Proximal Humerus Fracture and Hip Replacement After Longboarding Falls: One Athlete's Road Back

What Is Longboarding and Why It Carries a Real Injury Risk

Several years ago, while enjoying a new sport — longboarding, a longer variation of a skateboard built for cruising and carving — Dr. Peev fell and landed hard on his shoulder. He knew immediately that something was seriously wrong. He drove himself to the nearest emergency department, where x-rays confirmed his suspicion.

Proximal Humerus Fracture: Getting the Right Diagnosis Fast

While still in the emergency department, Dr. Peev texted the X-ray images to his friend Dr. Brian Forsythe, a sports medicine surgeon at Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush.

"I recall Dr. Forsythe texting me back saying simply, 'get out of there,'" Dr. Peev laughs. "He told me I had broken the humerus bone in my shoulder, and he would take care of me right away."

Dr. Forsythe was true to his word. The injury happened around 11:00 am. By 5:00 that same afternoon, Dr. Peev had been scheduled, registered, and completed all pre-operative testing — including a 3D CT scan — for surgery the following morning.

Shoulder Fracture Surgery: Open Reduction and Internal Fixation with Plate and Screws

"Millen had fractured his proximal humerus, just below the shoulder joint," Dr. Forsythe explains. "As a neonatologist, an accelerated return of extremity function was imperative. We made the decision to proceed with surgery, which involved reduction of the fracture and internal stabilization with a plate and screws. This allowed for an earlier return of function and return to work, which was important to him."

After a full recovery, and not one to shy away from risk, Dr. Peev returned to his activities — including mountain biking and longboarding.

A Second Longboarding Fall, A New Injury: Femoral Neck Hip Fracture

Two years later, after a mountain biking trip to Colorado, Dr. Peev went out for a casual longboard ride near home — and fell again, hard.

"I obviously didn't want to fall on my shoulder, so I kept my hands in when I went down," he explains. "I landed on my hip and couldn't get off the ground. I called my medical partner to come and get me and then called Dr. Forsythe again."

Diagnosing a Femoral Neck Fracture: A Serious Hip Injury That Demands Urgent Care

The injury happened on a Friday afternoon before a long weekend. Dr. Forsythe arranged for X-rays at Rush Oak Brook Outpatient Center that same afternoon and contacted his Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush colleague, Dr. Omar Behery, a hip specialist. Dr. Behery reviewed the imaging and identified a broken femoral neck — a serious fracture just below the ball of the hip joint, commonly caused by falls — and scheduled Dr. Peev for surgery first thing the next morning.

Minimally Invasive Anterior Hip Replacement: Why It Was the Right Choice

"Given the nature of his hip fracture and the important need for a timely return to both his profession and his active lifestyle, together we decided to proceed with hip replacement through a minimally invasive anterior approach technique," Dr. Behery explains. "This was the best course of action to achieve his goals of early return to work and physical activity."

For most middle-aged men, the decision to have a hip replacement unfolds over years. For Dr. Peev, it took about two minutes.

"I won't have pins or screws, and the hardware should last another 30 years," he says. "I will worry about what I'll have to do at 86 when the time comes."

Recovery After Hip Replacement and Shoulder Surgery: Back to an Active Life

Thanks to Dr. Forsythe, Dr. Behery, and their teams at Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush, Dr. Peev is fully back in action.

"I am eternally grateful for their utmost professionalism and excellent care," Dr. Peev says. "Because of them, I am able to continue mountain biking, snowboarding, windsurfing, paddleboarding, and playing tennis."

As for longboarding, he has officially retired from the sport.