At HSS, joint replacement surgery is helping more patients stay active long after retirement. Just ask HSS patient Mark Hanlon, whose remarkable recovery was recently featured in Newsday.

At 74, Hanlon has had both hips and both knees replaced. Just four months after his second knee replacement, performed by Fred David Cushner, MD, knee replacement surgeon at HSS, he was back on the ski slopes with his family.

"I feel great," Hanlon shared.

An avid skier, swimmer, cyclist and tennis player, Hanlon first underwent hip replacement surgery at HSS more than 20 years ago. Since then, he has had another hip replacement and two knee replacements.

His experience mirrors a growing trend as more adults seek joint replacement surgery not only to relieve pain, but also to maintain their independence and active lifestyles.

"We're working longer, we're working harder," said Dr. Cushner. "When you finally retire, you don't want to miss your opportunity to do the things you enjoy."

According to Dr. Cushner, advances in implant technology, surgical techniques and recovery protocols have transformed the patient experience.

"I remember when people would stay in the hospital for seven days and take a long time to recover," he said. "Now 60% to 70% of my patients go home the same day of surgery."

Modern implants are designed to last longer and function more naturally, while newer surgical approaches can help many patients recover more efficiently.

For Hanlon, those advances paid off. His story demonstrates how innovations in joint replacement surgery are helping more people return to the activities they love.

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