Jennie Garth reveals she underwent hip replacement surgeries twice
The actress shared she was diagnosed with osteoarthritis.
Jennie Garth is opening up about her health in a new candid interview.
The "Beverly Hills, 90210" alum spoke to Self in an interview published on Thursday, revealing that she had undergone two hip replacement surgeries after being diagnosed with osteoarthritis, a disease that she said her parents and sisters also suffer from.
Garth shared that the first surgery took place when she was 48 years old, and the second time took place this year at the age of 52.
"I've lived with hip pain for a very long time," she said, adding that she was "nervous to open up" about her experience initially due to the stigma that comes with having the surgeries.
"I've kept it a secret for so long, but I'm no longer at a place where I want to hide things," she explained. "I had wished during my journey of the first surgery that I could share my experience with people because there's such a stigma around getting any of your joints replaced. This is something that doesn't just affect 80-year-olds."
However, she said she is glad to have undergone the surgeries, especially after witnessing the outcome.
"These two operations have helped me learn to appreciate my body and physical abilities so much more," she told the outlet. "I'm such a nurturing person and love taking care of people, so it's helped me shift gears and start to take a little bit better care of myself too—or allow others to step in."
Women are more likely to suffer from osteoarthritis than men, especially after the age of 50, according to the National Health Institute.
Young people can also develop the disease, mostly as a result of joint injury, abnormal joint structure, or genetic defect in joint cartilage, NIH states.
Garth said her husband, Dave Abrams, whom she has been married to since 2015, has been supportive throughout her health journey.
"He's always thinking of how he can make me happy and make the day go better," she shared. "I've been so grateful for the generosity of his spirit throughout all of this. It also helped me come to an epiphany that my physical state has nothing to do with my spirit, and no matter what physical condition I'm dealing with, I still have a young spirit."
Reflecting on going through the natural progression that comes with aging, Garth admitted that "There are some scary and disappointing changes."
"But don't be afraid of that," she said. "It's a part of who you are moving forward."
She also highlighted the importance of paying attention to your health.
"Listen to and respect your body, because this is the body we came into the world with and it's the body we're going to grow old with and we have to take care of it," she added.
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