgery to be successful and for you to be knowledgeable about everything going on . I couldn’t be happier to have chosen LMH for my care ”

Donor support makes cutting-edge technology possible LMH Health has two MAKO systems to serve patients — one at the Main Campus and another at the West Campus, allowing for outpatient joint replacement surgery at the Lawrence Surgery Center . Having cutting-edge technology would not be possible without the support of donors like Dana Anderson He and his late wife, Sue, made a $1 million challenge gift to the LMH Health Foundation in early 2020 to support the purchase of technology such as the MAKO robot