Welcome to the Get Healthy Tampa Bay Podcast with Dr. Kerry Reller! This week, I’m joined by Dr. H. Kurtis Biggs, a fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeon specializing in hip and knee replacement.
Dr. Biggs explains when joint pain may require an orthopedic evaluation, why an abnormal X-ray doesn’t always mean surgery is necessary, and which conservative treatments may help.
We also discuss advances in hip and knee replacement, including same-day discharge, improved implants, pain management, and recovery strategies designed to reduce opioid use.
Dr. Biggs shares the story behind designing his own hip implant and what patients should know about robotic surgery, recovery, and returning to an active lifestyle.
If joint pain is interfering with the activities you enjoy, this episode offers practical information to help you understand your options.
In Southwest Florida, where an active lifestyle is part of everyday living, mobility matters. For thousands of residents, returning to golf courses, tennis courts, beaches, and long walks has been made possible through the work of orthopedic surgeon Dr. Henry Kurtis Biggs, DO. A board‑certified and fellowship‑trained joint replacement specialist, Dr. Biggs has dedicated his career exclusively to hip and knee replacement, performing more than 15,000 procedures over more than two decades in practice.
“Joint replacement should restore life, not just relieve pain.” — Dr. Henry Kurtis Biggs, DO
As founder of the Joint Replacement Institute, Dr. Biggs built a practice centered on a simple philosophy: joint replacement should not merely relieve pain — it should restore quality of life. His expertise in the direct anterior hip replacement approach, a muscle‑sparing technique, allows many patients to stand and walk the day of surgery. The procedure reduces soft‑tissue disruption, helping patients recover faster and resume normal activities sooner than traditional techniques once allowed.
Innovation is a defining feature of his work. Dr. Biggs is also an implant designer who holds a United States patent for a hip replacement system developed to improve joint stability, biomechanics, and long‑term performance. Yet his influence extends beyond the operating room. He has created a comprehensive recovery pathway that combines modern anesthesia, multimodal pain management, early mobilization, nutrition guidance, and close patient communication. The goal is straightforward: smoother recovery with minimal complications and, in many cases, little or no need for opioid pain medication.
Patients frequently describe the difference not only in how they move, but in how they feel during recovery. Education and accessibility are central to his approach. From detailed preoperative preparation to direct postoperative guidance, Dr. Biggs emphasizes communication so patients understand every stage of their journey back to mobility.
In addition to caring for local residents, Dr. Biggs teaches other surgeons advanced joint replacement techniques and recovery strategies through national and international instruction. By sharing his methods and continuing to refine surgical and recovery practices, he contributes to broader improvements in orthopedic care.
For Dr. Biggs, the true measure of success is simple: seeing patients return to the activities they love. Whether it is walking a beach at sunrise, playing a full round of golf, or keeping up with grandchildren, restored movement represents restored independence — and that remains the purpose behind every procedure he performs.
00:17 – Introduction to Dr. Kurtis Biggs
02:20 – When Is Joint Pain More Than “Getting Older”?
04:00 – Conservative Treatment Before Joint Replacement
05:30 – X-Rays vs. MRI for Hip and Knee Pain
06:04 – Can You Wait Too Long for Joint Replacement?
08:16 – Injections, PRP, Stem Cells & Arthritis
10:48 – How Joint Replacement Has Changed
17:14 – What Recovery After Knee Replacement Looks Like
20:28 – Reducing Opioid Use After Joint Replacement
25:26 – Designing a New Hip Implant & the Future of Joint Replacement
Connect with Dr. Biggs
Website: https://www.jointinstitutefl.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drkurtisbiggs/
Connect with Dr. Reller
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