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Welcome to dancerhips.com!
 
NOTE: March 2020
When I started this website 17 years ago, there was not much information available on THR in young, active dancers and athletes.However, as of this writing, such surgery has become common place, making the need for this website less compelling.Therefore, I am no longer updating it. I am leaving it up for now in the hopes that it is still of value for people faced with this life-changing surgery.-NR
 
In June 2003 I had a total hip replacement (THR) of my left hip. Dr. Douglas Padgett performed the surgery. I choose Dr. Padgett because I knew of his expertise in the hip problems of dancers. Although I am a practicing physician and acupuncturist, I have been dancing seriously all my life. Until the osteoarthritis in my hip stopped me, I was a successful competitive ballroom dancer.
 
When I learned of my arthritis, I tried to find information on the Internet about other dancers who had undergone hip surgery. I was surprised that other than some mention of Suzanne Farrell, there is very little material available on this serious topic. This meant that I, and every dancer faced with this prospect, must then "reinvent the wheel" in terms of learning what options are available to her/him, when to have surgery, what to expect after surgery, etc. Since dancers tend to be younger than the average patient who undergoes this procedure, have a more intimate relationship to their bodies and an expectation of a very successful outcome, we are a special subgroup of patients. Although many dancers have undergone this procedure, we don't know who they are and therefore cannot learn from their experiences or draw courage from their examples.
 
To address this vacuum, after my surgery I assembled the information I had learned and made Dancerhips.com about hip replacement surgery, especially as it related to dancers (athletes and younger people in general.) The site discusses surgical options and holistic alternatives. It includes my story and parts of interviews that I did with dancers prior to my surgery.
 
Contents
  1. The Genesis of a Website.
         From Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) to Major Surgery:
         The Yin and Yang of Athletic Excellence
         When Western Medicine is Inevitable…
  2. Dancer's Hip Page (under active construction)
         Post-operative expectations
         Why are dancers so secretive about THR?
         Famous THR dancers, athletes and others
  3. Dancer Questionnaire for post- surgery dancers
  4. THR and Yoga
  5. Joint Surgery Stories:
6. Surgical Options 7.  Holistic Treatment Options for Osteoarthritis
8.  Practitioner References
9.  Website Links
10.  Contact information
 
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This site was conceived, written and is maintained by Naomi Rabinowitz, MD, LAc as a service to the Dance community.
 
Note: The splash page image is an adaptation of the photo by Barbara Morgan titled "Martha Graham Ekstasis, 1935", which I purchased from the artist in 1989 for my private collection.(NR)
 
Last updated March 29,2020