Good Morning Britain regular suffers 'agonising' injury needing hospital operation
A famous doctor who regularly appears on ITV’s Lorraine and Good Morning Britain has revealed his agonising injury. Dr Hilary Jones appeared on Lorraine today in a protective boot - and explained he had suffered serious issues with his leg, and needed to undergo an operation.
Dr Jones, aged 71, said he had a problem with his Achilles tendon - and needed an operation to remove a bone spur. And it’s not the only medical issue he has suffered this month as Dr Hilary has also been enduring a painful attack of gout.
Appearing on the show today, host Lorraine Kelly said: “Tell you what, something that will make you feel better. Look who’s back. Doctor Hilary, he’s back, we’re so delighted. Hey, which is great. We’ve missed you.”
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Seeing the big boot Dr Hilary is wearing, she added: “We can see the evidence of why you’ve not been. Oh gosh, you can still get your legs... That’s quite a boot, isn’t it? “ Dr Jones said: “Thank you. I had a little disagreement with my Achilles tendon and a little bony spur in the back of my heel, so that had to be gone.” Lorraine added: “And you’ve been, you’ve not been able to do anything very much. Doctors don’t make good patients.”
Dr Hilary admitted: “They don’t, but it does remind us what it’s like to be a patient, which is not a bad thing, not a bad thing. I feel fine, no pain.” Speaking about managing his injury he said: “I adjust the heel height every 10 degrees every week. It’s driving me crazy but I, I can actually shower now, so I’m clean. That’s good.”
Dr Hilary Jones has also said he had been struck down by gout over the festive period. Gout is a condition when urate, a substance in the body, builds up and forms needle-shaped crystals in your joints. This leads to pain, swelling, redness, and changes in the movement and use of the affected joint.
The NHS says people might have a higher chance of getting gout if they are overweight, drink alcohol, or have been through menopause, take medicines such as diuretics also for high blood pressure, have high cholesterol, high blood pressure, kidney problems, osteoarthritis or diabetes.
Dr Hilary said: “Gout affects around 2.5% or one in 40 people in the UK, and men more than women. Unfortunately, this Christmas I was one of them. The prevalence of gout has been steadily increasing over the last century and is forecast to increase further by more than 70% in the next 30 years largely due to an ageing population.”
He said gout cases are also on the rise due to our indulgent lifestyles and diet, “this is why gout is often experienced at Christmas and in the early months of the year. This is because foods that are high in purine and converted to uric acid are popular at Christmas. Examples include red meat, offal, game meats like venison, oily fish, seafood, poultry, and gravy.”
However, Dr Hilary warns that January diets are also a leading factor in the rise of gout; “Rapid weight loss and cutting out alcohol suddenly can actually trigger gout attacks. This happens because rapid weight loss breaks down cells in the body, releasing uric acid into the bloodstream and increasing the likelihood of urate crystal formation in the joints.”
Dr. Hilary urged caution. “Focus on gradual, sustainable changes rather than quick fixes or fad diets. A balanced diet and regular physical activity are key to reducing your risk of gout while supporting overall health.”