“I am glad that I am back to dancing without knee pains,” said Ms. Estela Ababao, 64, when asked how Axis Knee System changed her life.
As Estela recalls, for 13 years before having knee problems, she never missed a day at the dance studio. Aside from being a way to relieve stress from a day of doing house chores, dancing is also her way to stay fit.
After developing degenerative arthritis five years ago, dancing became really challenging. Her movement became severely limited that even walking and climbing stairs was an arduous activity. According to Estela, the excruciating knee pains brought her sleepless nights which made her hopeless that she cannot go back to her favorite activity again.
One day while browsing through Facebook, Estela came across the Axis Knee System. She became interested with the implant because it is half the price of existing knee replacement implants in the market. What fascinated her more is the fact that the technology is locally made by a Filipino, Dr. Ramon Gustilo and Engr. Jude Sasing. The Axis Knee is made to fit the Asian knee-sized, thus, promises faster recovery. She did some research and found that she can get her surgery in The Medical City, Ortigas, Pasig City.
Last 25 January 2019, Estela underwent the knee replacement surgery using the Axis Knee System with the help of Dr. Herminio Valenzuela, Dr. Adriel Eulalio Guerrero, and Dr. Marie Antionette Dizon. A day after her surgery, Estela started her physical therapy which lasted for three months and she’s fully recovered within six months.
Now, Estela has been able to return to her zumba and ballroom dancing sessions without any knee-pains. “I am able to do what I do best without being restricted by pain,” she said.
Grateful that she was able to find an affordable, quality solution to her health problem, Estela salutes all Filipino inventors whose works are for the benefit of all. She said, “Maraming salamat sa mga Pilipinong imbentor. Ngayon alam ko na bakit mahalaga ang research.”
Currently, the Axis Knee System invented by Dr. Gustilo and Engr. Sasing is being manufactured by the Orthopaedic International, Inc., and continues to provide comfort to Filipinos around the country. The Philippine Council for Health Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology supported the development of this technology to make life better for Filipinos.
