Lara Spencer is a former athlete, keen sportswoman and lover of fitness, making her health condition that much more surprising.
The popular Good Morning America host recently celebrated her 53rd birthday as well as marking a health milestone.
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When she was 47 years old, Lara underwent a hip replacement, something she thought was only for elderly people.
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"It was so upsetting," Lara said on GMA after she was diagnosed. "I waited for a long time before I did anything about it or told anyone because it sounds like it’s an old person's problem and I just couldn't believe it."
The mom-of-two sought advice after she got consistent pain in her right hip. She was also told she had hip dysplasia, making her cartilage more likely to wear down earlier in life.
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"It was embarrassing to share and then I realized there is nothing to be embarrassed about," she told her co-hosts, Robin Roberts, George Stephanopolous and Dr. Jennifer Aston.
Lara is a keen tennis player and former Penn State swimmer
"I have a genetic predisposition for this but if you're athletic and you move, it's happening younger and younger.
"I love sports, I love being active, I love challenging myself. I was a jock growing up from the time I could walk."
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The TV star's physician, Dr. Peter Moley, told ABC News that around 10 percent of all hip replacements are done on patients under 50 years old.
Lara - pictured with her husband - wishes she' had addressed the problem sooner
Lara's surgery was successful, but she had to undergo months of rehabilitation and urged other people who had been through the same, to do the exercises and work to get back to being fighting fit.
She also told people not to ignore the signs and said: "What I wish I would have done is just taken care of this sooner and spoken up."
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