Riding Easy

Tom Phillips is able to ride his Harley and enjoy life again after a knee replacement from Dr. LaButti.

Tom Phillips plans on doing some travelling on his new ­motorcycle now that he is pain-free.

Tom Phillips, 55, of Hominy worked for the Oklahoma Department of Corrections for over 22 years. “I weigh over 300 pounds, and when I retired, I had over 22 years on my feet. My knee was worn out because I was heavy and because I was standing and walking on ­concrete for so long,” he says. “I had very little cartilage left in my right knee, and I was in pain every time I tried to walk.”

    Tom paid several visits to an orthopedist. His visits there included X-rays and an MRI, and he had two injections in his right knee, he says. “The first injection reduced the pain for about two months, but the ­second shot did not help at all.”     

    Tom then visited Dr. Ronald LaButti. “I told him I was ready for surgery,” Mike said. “I had the surgery on August 11, 2011, and after two days in the hospital, I was sent home. Dr. LaButti’s office arranged for home health to visit and determine my needs. A nurse visited and helped me set up my physical therapy, and the physical therapist visited my home three days a week for about five weeks.”

    The surgery and the ­rehabilitation program were ­successful, Tom says. “My wound healed very quickly, and within a couple of weeks, the strength in my right leg began to return. I’ve had no problems since the surgery; I recently had my one-year check-up with Dr. LaButti, and everything is looking good.”

    Now rid of debilitating knee pain, Tom is free to pursue his interests in his retirement. “I recently purchased a new Harley-Davidson motorcycle, and I plan on seeing some new places in the next few years,” he says. “And I would highly recommend Dr. LaButti to anyone with a knee problem.”

    For more information on Dr. LaButti or knee or hip replacement surgery, visit www.hipandkneedoc.com.

For more information, contact

Dr. Ronald S. LaButti / Central States ­Orthopedic Specialists

www.hipandkneedoc.com