• Home

    • About Let’s Move QC

    • Meet Our Bloggers

  • Success
    Stories

  • Get Fit

  • Eating Smart
    with Jeni

  • Battle of
    the Bulge

  • QC
    Outside

  • Activity
    Calendar

    • What To Do

    • Where To Go

  • Why I
    Move

  • What
    Moves Me

  • ORA
    Health Tips

    Tips on staying in shape, eating right and taking care of your body so you can keep moving.
    • Better Training

  • Home

    • About Let’s Move QC

    • Meet Our Bloggers

  • Success
    Stories

  • Get Fit

  • Eating Smart
    with Jeni

  • Battle of
    the Bulge

  • QC
    Outside

  • Activity
    Calendar

    • What To Do

    • Where To Go

  • Why I
    Move

  • What
    Moves Me

  • ORA
    Health Tips

    • Better Training

HomeSuccess StoriesQC Pilot Soaring after 80-Pound Weight Loss and 2 ...
Previous Next

QC Pilot Soaring after 80-Pound Weight Loss and 2 New Knees

QC pilot, Michael Nightingale, 69, Orion, Illinois, is flying high at the Mt. Joy Airport, Davenport, after losing weight, prior to his successful double knee replacement surgery at ORA Orthopedics.

The sky is the limit for Quad City pilot, Michael Nightingale, 69, Orion, Ill., after a mandate from his total joint replacement orthopedic surgeon to lose weight before he could undergo total knee replacement surgery.

Michael’s successful weight-loss journey is an inspiration to anyone caught in an endless cycle of joint pain, yet too overweight for surgical relief.

“Before my weight loss, I weighed 300 pounds,” explains Michael. “My knees hurt too much to exercise, but I couldn’t have surgery until I lost the weight.”

To add insult to injury, the once active and retired Deere maintenance electrician couldn’t fly the plane he built because it hurt too much to climb onto the wing and into the cockpit.

“The knee pain was so bad, I could barely walk. Without a plan I’d be in a wheelchair.”

For help, Michael turned to ORA Orthopedics total joint physician, Dr. Steven Boardman, who also happened to be a fellow pilot like himself.

Together, they developed a plan for Michael to lose weight before he could undergo total knee replacement surgery on both knees.

How did Michael do it?

“My BMI (Body Mass Index) was too high,” he recalls. “Dr. Boardman said I had to lose weight.

“I saw my regular doctor who referred me to a Genesis program called, ‘Ideal Protein.’ I started counseling and weighed in once a week. They tracked my BMI readings, weight, and really monitored me the whole way. I changed my diet and 3 months later, I had lost about 40 pounds.

“At that point, Dr. Boardman performed my first knee replacement surgery on my right knee. He performed the second knee replacement 6 months later.”

“Michael is a fantastic success story,” says Dr. Boardman. “He had no complications. This is what I want to see from our total joint patients.”

Dr. Steven Boardman, ORA Orthopedics

Dr. Boardman says Michael’s weight challenges are not unusual.

“He is certainly not alone. I am seeing more and more patients who would benefit from total joint surgery, but because they have BMI’s of 40 or higher, they are at risk.

“Obesity can contribute to sleep apnea, which puts patients at risk during surgery, and heavier weight can contribute to infections or fractures after surgery.”

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) defines BMI as a calculation based on a person’s weight and height.

“We used to take patients as they were, despite the risk factors, but many would suffer complications — which are both painful and expensive, and can double or even quadruple costs,” explains Dr. Boardman.

“My surgeries and rehab were great,” attests Michael.

“Ten months after my weight-loss journey began, I lost 80 pounds, had 2 new knees, and climbed into the experimental plane my brother and I took 7 years to build!”

Nearly a year later, Michael weighs about 220 pounds, is now totally off his blood pressure medicine, and is also working to reduce his cholesterol medication. He plans to maintain his healthy lifestyle by working out at the local YMCA.

“My goal is that every patient have a successful surgery and recovery,” adds Dr. Boardman.

“I evaluate every patient’s health and weight, discuss my concerns for those with BMIs averaging over 40 or higher, and formulate a plan to manage their pain while they lose weight — all before performing surgery.”

Dr. Boardman says the goal is to optimize the patient’s health before surgery, by reducing modifiable risk factors such as high BMIs. The end result is fewer complications from surgery and a quicker recovery after surgery.

Michael would agree. His successful recovery has put him back in his plane and flying all over the United States.

“I tell everyone that pain motivated me to change my life.”

Share this:

  • Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)

Like this:

Like Loading...

Related

Rate this post!
Assistant Editor QC Pilot Soaring after 80-Pound Weight Loss and 2 New Knees January 11, 2017
User rating: 5 (57 votes)

Tags: Dr. Steven Boardman, Ideal Protein Program, Michael Nightingale, ORA Orthopedics total joint physician, Orion IL pilot, Quad City pilot, surgical dangers for overweight patients, total knee replacement surgery on both knees

One Response to “QC Pilot Soaring after 80-Pound Weight Loss and 2 New Knees”

  1. Reply
    Wade
    January 12, 2017 at 10:21 am

    Way to go Michael! Happy to read about your journey, and ecstatic to find out you’re back in the cockpit! Keep up the great work.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Recent Stories

  • Chasing the “Runners’ High” since the 80s March 22, 2021
  • Keep the Spring in Your Step March 20, 2021
  • QC Baseball & Softball: Preventing Injuries in Kids March 19, 2021
  • Crafter Celebrates Spring Thanks to 3-D Shoulder Replacement Surgery March 18, 2021
  • Wildcat Den State Park “A Gem at Our Doorstep” March 11, 2021

Receive Our FREE Newsletter

Sign Up Now
Click here to receive the monthly
Let's Move Quad Cities e-Newsletter.

Upcoming Events

There are no upcoming events at this time.

Trending Topics

Alan Sivell Aryn Lloyd Beth Davis Bettendorf bicycling Biking Chelsey Bowermaster Cody Lichthardt Davenport Dr. Andrew Bries Dr. Steven Boardman Dr. Waqas Hussain General Orthopedics Hip Replacement Jeni Tackett knee arthroscopy Knee Replacement Nahant Marsh Nutritionist Blogger Jeni Tackett ORA Orthopedics qc dietitian QC dietitian Jeni Tackett QC nutrition expert Jeni Tackett Quad Cities Quad City dietitian Quad City nutrition expert Quad City orthopedic surgeon Quad City personal trainer Quad City Sports Medicine RAGBRAI Rock Island Rock Valley Physical Therapy Rolling Reporter Shoulder Arthroscopy Shoulder Reconstruction Shoulder Replacement Spinal Stenosis Sports Medicine St. Ambrose communications professor St. Ambrose professor St. Ambrose Professor Alan Sivell Total Joint Replacement Wade Ellett Walk with a Doc Wapsi River Center
© Copyright 2019, ORA Orthopedics
  • About Let’s Move QC
loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.
%d bloggers like this: