Running enthusiast completes two marathons after years of knee pain

• Private patient completes two marathons after family pet shatters her knee
• Keen runner from Wrexham defeated the odds by completing the London Marathon and the Great North Run after years of surgery to correct her fractured knee

Mrs Carol Shone, a fit 60-year-old, has spent years in and out of surgery having her knee replaced after her dog knocked her down, shattering her left knee. Before the incident Carol was a keen runner and went to the gym, several times a week, joining spin and pump classes.

Carol was out walking her nine month old chocolate Labrador puppy in a field they visited daily. The large pup, known as Skye, was particularly excited that day, when on recall she didn’t stop, and ran at full speed into the side of Carol's left knee, shattering it immediately. The pain was excruciating, but luckily Carol’s husband Malcom was on hand to help.

After the incident Carol’s knee was reconstructed in the NHS, but this was a temporary fix and didn’t relieve the pain, discomfort and lack of mobility. It became apparent that after physiotherapy a full knee replacement was needed. Thankfully, with private medical insurance through Carol’s employer, she was covered to go private, and did so under the care of Mr Tony Smith, a Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon at Spire Yale Hospital, Wrexham. The knee replacement was a success but it still didn’t relieve the pain she was in months later. Mr Smith suggested she speak to his colleague Professor Thomas Haag, a renowned pain management Consultant at Spire Yale Chesney Court Outpatient & Diagnostic Centre.

Professor Haag has been an expert in his field for over 28 years, offering pain management programmes across the North Wales area. On seeing Carol, he suggested she undergo a sensory denervation of her left knee using cooled radiofrequency – a procedure where nerves to the knee are targeted.

Professor Haag said about the procedure: “This is a minimally invasive treatment which takes approximately 40 minutes to complete. It’s carried out using a local anaesthetic, so hospital admission is not required. It targets nerves which are only involved with pain and can be identified by ultrasound, for patients who are not suitable for surgery or who are looking for a low-risk alternative to surgery. Some patients who undergo successful surgery are unfortunately left with ongoing pain which can also be treated in this way. In fact, this is the only non-surgical treatment option recommended by NICE for mild to moderate knee osteoarthritis."

Carol Shone at the finish of the Great North Run 24

Carol shared her thoughts on her experience and how the procedure has changed her life: “I had six nerves treated, and I experienced very little pain — more of a sensation. The last nerve was the most uncomfortable, but I chose to stay awake rather than go under general anaesthesia. I was able to walk out after pain-free. Now that the pain is gone, I can focus on regaining my mobility. I recently completed the Great North Run in Newcastle, and in April, I walked the London Marathon in just eight hours, to raise funds for Macmillan Cancer Research. The procedure was absolutely worth it. Both consultants at Spire Yale were fantastic, and I could see Professor Haag’s joy at the progress I had made. I am incredibly grateful to them and the wonderful staff at the hospital who took such great care of me.”

Carol Shone with Skye