Active patient finds relief through minimally-invasive hip replacement surgery at Beacon
Tammy Stockman
Tammy Stockman has always loved being active. From hiking and kayaking to tending her lawn and garden, she’s kept a fast pace in life — until she couldn’t.
In December 2023, sudden hip pain made even the most basic of tasks difficult. “I’ve always been pretty healthy, and this just hit me really suddenly,” Tammy says.
At her yearly checkup, Tammy told her primary care provider that she was having serious pain in her hip. Her doctor ordered X-rays that showed she had arthritis. The cartilage cushioning between her bones in her hip joint was gone. Arthritis runs in her family, so she wasn’t surprised. But she was miserable.
“I have never felt so helpless,” Tammy said. “I would look in the mirror and think, ‘Who is this old cranky woman that I see?’ I was in pain 24/7.”
Tammy first tried to manage the pain with treatments like cortisone shots and physical therapy, but it wasn’t enough. The pain was so bad she developed a limp, couldn’t reach past her knee and couldn’t play on the floor with her grandson.
She realized it was time to think about surgery.
Dr. Gregg Ebersole
In October 2024, Tammy met with Dr. Gregg Ebersole, orthopedic surgeon, Beacon Bone and Joint Specialists. While some people might shy away from surgery, hip replacements boast surprising benefits.
“When compared to all elective surgical procedures, total hip replacement offers one of the highest improvements in quality life,” Dr. Ebersole says.
He explained she was a perfect candidate for an anterior hip replacement. This type of surgery uses a front (anterior) approach to the hip joint. It’s often a good choice for active patients because it avoids cutting major muscles, which can lead to faster recovery, less pain and a smaller scar. Anterior hip replacement is minimally invasive and often enables patients to return to their activities more quickly.
For Tammy, it was an obvious choice.
Because of her work schedule, she planned her surgery for spring 2025.
Tammy experienced immediate pain relief, even as she began her healing process. “I walked out of the surgery already feeling better. It was the best thing.”
She has only a small scar about three inches long on her thigh. She also really appreciated Dr. Ebersole’s care. “He’s the bomb.”
Four days later, Tammy was already back at her computer working part-time from home. After one week, she could handle stairs again. At six weeks, she was doing most of her daily activities without a second thought.
“Some mornings it didn’t even dawn on me that I had had a procedure. I felt back to normal. It was like you waved a magic wand, and it was fabulous.”
Tammy is still in recovery. She and Dr. Ebersole expect she’ll be back to about 95% by a year after surgery. That’s perfect timing because she has a new grand-baby arriving in the fall, and she’s excited to be able to play and keep up without pain.
“I just couldn’t be happier,” Tammy says, adding how she is feeling much more like herself again.
Looking back, Tammy says she wishes she hadn’t waited so long. She encourages anyone with joint pain to talk to their provider. With modern techniques and minimally invasive options, she says a partial or total joint replacement could give you your life back.
Learn more
When your daily life and routines have changed because of bone fractures, joint, muscle or tendon pain, it’s time to see the experts. Beacon Bone and Joint Specialists provide expert orthopedic care while helping you get back to doing what you love.
