Walk celebrates joint replacements

Consultant orthopaedic surgeons Dr Arpad Konyves and Dr Dawie van Nieuwenhuizen are helping to organise Rotorua's Joint Effort Walk. Photo/Ben Fraser

People who've had joint replacements will be able to take part in their own "marathon" next month - a 1km walk aimed at celebrating the difference the operation can make.

The Joint Effort walk is being held on May 4 - the day after the Rotorua Marathon - and aims to both celebrate joint replacements as well as raising money for the Wishbone Foundation, which funds orthopaedic research for bone and joint conditions.

Consultant orthopaedic surgeon Dr Arpad Konyves is one of those organising the walk.

He said with between 240 and 300 hip and knee replacements carried out each year locally, he was hoping for a good turnout to the walk.

The replacement operations were to improve the quality of life for patients, so the walk was about celebrating that as well as patients getting sponsorship from friends and family to raise money, he said.

"This is a quality of life operation. They have it because they can't walk, can't move or are in pain."

Fellow consultant orthopaedic surgeon Dr Dawie van Nieuwenhuizen said it was fair to say many of those taking part wouldn't have been able to walk such a distance before the operation.

The walk will start at 11am on May 4, with registration between 10am and 10.55am at the lakeside entrance of QE Health.

Registration is free and the walk is open to anyone who has had a joint replacement.