How one patient found her way back to the waves through minimally invasive hip replacement

Sharon Mihalik has always lived an active life. At 73, her days are centered around the people and passions she loves most—her husband, her family, and above all, surfing. “I love being active,” she says. “Surfing is my passion.”

But over time, something began to change. What started as subtle discomfort gradually became more limiting. Walking slowed, movement became harder, and the relief she once found through activity disappeared. “The first sign that I had issues with my hip was walking slower,” Sharon recalls. “I couldn’t get any relief anymore.” For someone who had always defined herself through movement, the loss was deeply felt.

When Sharon came to see Dr. Richard Berger, it was clear that her hip had significantly deteriorated. Still, what stood out just as much as her condition was her determination to return to the life she loved. “She was a very athletic woman who loved to surf,” Dr. Berger says. “My goal was to get her back to all of those things.”

Dr. Berger’s minimally invasive, muscle-sparing approach to hip replacement is designed to do exactly that. By avoiding disruption to key muscles, ligaments, and tendons, the procedure reduces trauma to the body and allows for a faster, more natural recovery. His philosophy is simple: restore function, relieve pain, and help patients take their lives back.

For Sharon, recovery began almost immediately. Just two weeks after surgery, she was back in the gym. By three weeks, she had progressed to practicing light pop-ups, working toward the strength and coordination needed to return to surfing. “I wanted to be able to throw my legs underneath me and lift my hips up again,” she says.

Only three months after her hip replacement, Sharon traveled to Costa Rica. There, she returned to the ocean and began surfing again, even taking on larger waves. While she initially had concerns about falling and damaging her new hip, Dr. Berger reassured her that she could move forward with confidence. “You can’t hurt it,” he told her. That reassurance allowed her to fully embrace her recovery and trust her body again.

Today, Sharon is not just active; she has reclaimed the life she feared she might lose. “We officially have our lives back,” she says. Her husband shares in that joy, noting that watching her surf is just as meaningful as being out on the water himself.

Looking ahead, Sharon has no plans of slowing down. “My husband will say maybe we can do this for five more years,” she says. “I tell him I’m not quitting. We can do small waves by the shore, I don’t care. I just want to keep it up forever.”

Sharon’s story is a powerful example of what’s possible with the right care and the right approach. It’s not just about recovery. It’s about returning to the moments, the movement, and the lifestyle that make life fulfilling.