Seek Help for Chronic Pain Sooner Than Later, He Advises
Ron Schultz is a U.S. Marine. His toughness, ingrained in him through years of military training and experiences, taught him to push through pain.
When Schultz experienced chronic hip pain, he tried pushing through it. Eventually, he realized attacking it alone wasn’t the best approach. That’s when he sought reinforcement from Dr. Michael Ziegele, a fellowship-trained Orthopedic Surgeon with ThedaCare Orthopedic Care.
Schultz’s only regret? Not seeking help sooner.
“I’m tougher than I am smart,” said Schultz, a Village of Harrison resident. “So rather than being proactive and getting things fixed before they become a problem, I wait until it’s almost catastrophic failure.”
Schultz first experienced low back and hip pain during a military deployment in 2019. He requested an MRI as part of his medical out-processing following the assignment.
“I had really bad osteoarthritis in both hips,” he said. “It started off in my left one.”
The pain continued after Schultz retired from the Marines in 2020. That led him to a doctor in Waupun, who eventually performed a resurfacing procedure on Schultz’s left hip.
In the years following the surgery, Schultz again faced an old enemy. It was the hip pain flaring up in his right hip. The discomfort took a toll on his quality of life.
Schultz, an environmental health and safety manager for a medical device manufacturer, enjoys an active lifestyle. He works out, hikes, enjoys yardwork and playing with his dog. His passion for hunting and the outdoors led him to trips out West and to Canada. All the while, his hip pain negatively impacted his favorite activities.
“Any hinging or squatting movements were extremely painful,” he said. “My quality of sleep was garbage.”
Right Time, Right Place
Schultz finally decided he needed to act on the pain in his right hip. He had a procedure scheduled with the same doctor who’d done his right hip resurfacing when a chance encounter changed his mind.
Sara Ziegele is a physical therapist who provides care through ThedaCare At Work at Schultz’s workplace. She’d been working with Schultz when he told her he would be out for a bit for an upcoming hip procedure.
“She said, ‘Oh, I know somebody who does hips,’” Schultz recalled. That somebody happened to be Sara’s husband, Dr. Michael Ziegele.
That conversation led to a visit with Dr. Ziegele and then a scheduled surgery.
Successful Surgery
Schultz underwent right hip replacement surgery with Dr. Ziegele in May 2024. He said he felt at ease moments before the procedure.
“The day of the operation was awesome,” he said. “My wife was blown away with how quickly it went.”
Schultz was up and walking the same day as his procedure and soon returned home to recuperate. As he recovered, he completed a home exercise program. He also saw Sara Ziegele for physical therapy once he returned to work. Within 10 to 12 weeks, Schultz felt nearly 100%. Now, almost two years out from his surgery, he’s still experiencing outstanding results.
“I can do what I want, when I want. I can do it without restriction. I can do it without pain,” Schultz said. “It’s almost the same as … never having gone through the process with the degenerative arthritis and everything else. It’s like I have a brand-new hip.”
Words of Wisdom
Schultz said he understands people’s hesitancy to have joint replacement surgery and offers a bit of advice.
“What I would say to people is get educated and don’t put it off,” he said. “Don’t deny yourself a higher quality of life. It’s far less intimidating and far less restrictive than people would initially think.”
ThedaCare offers several solutions for hip pain. Call (920) 831-5050 for more information or schedule a visit online.
About ThedaCare
For more than 115 years, ThedaCare® has been improving the health and well-being of the communities it serves in northeast and central Wisconsin. The organization delivers care to more than 650,000 residents in 17 counties, and employs approximately 7,000 providers and team members at 180 points of care, including 10 hospitals. As an organization committed to being a leader in Population Health, team members are dedicated to empowering people to live their unique, best lives. ThedaCare is a not-for-profit health system with a level II trauma center, comprehensive cancer treatment, stroke and cardiac programs, as well as primary care. ThedaCare also partners with communities to understand needs, find solutions together, and encourage health awareness and action. ThedaCare is part of Froedtert ThedaCare, Wisconsin’s most comprehensive health care system.