Dr Hamish Gray, Hip & Knee Orthopaedic Surgeon, Lower Limb Sports Injuries

09/09/2025

We are proud Sponsors of our local Sunshine Coast Symphony Orchestra. If you are looking for something to do this Saturday night then this concert of Magic, Michief & Storytelling Is going to be quite special!

Our next concert "Magic, mischief and musical storytelling" will showcase the incredible emotional range an orchestral palate of sound can produce. We'll perform orchestral pieces that can conjure everything from the hatching of chicks from their shells, to the terror of a high mountain pass at nigh...

14/01/2025

Joint replacement tips: Stop smoking. When you quit:

💗At eight hours your heart rate and blood pressure will
begin to return to normal.

🏃At twelve hours the ni****ne and carbon monoxide in
your body will drop dramatically.

🌬At one week the cilia in your lungs will have begun to
recover and will start cleaning mucus out of your lungs.

🗣At two weeks your throat and the large airways in your
lungs will be less reactive, causing fewer problems with
breathing during surgery.

🤸‍♀️At three weeks your body’s ability to heal wounds will
have begun to improve.

🚴At four weeks the small airways in your lungs will be
working better and will continue to improve.

💪At six weeks your lungs will produce a normal amount of
mucus, which will help your breathing during surgery.

✅At eight weeks your risk of lung complications will be
lower than a continuing smoker. Your blood will be less
thick and sticky, and your blood flow will improve. Your
risk of wound complications will be much less than
a continuing smoker. Your immune system and your
response to anaesthetic drugs will also improve.

Information from the Queensland Health Fact sheet:
https://www.health.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0035/439784/smokingsurgery.pdf

12/01/2025

Joint replacement tips: Look after your skin before surgery.
Joint infections are serious and have a worse prognosis than many cancers, such as bowel cancer. To reduce infection spreading from skin wounds wear long pants to avoid scratches during gardening and around pets. This will help being cancelled on the day of surgery due to skin issues.

11/01/2025

Joint replacement tips: See your dentist before planning surgery.
Orthopaedic infections are serious. Infected joint replacements can have a worse prognosis than many cancers, such as bowel cancer. The bacteria in teeth and gum disease can travel via the bloodstream to your replacement parts. Gum disease can be obvious but many people have no symptoms.

10/01/2025

Knee replacement tips: When making plans for a knee replacement ensure you have someone to drive you for at least six weeks. Everyone is different so you need final clearance before driving again.

08/01/2025

It's the holiday season; full of family and friends. Perhaps there’s been some encouragement, from those that love you, to see some about your hip/knee pain & dysfunction

How to start this process?

1. Book a long appointment with a GP. An x-ray may be the only test required for a specialist review.

2. Keep moving and exercising: see a physiotherapist or exercise physiologist. This may include managing pain to allow movement

3. If you are young know that modern hip replacements can last 20 - 30 years. Previously it was 10 years. Perhaps hip resurfacing is a better option

3. Care for your mental health - decreased socialisation is hard and reliance on others is hard. Don't be afraid to ask for help.

4. Book your appointment with the surgeon. Discuss all the options not just what type of surgery. What type of prosthesis will be used? What are the alternatives to surgery? What can I do if I need to delay surgery?

5. Talk honestly with the surgeon. Things to consider include financial situation, work, pain, level of disability. Most importantly - What you want to be different in your life as a result of surgery.

6. Know that "Bone on Bone" does not mean you need surgery - pain and function are better indicators of needing a hip replacement and your family will see this.

04/01/2025

Returning from your ski or snowboarding holiday with a knee injury? Is your ACL injured?

Assessment & diagnosis should occur within 6 weeks, earlier if you knee is locking or is unstable. Dr Hamish Gray keeps appointments for these snow holiday injuries and other urgent injuries.

When you return...
1. See a GP, Nurse Practitioner or Emergency Department for an examination and imaging. An early diagnosis may need an MRI. Be referred for assessment to Dr Gray. He will triage all referrals for urgency.
2. Organise an early physiotherapist appointment - for bracing, and to prevent de-conditioning of your muscles
3. Locking knees need urgent assessment: If your knee is locked, you cannot bend or straighten it - attend your nearest emergency department. If your knee is locking on & off - you should be seen within 1 - 2 weeks.
4. Other injuries should be seen within 6 weeks such as osteochondral fractures &
meniscal injuries.

For urgent assessment of your knee injury book an appointment Dr Hamish Gray, a leading knee surgeon with expertise in sports injuries, knee ligament reconstruction, arthroscopy and guiding non-operative management.

21/12/2024

To our patients: Thank you for allowing us to care for you, it is a privilege. May this coming week sparkle with joy and laughter. If your health has been challenging this year, may the holiday season be a time of rest and 2025 full of hope for better days.

To the broader healthcare team who also care for our patients - Thank you for providing excellent care, you make a significant difference

To Sunshine Coast Symphony Orchestra - We have thoroughly enjoyed your concerts this year. We were especially proud to be there for the debut performance of
Under the Watchful Eye of the Glass House Giants. It is the first known symphonic piece composed on the Sunshine Coast about the Sunshine Coast. We are so proud to continue as a platinum sponsor in 2025.

21/12/2024

Our rooms are closed next week. If you need to contact us please ring the rooms and listen to the message.

01/09/2024

Did you enjoy the beautiful weather this weekend? Thank your knees! We think the knee joint is amazing. It's the biggest joint in your body. When you walk you are putting a force equivalent to 1.5 times your body weight through the joint. It's important for standing, walking and keeping balance.

In the knee joint the ACL (Anterior Cruciate Ligament) and PCL (Posterior Curciate Ligament) are very strong. They need to be! In a X formation they stop the femur and tibia sliding off each other.

Damage to the ACL can involve injuries to other parts of the knee including the meniscus, the cartilage over the bone and the collateral ligaments.

Not all injuries need surgery. Most importantly, they need early diagnosis. A team is needed to help assessment and recovery which includes physiotherapists, exercise physiologists, strength and conditioning coaches, sports coaches, general practitioner, emergency departments and orthopaedic surgeons.

For knee injury assessments on the Sunshine Coast contact us today.

30/08/2024

How important is nutrition before surgery?

✅It can predict how well you recover from surgery.
💰 It can save money with short hospital stays, fewer complications and a faster return to work.

Make real, unprocessed, whole food the basis of meals. Please see a dietician if further advice is needed.

During pre-habilitation concentrate on protein. Research suggests that patients are only having 22 - 36% of estimated protein requirements before surgery. Protein helps

✅Maintain and support muscle strength during pre-habilitation
✅Enhance recovery from surgery. Muscle strength decreases after 48 hours of inactivity
✅It modulates and improves surgical stress response
✅It assists in rapid healing
✅It improves goals after surgery such as being able to stand from sitting, climb stairs and the distance you can walk in 6 minutes

Protein sources include:
▪lean meats
▪poultry
▪fish and seafood including canned products
▪eggs due to the nutritional density
▪dairy products – especially Greek yoghurt and cottage cheese
▪nuts, nut pastes and seeds
▪legumes and beans – all beans, lentils, chickpeas, split peas, tofu.

In the week prior to surgery:
Don't forget complex carbohydrates. This includes vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. This ensures an adequate intake of vitamins, minerals, and fibre. This helps your immune system and the microbiome, which may have implications for nutrient absorption, reducing inflammation, and muscle recovery.

29/08/2024

Exercise is Medicine.

To set yourself up for success to recover from surgery we recommend you start 6 - 8 weeks prior to surgery with an allied health professional such as a physiotherapist or exercise physiologist. This can be hard with pain, immobility and weight gain as your joint disease has progresses.

Here's some reasons why it's important...

▪It can delay the need for surgery, or you may not need it at all
▪6 weeks of water or land-based aerobic, strength and flexibility exercise can decrease your need for inpatient rehabilitation by 75%
▪The length of time in hospital can be shorter
▪It can decrease the risk of falling before and after surgery
▪It can improve mental health and well being
▪It can stabilise pain levels
▪It can reduce stiffness prior to surgery
▪It improves the recovery and rehabilitation phase after the surgery