At 91, Mulund-resident Madhukar Nimdeo’s daily routine involves walking, rigorous yoga, a visit to the nearby temple, the neighbourhood RSS shaka and a bit of physiotherapy. The last is to ensure that his knees do not bend post the total knee replacement (TKR) surgeries he underwent in both knees in May this year, using a new tissue-preserving technique.
Last week, Nimdeo, a retired Central Railway accountant,participated in sports activities for arthritic patients over 60 and won the obstacle race. On a visit to New Zealand five years ago, he insisted on bungee jumping and was awarded a certificate for being the oldest person (at 85) in NZ to do so. “They said they wouldn’t allow anyone over 75 to bungee-jump. I gave them my written consent, saying that if I died of a heart failure, it would be my responsibility,” he said.
For the last 20 years, Nimdeo suffered from arthritis. “My knees were so badly bent that I was unable to walk much or climb stairs,” he said. But thanks to the new technique pioneered by Dr Kaushal Malhan, knee and hip-replacement surgeon, Wockhardt Hospital, the nonagenarian was able to stand and walk just four hours after surgery. “On the third day after surgery, they asked me to climb four steps. I climbed the entire flight of 30 stairs,” Nimdeo said.
“Post-surgery recovery time is less than a third of that with conventional TKR techniques,” pointed out Dr Malhan, adding that former PM Atal Behari Vajpayee’s knee-replacement surgery first created awareness about the options available to arthritic patients.
“Vajpayee was 76 at the time. But I decided that age should not be a bar,” said Nimdeo.
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