American model and actress Christie Brinkley has recently opened up about her lingering health issues and fear of undergoing hip replacement surgery.
In January, the 67-year-old revealed that she underwent a hip replacement to fix an injury from 26 years earlier, when she was in a backcountry skiing helicopter crash, according to PEOPLE.
In an Instagram post, Brinkley said, “The pain in my hip got a little bit worse each year, adding that 12 years ago, her doctors told her to undergo hip replacement surgery, but she said the idea was too “daunting” at the time.
Speaking with Dr. Mehmet Oz on an episode of The Dr. Oz Show airing today, the supermodel said she decided to get the surgery done after recognizing that it was holding her back.
She said, “I started feeling like, ‘Oh my gosh, this is how you get old.’”
Hip was not the only issue Brinkley was facing, she was also having some shoulder problems.
She told Dr. Oz, “It was really depressing so I thought, you know what, I’m going to start to whittle away at it. I’m going to do whatever it takes. I’m going to start to whittle away at this and I thought the hip is what scares me the most. Let me check in on the hip.”
Earlier this month, in a post celebrating her 67th birthday, she said that decision to get her hip replaced made a huge difference.
She wrote on Instagram, “I am overjoyed to be able to move my body again. I am getting stronger every day, and I like think I’m ready for anything…a hike, swim dive, paddle, ride, ski and even a big piece of birthday cake! Hey I can work it off!”
On The Dr. Oz show, Brinkley said she wants to encourage people to go for medical care without any delay.
She said, “I tell you for people at home, go speak to the doctors. Find out what they can do for you. You know the more you learn about it the less afraid you will be and don’t be afraid because you know what these surgeries can do now. The way they have perfected them is really amazing.” The article was published on PEOPLE.
