Don’t Let Hip Pain Hinder Your Life

Dale Macumber can barely remember a time when he wasn’t in pain.

Dale Macumber can barely remember a time when he wasn’t in pain. “It feels like forever,” he says. Dale was in the army for 22 years and retired in 1989. He and his wife, Betty, then moved to New Orleans, where Dale attended college. “I was a big runner then. In the army I ran over 5,000 miles in the Run for Your Life program. I ran a half-marathon – 40 miles – every week. I also did a lot of running while living in New Orleans. There the streets are sloped, and I began to notice that one foot was striking higher than the other. Soon my hip started hurting. It continued to get worse every year. The pain started slowly, but sometimes you don’t realize how bad something has gotten. It sneaks up on you.”

Dale and Betty moved to Bartlesville, OK in 2003, when Dale finally decided to do something about the pain. He visited a local orthopedist, who recommended he have hip replacement surgery. They discussed the operation, and the doctor told Dale that he would replace his hip with metal materials – a titanium ball and polyethylene socket.

Dale opted to do some personal research on hip replacement before committing to the surgery, and found that he preferred the idea of using ceramic technology rather than metal. He sought advice from a friend’s wife who worked as a surgical nurse. To find out more information for Dale, she met with a hip replacement factory representative and discovered that only a limited number of doctors in Tulsa perform ceramic hip replacements. She asked the representative whom he would go to if he were to need a replacement, and the rep replied, “Dr. LaButti.”

Dale immediately made an appointment with Dr. Ronald S. LaButti, orthopedic surgeon at Central States Orthopedic Specialists in Tulsa. At the consultation, Dr. LaButti revealed that Dale’s right hip was 100 percent bone on bone, and he was a prime candidate for hip replacement.  

Dr. LaButti successfully performed the total hip replacement surgery on Dale’s right hip in 2003. Dale returned in October, 2008 and had total hip replacement of his left hip as well. “When it came time for the second surgery, I knew I wanted Dr. LaButti to do it. One thing that makes him stand out is that he is not afraid to stay current,” says Dale. “A lot of doctors get stuck in old ways of thinking, but he is constantly learning and striving to improve.”

Since his hip replacements, Dale has finally been able to enjoy life without pain. “I love to go bike riding. Before my surgery in October, I couldn’t get on my bike; I had to get a box to stand on. I couldn’t even bend down to tie my shoe. My wife and I love to travel in our RV, and we postponed our vacations because it was difficult to for me to walk around. The day after my last operation, I felt the results, and now I’m completely free of pain.”

Dale and Betty are planning a big road trip this summer and are excited to go through South Dakota, Colorado and Wyoming, and visit Yellowstone National Park. “I am able to do everything I want – driving, bicycling, RVing, deer hunting, walking. I’m most excited about being able to spend time with my grandchildren. It was difficult to be active with them when I was in pain. Once, I tried to take them to the zoo, but we had to leave because my inflamed hip couldn’t handle walking on the concrete. Now we walk and play in the park, and we’ll be spending a lot of time in the pool this summer.”

Dale says that if you do as he did and follow Dr. LaButti’s instructions exactly, you will see a successful outcome. “If you read his bio, you’ll see that Dr. LaButti has had a lot of experience and fellowships. He stays up to date, is straightforward, and knows what he is doing. I would highly recommend him to anyone dealing with chronic pain.”

Dr. LaButti is fellowship trained in joint replacement and reconstruction, specializing in total hip and knee replacement. Go online to www.hipandkneedoc.com to find out more, or call his office at (918) 481-2767 to schedule a consultation.

For more information, contact

Dr. Ronald S. LaButti
Central States Orthopedic Specialists

6585 S. Yale, Ste. 200

Tulsa, OK 74136

(918) 481-2767

www.hipandkneedoc.com