Harald Harb

Patient Advocate

Harald Harb is a former Canadian National Ski Team athlete and is now a professional ski instructor in Dumont, CO. Using his proprietary ski teaching system, he and his hand-picked crew run camps for adults and juniors. When Harald isn’t skiing or teaching, you can find him in the mountains hiking or rock climbing.

Become an Advocate

Q: When did you have your surgery?

A: I had my right knee replaced with Conformis implants in April 2015

Q: What were your knees like before surgery?

A: I’ve always been an athlete – skiing, rock climbing, cycling, tennis… you name it. When I was younger, I would leave school at the end of the day and climb mountains in the dark just so I could ski! At 27 I was playing soccer with a league in Vermont and had a collision with another player during a game. I hyperextended my knee and crushed the meniscus – that’s when my knee troubles started. I began to develop arthritis and tried to deal with it by using anti-inflammatories for 37 years.

Q: What made you decide to choose Conformis?

A: In skiing, I have learned – and now teach – that the most successful skiiers have properly aligned boots. When your knee is aligned over the center of the boot and ski, you are able to perform at your best without any adaptive movements. However, since everyone’s legs are different, this process has to be customized to each skiier. When research led me to Conformis, I thought “This is it. I can’t wait any longer and this is the knee I’m looking for.”

So I found Dr. Michael Wertz in Boulder. We talked, and I went to see him. I had already seen one other surgeon before that was ready to use a non-customized knee. As soon as Dr. Wertz talked to me about the Conformis I said, “This is for me, I’m ready”

Q: What was recovery like?

A: I walked the very same day as surgery! I felt like I could have walked home, but they wouldn’t have allowed that. Now my knee feels totally stable. Three months after surgery, I was skiing bumps and then that same season I gave a clinic on skiing bumps. I still have the sensitivity to understand where my knee is, and I can keep my balance.

MORE EXPERIENCES

Darvina Heichemer

Darvina was always active, as a downhill skier, cheerleader and hiker. She had her total knee done as an outpatient procedure and was home the same day.

MEET Darvina »

Stephanie Donovan

Before surgery Stephanie was unable to hike in the woods with her dog. Now they hike for hours - so long that her husband jokes he is the only person unhappy with her knee, because he doesn't see her as much!

MEET Stephanie »

Dave Lintz

Dave's knee pain was so severe prior to surgery that it kept him off the golf course and dance floor for years. Now that he has two patient-specific knees, he is able to dance and golf again.

MEET Dave »