Dr. Johnson, 78, practiced medicine for more than 40 years before arthritis pain in his left hip caught up with him. "I was making rounds, and the pain in my hip hit me so hard that I had to stop moving and lean up against a wall," he said. "I couldn't move." Even pain medication wasn't enough. Dr. Johnson scheduled a hip replacement immediately.

Less than two months after the surgery, and with only four days of at-home physical therapy, Dr. Johnson returned to work. "After just six weeks I was back making my rounds," he said. "People should have this surgery done if they know they need it. The pain was my deciding factor, and now I have no pain."