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0 / 30 Fotos
Oprah Winfrey - Oprah Winfrey underwent not one, but two major knee surgeries in 2021. The media mogul showed off her "new knees" and weight loss in an Instagram video on New Year's Day 2023. Winfrey was celebrating the start of the year and her good health with a hike.
© Getty Images
1 / 30 Fotos
Oprah Winfrey
- In a 2022 talk, she described the difficult recovery: "When I came home the first time, I literally could not lift my leg. I couldn’t lift my heel off of the bed, and I vowed if I was ever able to get up, walk around, and move again -- that I would take advantage of movement, exercise, and of being able to be fully in my body."
© Getty Images
2 / 30 Fotos
Steve Carell - Steve Carrell underwent hip replacement surgery in 2013 at the age of 51. 'The Office' star injured himself playing hockey in the early 2000s and dealt with chronic pain for a decade before finally getting the surgery.
© BrunoPress
3 / 30 Fotos
Steve Carell
- Carell told 'Late Night' host David Letterman that he did no research in advance of the surgery so as not to freak himself out! On the big day, the surgeon asked him if he wanted local or general anesthetic. When Carell asked his opinion, he told him to go for general. "You don’t want any memory of this at all." Despite his trepidation, Carell was delighted with the results and was back playing hockey a year later.
© Getty Images
4 / 30 Fotos
Arnold Schwarzenegger
- Arnold Schwarzenegger isn't your average politician, or your average actor! The former body-building world champion has put his joints through a lot over the years. By the age of 55, he was in desperate need of a hip replacement. The surgery was a great success, and he was back on set filming 'Terminator 3' shortly after.
© Getty Images
5 / 30 Fotos
Billy Joel
- Billy Joel had a simultaneous total hip replacement in 2010 when he was 60 years old. “I got a double hip replacement, and now I’m twice as hip as I used to be,“ he told radio host Howard Stern.
© Getty Images
6 / 30 Fotos
Billy Joel
- Joel claims that bouncing around on stage for years was the cause of his hip problems. He was even forced to take a three-year hiatus due to the pain. He eventually took the plunge and has since returned to the stage, bouncy as ever.
© Getty Images
7 / 30 Fotos
Michael Douglas
- Actor Michael Douglas suffered from knee pain for years after a skiing injury left him with permanent joint issues. Eventually his doctor told him to go under the knife, and he had his knee replaced in 2009.
© Getty Images
8 / 30 Fotos
Kirk Douglas - His father, the veteran actor Kirk Douglas, also had a knee replacement. The older Douglas underwent surgery to replace both knees at the age of 88. He got to enjoy them for many more years before passing away at the age of 103 in 2020.
© Getty Images
9 / 30 Fotos
Jane Fonda
- The legendary Jane Fonda has had almost every joint in her body replaced! The Oscar-winning actress, activist, and fitness guru suffers from osteoporosis, a condition that weakens the bones and makes them brittle. She has confirmed that she's had both of her hips replaced and at least one of her knees over the last two decades.
© Getty Images
10 / 30 Fotos
Steven Tyler
- Aerosmith front man Steven Tyler brings some serious moves to the stage, but after decades of performing, his knee was starting to give out. In 2013, he had one of his knees replaced at the age of 65. He reportedly wanted to be able to "turn around and do one of my spins where I don't fall, that's the s---!"
© Getty Images
11 / 30 Fotos
Eddie Van Halen
- Another legend of rock, Eddie Van Halen had to have his hip replaced in 1999 at the young age of 44. He had been living with chronic pain for years due to a condition called avascular necrosis.
© Getty Images
12 / 30 Fotos
Eddie Van Halen
- The surgery was clearly a success, as he carried on catching air for many more years! Sadly, he passed away prematurely in 2020.
© Getty Images
13 / 30 Fotos
Steve Perry
- Former Journey front man Steve Perry (center) was also struck with severe hip problems at a young age. In 1996, he was injured in a hiking accident and diagnosed with a degenerative bone disease, meaning a hip replacement would be necessary before the band could go on their next tour.
© Getty Images
14 / 30 Fotos
Steve Perry
- Perry didn't want to have the surgery then and pushed to delay the tour. The band gave him an ultimatum: get the hip replacement, or be replaced. He was hurt by their response and decided to quit Journey for good. He went ahead with the surgery in 1998.
© Getty Images
15 / 30 Fotos
Ray Charles
- Ray Charles was one of the most influential performers of all time. At the age of 73, he was experiencing mobility issues and underwent a total hip replacement in the hopes that he would be able to go on another tour. Sadly, he died of acute liver disease the following year.
© Getty Images
16 / 30 Fotos
Lionel Richie
- Crooner Lionel Richie suffered from both hip and knee pain, so he had a secret hip replacement in 2011 when he was 61. Once he decided to open up about it, he said it was pretty cool that he was now "bionic." Richie was back on tour soon after, declaring that “the hip is better than ever and touring has been great.”
© BrunoPress
17 / 30 Fotos
Gloria Gaynor
- The 'I Will Survive' singer suffered from severe osteoporosis and joint pain, and began to struggle to move around on stage when she performed. She had a knee replacement in 2009 at the age of 60. More than a decade later, she continues to tour and perform all over the world.
© Getty Images
18 / 30 Fotos
Katharine Hepburn
- The late and great Katharine Hepburn underwent a secret hip replacement in 1974 when she was 67. Within a year, she was comfortably riding horses in the western drama 'Rooster Cogburn' opposite John Wayne.
© Getty Images
19 / 30 Fotos
Liza Minnelli
- Liza Minnelli is the ultimate triple threat and dedicated her life to the stage. Unfortunately, all that dancing, singing, and acting put her body through hell, and she has had at least one hip and one knee replaced.
© Getty Images
20 / 30 Fotos
Elizabeth Taylor
- Elizabeth Taylor battled a number of different health challenges throughout her life, and commented in 2004, "My body's a real mess." She had her first hip replacement in 1994 when she was 62, and had the second one replaced the following year.
© Getty Images
21 / 30 Fotos
Nancy Sinatra
- Nancy Sinatra is the daughter of one of the most famous crooners in history, and has spent a lifetime on the stage herself. She had a knee replacement in 2015 at age 74 to improve her mobility, and continues to perform. Her boots are most certainly made for walkin'!
© Getty Images
22 / 30 Fotos
George H. W. Bush
- The late George H. W. Bush had his hip replaced in 2000 when he was 76 years old. The former president later had one of his knees replaced in 2014 when he was 90.
© Getty Images
23 / 30 Fotos
Barbara Bush
- The late Barbara Bush was on the joint replacement train a few years before her husband. The former first lady had her hip replaced in 1997 at the age of 72.
© Getty Images
24 / 30 Fotos
Regis Philbin
- The late daytime TV host Regis Philbin had his hip replaced in 2009. He was 77 years old at the time.
© Getty Images
25 / 30 Fotos
Joe Namath
- Legendary New York Jets quarterback Joe Namath had severe arthritis, which led to his decision to have both knees replaced in 1992. He was just 49 years old at the time. He had already experienced knee pain and buckling for 20 years at that point, but said it was the fear of dropping one of his daughters that pushed him to get the surgery.
© Getty Images
26 / 30 Fotos
Terry Bradshaw
- Another legendary quarterback, Terry Bradshaw also had both of his knees replaced, with a six-year gap in between. The first was done in 2015 when he was 67, and the second surgery occurred in 2021.
© Getty Images
27 / 30 Fotos
Kurt Angle
- It's not all that surprising to learn that the guy who knowingly wrestled in the 1996 Olympics with a broken neck has bone and joint issues! Kurt Angle has had countless injuries and surgeries over the years.
© Getty Images
28 / 30 Fotos
Kurt Angle
- The WWE champ also suffered from arthritis in both of his knees. He underwent surgery to replace both knees in 2022 when he was just 53 years old. Sources: (PeerWell) (Mobility Goal) (Entertainment Tonight) See also: The worst injuries in Olympic history
© Getty Images
29 / 30 Fotos
© Getty Images
0 / 30 Fotos
Oprah Winfrey - Oprah Winfrey underwent not one, but two major knee surgeries in 2021. The media mogul showed off her "new knees" and weight loss in an Instagram video on New Year's Day 2023. Winfrey was celebrating the start of the year and her good health with a hike.
© Getty Images
1 / 30 Fotos
Oprah Winfrey
- In a 2022 talk, she described the difficult recovery: "When I came home the first time, I literally could not lift my leg. I couldn’t lift my heel off of the bed, and I vowed if I was ever able to get up, walk around, and move again -- that I would take advantage of movement, exercise, and of being able to be fully in my body."
© Getty Images
2 / 30 Fotos
Steve Carell - Steve Carrell underwent hip replacement surgery in 2013 at the age of 51. 'The Office' star injured himself playing hockey in the early 2000s and dealt with chronic pain for a decade before finally getting the surgery.
© BrunoPress
3 / 30 Fotos
Steve Carell
- Carell told 'Late Night' host David Letterman that he did no research in advance of the surgery so as not to freak himself out! On the big day, the surgeon asked him if he wanted local or general anesthetic. When Carell asked his opinion, he told him to go for general. "You don’t want any memory of this at all." Despite his trepidation, Carell was delighted with the results and was back playing hockey a year later.
© Getty Images
4 / 30 Fotos
Arnold Schwarzenegger
- Arnold Schwarzenegger isn't your average politician, or your average actor! The former body-building world champion has put his joints through a lot over the years. By the age of 55, he was in desperate need of a hip replacement. The surgery was a great success, and he was back on set filming 'Terminator 3' shortly after.
© Getty Images
5 / 30 Fotos
Billy Joel
- Billy Joel had a simultaneous total hip replacement in 2010 when he was 60 years old. “I got a double hip replacement, and now I’m twice as hip as I used to be,“ he told radio host Howard Stern.
© Getty Images
6 / 30 Fotos
Billy Joel
- Joel claims that bouncing around on stage for years was the cause of his hip problems. He was even forced to take a three-year hiatus due to the pain. He eventually took the plunge and has since returned to the stage, bouncy as ever.
© Getty Images
7 / 30 Fotos
Michael Douglas
- Actor Michael Douglas suffered from knee pain for years after a skiing injury left him with permanent joint issues. Eventually his doctor told him to go under the knife, and he had his knee replaced in 2009.
© Getty Images
8 / 30 Fotos
Kirk Douglas - His father, the veteran actor Kirk Douglas, also had a knee replacement. The older Douglas underwent surgery to replace both knees at the age of 88. He got to enjoy them for many more years before passing away at the age of 103 in 2020.
© Getty Images
9 / 30 Fotos
Jane Fonda
- The legendary Jane Fonda has had almost every joint in her body replaced! The Oscar-winning actress, activist, and fitness guru suffers from osteoporosis, a condition that weakens the bones and makes them brittle. She has confirmed that she's had both of her hips replaced and at least one of her knees over the last two decades.
© Getty Images
10 / 30 Fotos
Steven Tyler
- Aerosmith front man Steven Tyler brings some serious moves to the stage, but after decades of performing, his knee was starting to give out. In 2013, he had one of his knees replaced at the age of 65. He reportedly wanted to be able to "turn around and do one of my spins where I don't fall, that's the s---!"
© Getty Images
11 / 30 Fotos
Eddie Van Halen
- Another legend of rock, Eddie Van Halen had to have his hip replaced in 1999 at the young age of 44. He had been living with chronic pain for years due to a condition called avascular necrosis.
© Getty Images
12 / 30 Fotos
Eddie Van Halen
- The surgery was clearly a success, as he carried on catching air for many more years! Sadly, he passed away prematurely in 2020.
© Getty Images
13 / 30 Fotos
Steve Perry
- Former Journey front man Steve Perry (center) was also struck with severe hip problems at a young age. In 1996, he was injured in a hiking accident and diagnosed with a degenerative bone disease, meaning a hip replacement would be necessary before the band could go on their next tour.
© Getty Images
14 / 30 Fotos
Steve Perry
- Perry didn't want to have the surgery then and pushed to delay the tour. The band gave him an ultimatum: get the hip replacement, or be replaced. He was hurt by their response and decided to quit Journey for good. He went ahead with the surgery in 1998.
© Getty Images
15 / 30 Fotos
Ray Charles
- Ray Charles was one of the most influential performers of all time. At the age of 73, he was experiencing mobility issues and underwent a total hip replacement in the hopes that he would be able to go on another tour. Sadly, he died of acute liver disease the following year.
© Getty Images
16 / 30 Fotos
Lionel Richie
- Crooner Lionel Richie suffered from both hip and knee pain, so he had a secret hip replacement in 2011 when he was 61. Once he decided to open up about it, he said it was pretty cool that he was now "bionic." Richie was back on tour soon after, declaring that “the hip is better than ever and touring has been great.”
© BrunoPress
17 / 30 Fotos
Gloria Gaynor
- The 'I Will Survive' singer suffered from severe osteoporosis and joint pain, and began to struggle to move around on stage when she performed. She had a knee replacement in 2009 at the age of 60. More than a decade later, she continues to tour and perform all over the world.
© Getty Images
18 / 30 Fotos
Katharine Hepburn
- The late and great Katharine Hepburn underwent a secret hip replacement in 1974 when she was 67. Within a year, she was comfortably riding horses in the western drama 'Rooster Cogburn' opposite John Wayne.
© Getty Images
19 / 30 Fotos
Liza Minnelli
- Liza Minnelli is the ultimate triple threat and dedicated her life to the stage. Unfortunately, all that dancing, singing, and acting put her body through hell, and she has had at least one hip and one knee replaced.
© Getty Images
20 / 30 Fotos
Elizabeth Taylor
- Elizabeth Taylor battled a number of different health challenges throughout her life, and commented in 2004, "My body's a real mess." She had her first hip replacement in 1994 when she was 62, and had the second one replaced the following year.
© Getty Images
21 / 30 Fotos
Nancy Sinatra
- Nancy Sinatra is the daughter of one of the most famous crooners in history, and has spent a lifetime on the stage herself. She had a knee replacement in 2015 at age 74 to improve her mobility, and continues to perform. Her boots are most certainly made for walkin'!
© Getty Images
22 / 30 Fotos
George H. W. Bush
- The late George H. W. Bush had his hip replaced in 2000 when he was 76 years old. The former president later had one of his knees replaced in 2014 when he was 90.
© Getty Images
23 / 30 Fotos
Barbara Bush
- The late Barbara Bush was on the joint replacement train a few years before her husband. The former first lady had her hip replaced in 1997 at the age of 72.
© Getty Images
24 / 30 Fotos
Regis Philbin
- The late daytime TV host Regis Philbin had his hip replaced in 2009. He was 77 years old at the time.
© Getty Images
25 / 30 Fotos
Joe Namath
- Legendary New York Jets quarterback Joe Namath had severe arthritis, which led to his decision to have both knees replaced in 1992. He was just 49 years old at the time. He had already experienced knee pain and buckling for 20 years at that point, but said it was the fear of dropping one of his daughters that pushed him to get the surgery.
© Getty Images
26 / 30 Fotos
Terry Bradshaw
- Another legendary quarterback, Terry Bradshaw also had both of his knees replaced, with a six-year gap in between. The first was done in 2015 when he was 67, and the second surgery occurred in 2021.
© Getty Images
27 / 30 Fotos
Kurt Angle
- It's not all that surprising to learn that the guy who knowingly wrestled in the 1996 Olympics with a broken neck has bone and joint issues! Kurt Angle has had countless injuries and surgeries over the years.
© Getty Images
28 / 30 Fotos
Kurt Angle
- The WWE champ also suffered from arthritis in both of his knees. He underwent surgery to replace both knees in 2022 when he was just 53 years old. Sources: (PeerWell) (Mobility Goal) (Entertainment Tonight) See also: The worst injuries in Olympic history
© Getty Images
29 / 30 Fotos
These celebs underwent joint replacement surgery
Bionic knees are nothing new in Hollywood!
© Getty Images
Joint replacement surgery is one of the life-changing miracles of modern medicine. Bizarre though it may seem, surgeons can remove the parts of the knee, hip, or shoulder that aren't working properly and replace them with prosthetics, giving the patient a new lease on life. In the US alone, nearly one million knee replacements are performed each year, along with almost half a million hip replacements. While the surgery and recovery can seem daunting, there are plenty of familiar faces who have gone through it, and even managed to keep it a secret.
From actors to rockstars and presidents, countless celebrities and public figures have undergone joint replacement surgery at some point. Click through the following gallery to see just how great the results can be!
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