Nigel Burgoine has always had a passion for ballet. Over the years, he has danced across the globe, holding principal roles in ballets such as Sleeping Beauty, The Nutcracker, and Romeo and Juliet. And at the time of his surgery, held the position of artistic director of the Ballet Theatre of Toledo, sharing his passion for ballet with future generations of dancers. He has taught hundreds of dancers and choreographed many productions.
As he approached his seventh decade of dancing, Nigel had no intentions of slowing down anytime soon. Until about three years ago when his body told him otherwise. Nigel began experiencing severe pain and mobility issues with his hip. And when powering through the pain didn’t seem to be working, he knew it was time to get help from a professional.
Seeking Help for Hip Pain
“I’ve been dancing since I was four years old. I know when something isn’t right with my body,” Nigel expresses. “I was dragging my leg behind me, and I couldn’t stand confidently on one leg, so I couldn’t demonstrate anything to my dancers. I want to teach the very best, and not being able to demonstrate what I wanted them to do was very frustrating.”
The pain got to be so severe, that he was considering moving from his two-story house to a one-story and looking into how he could reduce his time in the studio doing what he loved: teaching, rehearsing and choreographing.
After two years of pushing through the pain, Nigel was referred to Tyler Vovos, MD, an orthopaedic surgeon with ProMedica Physicians Toledo Orthopaedic and Spine Surgeons.
After evaluating Nigel, Dr. Vovos recommended a hip replacement. Nigel shares that Dr. Vovos explained everything very well, and he was confident to move forward with the recommended treatment plan.
Hip Replacement Procedure and Recovery
Nigel’s hip replacement took place in April 2024, and it couldn’t have gone better. For the procedure, Nigel was conscious but medicated so he didn’t experience any pain or anxiety.
“The prep team gave me a handful of pills before rolling me into the operating room and putting me on the operating table. The next thing I knew, a nurse was asking me if I wanted a ginger ale! I didn’t remember a thing from the procedure,” Nigel shares.
Nigel was up and walking with a walker just thirty minutes after the operation. He was feeling so good that while doing laps around the hospital he joked with the nurses, asking where the start of the Glass City Marathon was. “To be able to put weight on my leg for the first time in two years was incredible,” Nigel shares.
Nigel went home and continued his recovery. Two days after the operation, he ditched the walker and started using a cane. Four days after the operation, he was walking on his own with no mobility device.
He didn’t even need to do any physical therapy sessions after his procedure. Nigel attributes this to his dedication to doing everything Dr. Vovos recommended, including taking the recommended medications and doing the recommended exercises before and after the procedure.
Life After Hip Replacement
Less than two months after the operation, Nigel was doing great and back to doing the things that he loves; including going for morning walks with his wife, swimming for a half hour every afternoon and teaching ballet every evening. He expressed that soon after the operation he didn’t have any pain, just minor achiness as he worked to rebuild the muscle lost from not using his leg for a couple of years.
Nigel hoped to inspire his dancers with his recovery. “I think it was uplifting to my students to see my recovery. They saw me dragging my leg around for two years and then they saw me walking around and doing as good as ever,” Nigel shares.
Over a year after his hip replacement, Nigel has no regrets. His hip still feels amazing and is allowing him to continue to share his passion for ballet through presenting and teaching.
Lastly, Nigel shares a word of wisdom with anyone else experiencing hip pain: “If your hip is going, go in there and get the hip replacement done. It’s only going to get better from there.”
Nigel’s sentiment can be summed up in a shirt he made for himself that reads, “It’s your loss if you don’t go to Dr. Vovos!
Don’t wait—your best life is ready when you are. Learn more about joint replacement surgery options at ProMedica.
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