50 and still getting a kick out of youth soccer

On most weeknights and weekends you’ll find 50-year old Tom Wells of Bettendorf calling the shots on area soccer fields.

“When my kids were small, I got involved with the local soccer league, and before I knew it I was coaching. As the kids got older and I learned the game (not to mention experiencing a little frustration with some bad calls), I figured it was my turn to step up and begin refereeing myself,” Tom laughs.

As his children grew, so did Tom’s love for soccer, and he stayed in the game, even after his kids quit playing. However running up and down soccer fields began to take its toll. “On summer weekends I would ref as many as five games, but it seemed that when I turned 45, in the days following games, my back would hurt so bad, I walked as if I were crippled,” Tom recalls.

Tom remembers seeking the advice of Drs. Michael Dolphin, D.O., and John Hoffman, M.D., Orthopaedic Specialists (OS), Davenport. “Both doctors said my hips were shot and that the cartilage was wearing away. I was the perfect candidate for hip replacement.

New strides in Total Joint Surgeries

“I have to tell you I was really embarrassed about having my hips replaced and a bit intimidated with going through what I thought would be this horrific surgery,” said Tom. However, little did Tom know that as he was raising his kids and mentoring an entire generation of soccer players, tremendous advancements were occurring in the field of total joint replacement surgery.

“I’ve been doing total joint procedures for 20 years, and in the last decade, improvements in surgical techniques, anesthesia, and joint technology have meant patients have returned to their active lives much faster than before,” says Dr. John Hoffman.

“I perform a minimally invasive procedure, where incisions are approximately 4 inches long. Traditional joint replacement surgery incisions are 8-12 inches long. We are employing new surgical techniques that are sparing patients’ muscle tissue. We have also fine-tuned regional anesthetic and pain management protocols. All of these factors come together allowing most patients to be walking within a day of their procedure,” explains Dr. Hoffman.

Dr. Hoffman has been performing minimally invasive joint replacement procedures for the past five years and performs approximately 600 operations each year. “It used to be that we considered total recovery within one year as acceptable, and now our patients are active and back to work within weeks or months depending on the case.”

Tom Wells can attest to the strides made in total joint replacement. “The surgery was better than I imagined. I do not do well under general anesthesia and felt the spinal anesthesia was much better.” Mississippi Valley Surgery Center also ensures patients receive personalized care during the recovery period by providing a higher nurse-to-patient ratio (one nurse for every two patients) than most hospitals. “The nurses were great and seemed to be more attentive than previous experiences I’ve had in hospitals,” added Tom.

“The care at Mississippi Valley Surgery Center was just terrific.”

Growing Trend of Outpatient Care
The Mississippi Valley Surgery Center is the only Medicare-approved Ambulatory Surgical Center (ASC) between Chicago and Omaha that performs total joint replacements. Most major insurance carriers cover this procedure in the outpatient setting.

“Insurers are beginning to see the benefit of performing this procedure in an outpatient setting from both a quality and cost perspective,” adds Dr. Hoffman. “Joint replacements just five years ago required a major incision, long-acting anesthetic and extended convalescence. Medical innovation now allows this procedure to be performed safely and effectively in the outpatient setting. Patient satisfaction has increased tremendously.”

Home and Walking
“I was home and walking within 24 hours and even went into work part time four days after the procedure,” Tom said. One month after his first hip was replaced, his second surgery took place in January 2008. “Plaza Physical Therapy played a big role in my recovery and strengthening process,” Tom added.

“They were instrumental in my recovery, taking care of my wound and helping me re-learn how to walk correctly. There were a number of therapists who took a personal interest in my recovery and pushed me to where I needed to be,” he says. In six weeks, he was back to work full-time and is now ready to be on the soccer field again.

Tom is hoping Dr. Hoffman will give the nod to resume refereeing this summer. “I really think I’ll be able to keep up with those nine and 10-year olds,” he says. “They are such a joy to referee, because you can really help them out there on the field when they’re playing. The look on their faces is such a reward, and I love seeing their smiles.”