A Houston mother is set to make medical and sports history at the Boston Marathon Monday.
Carrie Bradshaw stands apart from typical elite runners. She’s poised to become the first person with double hip replacements to complete the prestigious race.
Breaking Medical Barriers in Marathon Running
Bradshaw’s journey to the starting line involved overcoming congenital hip dysplasia, a condition where the hip socket doesn’t properly form at birth. Left undetected in her early years, the condition led to severe arthritis, ultimately requiring double hip replacement surgery at age 40.
“It felt like a death sentence as a runner and young mom,” Bradshaw recalls. The surgery, performed by Dr. Gregory Stocks at the Texas Orthopedic Hospital, marked what could have been the end of her running career. Instead, it became a new beginning.
Pioneering Path for Athletes with Joint Replacements
During her recovery, Bradshaw encountered a significant void in the running community. “I couldn’t find anybody like me,” she says, describing her search for other marathon runners with similar surgical experiences. This absence of role models only strengthened her resolve to forge ahead.
The rehabilitation process presented unique challenges as her body adapted to the surgical changes. “I have this new body now, and all parts of my body - my feet, my shins - everything had to adjust to my new gait,” Bradshaw explains. “Most days, I forget I’ve had hip replacements.”
Inspiring a New Generation of Runners
What began as a personal comeback has evolved into something much larger. Bradshaw’s story resonates with individuals facing similar medical challenges, particularly those searching for hope during late-night internet searches about post-surgery athletics.
“It’s not only my redemption race,” Bradshaw shares. “I’m running for all the people in my hip community or the bionic community who are up late at night at 2 a.m. Googling, ‘Can I run after a hip replacement?’”
Her surgeon, Dr. Stocks, will be present at the marathon to witness this milestone achievement, a moment that brings Bradshaw to tears when discussing. “Getting to have him there for this big victory lap, after everything he’s seen me experience and go through – this is my victory lap... There were days I could barely walk.”
As Bradshaw takes to the historic Boston course, she’s not just running 26.2 miles; she’s blazing a trail for future athletes who might face similar medical challenges, proving that surgical intervention doesn’t necessarily mean the end of athletic pursuits.
