Multiple Bike Accidents Couldn’t Keep Jeff off the Saddle
Not one, but two bike accidents couldn’t get in the way of Jeff Rauff ’s active lifestyle. Since he was young, Jeff Rauff, of Montoursville, was always on the go and enjoyed competitive sports. As an adult, he enjoyed running, swimming, and bicycling, and spent a lot of his spare time training and participating in triathlon races.
But one day an accident almost sidelined Jeff for good. On April 3, 2012, Jeff was hit by a truck while he was bicycling by himself. After being transported by helicopter to emergency care, Jeff was diagnosed with a long list of injuries, including a fractured right hip and pelvis. During surgery, a metal plate and eight screws were used to hold his pelvis together.
“After the accident, I was determined to get back on my feet,” Jeff says. “The doctor said I would probably need a wheelchair for 12 to 13 weeks—I was out in eight.” The doctors also told Jeff that had he not been in such good physical shape, he may not have even survived the accident.
Seven Years of Health
After the accident, Jeff participated in physical therapy with UPMC at the local YMCA. He was able to heal enough to resume his activities and now averages nearly 150 miles a week on his bike.
“When I was 68 years old, a doctor told me I should probably stop running because of arthritis in my left hip,” says Jeff . “Although I wasn’t happy about it, I knew I could continue to bike and swim, but I had to start thinking about a hip replacement.”
Jeff was putting off the procedure, but he had heard about same-day hip replacement with John Bailey, MD, and decided that was the perfect solution for him.
Another Accident
On July 10, 2019, Jeff was in another accident. He slid on some gravel while riding, and the left side of his body hit the roadway—hard.
“I laid in the road for a few minutes,” says Jeff.
“I knew I broke my hip.” Jeff called a friend to pick him up and take him home, where he told his wife, “I broke my hip.”
Jeff ’s wife took him to the emergency department at their hometown hospital, UPMC Muncy.
Sure enough, the doctors confirmed Jeff ’s suspicion—his hip was broken, and he would need surgery. Jeff requested Dr. Bailey again to perform the surgery. The next morning, an ambulance transferred Jeff to UPMC Williamsport, and he was scheduled for surgery on the following Friday morning.
Hip Replacement Surgery
“After meeting with Dr. Bailey, we decided that we should do the total hip replacement due to arthritis and the fracture,” says Jeff . “However, the accident prevented me from having the same-day procedure."
Jeff didn’t have to spend long in the hospital—he went home the next day.
“Two days after surgery, I was back at the YMCA working out,” says Jeff . “Within a week, I was back on my bike.: Jeff felt good and knew his body could handle the workout. Two weeks later, an X-ray showed that his hip was healing on schedule."
Pushing the Limits—Again
Jeff enjoyed biking last summer, as he has for many summers before, and even went on a group bike tour around Tuscany, Italy.
