WHEN pillion passenger Susan Ross, aged 66, began to struggle getting off the motorbike she and her husband loved travelling on together, she knew it was time to find treatment for her injured knee.

And less than ten weeks after having a knee replacement, carried out by orthopaedic surgeon Keshav Mathur at BMI Droitwich Hospital, Susan and husband Colin were back on the road and heading for France as part of a BMW Motorcycling Club rally.

Susan said: “I think even Mr Mathur thought I was being optimistic about me going biking so soon after my operation but I was determined I would be fit in time for the trip.

“In a way it became my goal and made me work extra hard on my physio exercises. I’ve got to say I had a very big smile on my face when our ferry docked and we drove out onto the roads of France.”

Susan and Colin, who live in Kidderminster, were bikers when they first met as teenagers and joined the BMW Club 15 years ago. Since then, they have had many adventures in Britain and across Europe.

Susan said: “We covered hundreds of miles and on a couple of occasions I did need a ‘little lift’ to get on the bike but that was all - not bad for someone ‘running in’ a new knee.”

Mr Mathur said: “As soon as I examined Susan I knew she needed a knee replacement. Like so many people she had been told to take painkillers and put up with the pain for as long as possible.

“But, with modern knee replacements there is no need to wait until you are older if you are in pain and it is affecting your lifestyle the time to get it done is now.