Rustington man treks the Alps following life changing hip surgery
Clive Dobbs, 81 from Rustington, has achieved his dream of continuing to be able to walk in the Alps following second hip replacement surgery at Goring Hall Hospital in Worthing. Diagnosed with hip arthritis, which he initially thought was groin strain, Clive feared that debilitating pain would prevent him from trekking in the mountains and his quality of life impacted with a loss of mobility making even the simplest of tasks difficult and painful, Clive sought specialist help from leading Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon, Mr Nirav Shah in the summer of 2024.
Before his first surgery, Clive noticed something was wrong when moving furniture. He used private health insurance for his first hip replacement, as he knew something was wrong and decided to seek specialist advice.
He added, “I regularly walk in the Alps but was worried that I wouldn’t be able to do it. I booked a physiotherapy appointment at Goring Hall Hospital to get some answers.”
Clive attended his physiotherapy appointment at Goring Hall Hospital, and they confirmed for him that the pain he was experiencing was not groin strain. Following the physio’s recommendation and Clive’s own research, he met with Mr Nirav Shah where a decision was taken to proceed with his first hip replacement.
“I did some research online and spoke to friends who had been seen by Mr Shah. He was extremely pleasant and we got on well which was very reassuring. I had an X-Ray and Mr Shah confirmed that the problem was with my hip. He advised that my best option was to have a hip replacement,” Clive said.
When asked how he felt following his first meeting with Mr Shah, Clive said: “I knew deep down that it was my hip causing the problem. My wife worked in healthcare and knew that groin strain was a common symptom of the hip issues. I came away feeling positive that there was a plan to relieve my pain with an excellent and very experienced Consultant.”
For his second hip replacement, Clive did not have to wait long for surgery, and his operation took place on 26 September 2025. Following the operation Clive was only at Goring Hall Hospital for 48 hours before he was able to return home.
“The staff at Goring Hall Hospital were excellent. I had my surgery on a Friday evening and was out in less than 48 hours. Everyone was incredibly supportive and I was astounded at the progress I made in such a short amount of time. The care I received was exceptional – from the nursing team to the physiotherapists.,” Clive explained.
Following his discharge Clive began his recovery, an experience he found tough but extremely rewarding!
“I followed all the recommendations and didn’t drive despite not being a great passenger! Putting my shoes and socks on was a challenge at first,” Clive shared.
He continued by saying, “but my recovery went extremely well, and the physio team were supportive. I only needed to see Mr Shah when he discharged me seven weeks after the operation - but I did receive a funny Christmas card from him which was lovely.”
Nearly six months on, Clive returned to walking and one day in February 2026 he was able to walk 10 miles in the Alps pain free. When asked what advice he would give to someone in a similar position, he said:
“Get it done as soon as possible. I am back walking again in the Alps. If you know there is a problem then do something about it or will affect the rest of your life. I would also say be prepared and determined to get through your rehab programme.
“My experience was brilliant and better than I originally thought it would be. I may only have one kneecap but I’m still going strong at 81.”
Commenting on Clive’s recovery, Mr Nirav Shah, Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon said: “It’s incredibly rewarding to see patients like Clive regain their independence and quality of life following joint replacement surgery. At Goring Hall Hospital, we combine clinical expertise with compassionate care to deliver the best possible results for our patients. I wish Clive the very best for the future. I use advance technology for a hip replacement using uncemented prosthesis as well as a bigger ball. I also use the ceramic ball which has a an excellent long-term longevity and as I use a bigger ball, it has an extremely low risk of a dislocation. This allows patient to return to their activities they would like to do very quickly with no fear or worry about dislocation of hip joint.”