What does Santa do when his knees aren't feeling so jolly?
Millions of children sit on Santa Claus' knees each Christmas, and that can cause a lot of wear and tear over the course of many years. So what does Santa do when his knees aren't feeling so jolly? He pays a visit to Orthopaedic Surgeons of Oak Ridge for a bilateral knee replacement.
Santa Claus, who keeps a residence in Clinton, chose to use his summer slow season to have orthopaedic surgeon Dr. Michael MacKay perform his surgery so that he can be back in "roof-top" condition by Christmas. Santa assures us that he will be ready for his annual appearance in Knoxville's Christmas parade and many other holiday activities.
People who need knee replacement surgery are not necessarily sick. Santa is a healthy and active man who needed pain relief from arthritic joints and had exhausted all treatments except surgery.
That is one reason why orthopaedic surgeons and hospitals across the country are changing their approach to total knee replacement. More and more hospitals are opening dedicated joint replacement centers that focus on educating patients and providing a warm, team-oriented environment where recovery can begin.
Patients who have a good understanding of their surgery and the expected results, like Santa did, tend to have better outcomes.
