Georgina Monti thought that the pain was down to an old injury – but the diagnosis was much worse
A kitesurfer who thought a “barbed wire” stabbing pain in her hip was due to an old injury had a hip replacement-like op aged just 30. Georgina Monti, 30, noticed hip pain while kitesurfing and free-diving in September 2023.
Initially, she dismissed the niggle as an old injury and persisted until she was in agony unable to surf at all. In October 2024, Georgina went to the doctor for an MRI scan which showed her femoral head – the rounded top of the thigh bone that fits into the hip socket – had collapsed due to avascular necrosis – a condition where bone tissue dies due to a loss of blood supply.
Georgia says she was constantly told that a hip replacement was her only option. She then visited Cleveland Clinic London, where they offered her an alternative operation to a hip replacement – a hip resurfacing procedure using a ceramic implant – where more of the natural bone is kept intact.
In August 2025, Georgina underwent the hip resurfacing procedure – which is one of the first non-metal resurfacing implants in the world to receive regulatory approval. Georgina, a project coordinator, from Benfleet, Essex, said: “It felt like I had barbed wire in my hip.
“At first, I put it off as an old injury that was causing me trouble. I continued to power on until I physically couldn’t stand on a surfboard anymore – something I’ve been able to do my whole life. That was the defining moment I knew something was seriously wrong.”
In her late 20s Georgina started experiencing pain in her right hip. Initially, the surfer put it down to an old injury she sustained while surfing at 17. Georgina, said: “It’s normal to get a few aches and pains after some intense exercise, but the pain I was experiencing became more intense.
“I then started to feel very restricted in my mobility. I was training horses at the time, and when I got off them, I found myself barely able to walk.”
It eventually got to the point where the searing pain kept her up at night and she struggled to tie her own shoes. Soon, unable to walk without crutches, Georgina had to give up all sports.
She underwent an MRI scan – which showed her femoral head- the highest part of the thigh bone – had collapsed. “Now I needed to find somebody to fix it, and I kept hearing about hip replacements, which no 30-year-old wants to hear,” Georgina said.
Looking for another option, she went to Cleveland Clinic London to meet with consultant orthopaedic surgeon Professor Justin Cobb. He offered an innovative alternative to a total hip replacement – a hip resurfacing procedure using a ceramic implant.
Professor Cobb said: “While a great option, a total hip replacement is not the best approach for everyone. For instance, it can reduce the amount of exercise a patient can take.
“So, despite not having any more pain following the procedure, it’s not recommended they return to activities like running, for example.”
Confident in Prof Cobb and determined to regain her sense of purpose, Georgina underwent the hip resurfacing procedure in August 2025, with the ceramic implant.
Georgina said: “After surgery, Professor Cobb told me everything went great. Then he lifted my leg and brought my knee toward my chest – something I hadn’t been able to do for at least two years because of my pain and limited mobility.
“Before, I couldn’t simply move my legs outwards and inwards – there was just no range of motion. Now, I’m back to happily doing that already with my exercise physiologist. The early improvements have been drastic, and it’s shocking to see how much healing I’ve done so far.”
As she continues recovering, Georgina is enjoying time with her family and appreciating the simple things – like taking her dog Lucy for a walk.
She is also training with her exercise physiologist seven days a week and remains committed to getting back to her passions. Georgina said: “I put off having a scan longer than I should have, partly because I didn’t want to know.
“But getting it checked out meant I could actually fix the problem. Don’t be scared to take that step. There’s so much they can do now for hip preservation, and it turned out to be the best possible thing I could have done.”
