Winning the Boston Marathon in 1973 was no small feat. Jacqueline Hansen put in hundreds of hours of training to prepare for the grueling 26.2-mile course, then set the women’s record, which then stood for several years.
Flash forward 50 years, where that single-minded determination helped her make a full recovery from a total shoulder replacement performed by Andy Jensen, MD, a shoulder and elbow surgeon at UCLA Health Center for Orthopaedic Surgery.
The award-winning runner and her surgeon developed a bond before the surgery as Hansen needed an accommodation: Could she put off the surgery until after April 17, 2023? On that date, she was to be in Boston to fire the starting gun for the Boston Marathon on the 50th anniversary of her win.
Dr. Jensen, from the Boston area himself, was happy to oblige and gave her cortisone shots that allowed her to raise her right arm – with the help of her left – to shoot the starting gun.
Once back in Los Angeles, the L.A. native and running coach underwent her surgery at Santa Monica Orthopaedic Surgery.
UCLA orthopaedic surgeons offer full-spectrum treatment for patients with shoulder and elbow injuries and disorders with excellent results.
Learn more about shoulder and elbow surgery at UCLA Health
“I see a lot of difficult and complicated shoulder injuries – but Jacqueline’s was among the worst. Frankly, it’s hard to imagine how she managed to walk around with a joint that had literally crumbled,” said Dr. Jensen.
“She – like the new shoulder joint she received – must be made of steel to have powered through the weeks before the surgery," he said. "She made a wonderful recovery – and it was great to share this victory with her.”
