In peak condition with new knees

Father-of-three Simon Hill had struggled with pain in both knees for about a decade – and realised he would need to seek more effective treatment – while struggling to scale a rock face with his daughter in Italy.

The 54-year-old retired head teacher said: “Outdoor pursuits have been a major interest of mine all my life and I am very fond of mountaineering, trekking, caving and climbing.

“About a decade ago I was climbing when I experienced some pain in both my knees. I was able to complete the climb, but saw my GP when I got home and was diagnosed with arthritis.

“I have had various treatments including arthroscopies but was warned that my knee joints were wearing out and at some point I was going to need new knees.

“The decision came after I was up a vertical rock face climbing in the Dolomites with my daughter and realised I was struggling to move one of my legs into a foothold. We scaled the mountain safely, but on my return I knew I needed to do something now the pain had started to restrict my climbing hobby.

“The level of pain – which was already significant – was increasing, bordering on constant, and was particularly difficult at night, interrupting my sleep.”

Simon went to see his GP in the Hope Valley who ordered some scans and recommended both knee joints were replaced and Simon decided to have the operation on the NHS at Claremont Private Hospital in Sheffield.

“I am a big advocate of the NHS and my doctor explained that I could be seen as an NHS patient at Claremont Private Hospital in Sheffield. I’m absolutely delighted, not just with how the two operations went at the time but now, some months on as it’s given me a new lease of life. It’s hard to measure, but I would say my knees feel just about identical to how they were before the pain begun.”

He has lost four stone since having the operation and just last month returned to his mountain climbing passion scaling Mulhacén – mainland Spain’s highest peak.

“It involved a 2000m accent from the nearest village (Trevélez, in the Sierra Nevada) and then a 2000m descent, all in nine hours. As good a test of two new knees as you’ll get,” says Simon.

“I don’t think anyone would even know I had artificial knee joints unless they saw the neat scars from the surgery . I am a Peak Park Ranger and am on patrol regularly. I’m told my new knees should be good for 20 years and I like the idea that I have at the very least two decades of mountain climbing in front of me.”