Getting back on the court

Photo courtesy KU Athletics

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.  

The pain Roberts began to experience on his right side was one of the first clues that something was wrong. It began by his hip, went toward his groin and then proceeded down the back of the leg.

“I could walk just fine but couldn’t jog anymore, so I started walking on the treadmill,” Roberts said. “The pain kept getting worse and worse, to the point where I couldn’t sleep. I’d have to keep pillows underneath my legs or between them just to get comfortable.”

When Roberts knew he needed to seek care for the pain, he turned to a trusted friend for advice. Bill Cowgill, the head trainer for the men’s basketball team at the University of Kansas, recommended that he make an appointment with Adam Goodyear, MD, an orthopedic surgeon at OrthoKansas specializing in knees and hips.

First look

One of the first things to do to get an idea of the scope of the injury or condition was to take X-rays of both of Roberts’ hips. Those images showed deterioration in both hips. Though the left side was worse, the right was more symptomatic and painful. It was time for a hip replacement.

Goodyear performed the surgery 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.

“The direct anterior approach has become more common over the last 15 years or so because it is muscle sparing,” he said. “We spread the muscle to get to the hip instead of having to cut it. Studies show that this leads to less pain after surgery and typically a quicker recovery. 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.”

Tyrel Reed, DPT

After surgery, Roberts spent one night in the hospital. The post-operative pain due to the manipulation of the bone kept him from getting up to walk that evening, but he was ready to get home the following day. Roberts 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.

“As a former player and athlete, I have a little more insight into what athletes are dealing with from a mental and physical standpoint post-injury,” he explained. “My job is to establish a set of short and long-term goals for them to achieve, trying to get better each and every day. Reaching those mini-milestones each day compounds into a successful rehab and return to sport.”

Reed said that coming into the surgery in great shape helped speed Roberts’ recovery process. He spent approximately six weeks in therapy working on regaining the range of motion in the hip, improving glute and hip strength, and regaining endurance in his lower body, allowing Roberts to tolerate the demands of day-to-day coaching duties.

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, with a different twist. This 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 3-D computer model of the patient’s joint. The 3-D model is utilized intraoperatively allowing the surgeon with the assistance of the robotic arm to place the implant with more precision,” Goodyear explained. “While it doesn’t change the invasiveness of the approach, we typically cause less damage to soft tissues which can lead to less pain, less need for pain medication and a quicker recovery.”

Adam Goodyear, MD

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 in early 2020 to support the purchase of technology such as the MAKO robot.

“I can’t overstate how important it is to have people like Dana in the community who are willing to provide this level of support. It helps increase the quality of care patients receive right here in Lawrence,” Goodyear said. “People having a joint replacement here are getting care as good as or better than they would at any big city in the country. The quality is second to none.”

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.

When Roberts came in for a follow-up appointment two weeks after surgery, Goodyear was over the moon with his progress.

“Coach wasn’t using his walker – he carried it in. In talking with him and with my exam, you could tell he was several weeks ahead of where he was at the two-week mark with his other hip,” he remarked.

Reed saw the same improvement, noting that Roberts had less pain and an increased range of motion. While normal tissue healing still takes place from the surgical incision, having less pain has allowed Roberts to get back to lower impact strength and endurance exercises more quickly.

To help monitor his progress, Reed will employ the newest piece of technology available at the West Campus – force plates from VALD Performance. OrthoKansas and LMH Health Therapy Services is the only location in the region with this technology for everyday athletes and orthopedic patients.

“The force plates allow us to assess Coach Roberts’ squat mechanics and provide real-time data on how he’s shifting weight into his surgical leg and help him make any necessary adjustments,” Reed explained.

Final thoughts

Goodyear and Reed both agree that Roberts’ prognosis is excellent. They expect him to bounce back well from his hip replacement.

“After a full three to six-month recovery, it generally gets to the point that you don’t even remember you had the surgery. He’ll be able to get back to coaching as much as he wants to and play basketball with his players and his kids,” Goodyear said.

Roberts is ready to be back on the court as the Jayhawks begin the defense of 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.”