Olympian Reutter opts to have double hip surgery

KEARNS, Utah (AP) - Two-time Olympic medalist and defending 1,500 world champion Katherine Reutter will have surgery on both hips as soon as possible and miss the rest of the season.

"I feel like I've hit a point where if I don't try anything new, all I'm doing is accepting mediocrity, and that's not OK," Reutter said Sunday after finishing fifth overall at the U.S. Short Track National Championships at the Utah Olympic Oval.

She was the four-time defending national champion but both hips are impinged and one has a torn labrum. Those issues are causing back problems and making it difficult to train and compete.

A comment by a former Olympian this weekend opened her eyes.

"A former teammate came up to me and said very plainly, 'I know what pain looks like and you need to ask yourself (if) what you're doing to your body is worth it,'" Reutter said.

She talked with her parents, sports psychologist, trainer and coach and they all agreed that she had done all she could trying to push through the injury.

"I really had myself convinced if I tried harder, if I was tougher or did something better that I could beat it," Reutter said.

She finally realized more surgery was the answer, though not a guarantee that she will make a full recovery for next season and the 2014 Games.

Reutter's gold in the 1,500 in March made her the first U.S. woman since Bonnie Blair in 1986 to win a world title. She has won six World Cup medals this season so far - three gold, two silver and a bronze - heading into nationals.

But pain in her back caused by the hip problems hurt her ability to train.

She finished second in Sunday's 1,000-meter race and third in Friday's first time trial, but failed to medal in four other races including her specialty.

Reutter already had a torn labrum repaired in her right hip, but needs that done in her left hip. She said she also will need to have bone shaved down in both hips.

Dr. Stephen Aoki at the University of Utah is to perform the procedures.

Reutter said Aoki performed similar surgeries on Chad Hedrick the year he won a pair of Olympic medals.

Reutter expects to spend four weeks on crutches after each procedure. She will work on her associate's degree and become a certified personal trainer during the rehab.

"I'm going to do my rehab to the T, be very patient and be sure that when I come back, I have no excuses holding me back for 2014," Reutter said.

She was back competing 16 weeks after having the first labral tear repaired, but acknowledged rushing her recovery. Six months later, she began experiencing back pain that hasn't gone away.

She thought a 3 millimeter heel lift in one shoe was helping, but this weekend's results proved she was far from healthy.

"I'm not OK with performing at the level that I'm at, and if it takes drastic measures to get back on top then I'm going to take them," she said. "And either I'll get back on top or if I don't get back, then I'm going to know that I didn't settle and did everything in my power to be the best that I can possibly be. It's not just in speed skating, but in life. I see no sense in stopping when there's more to be gained."