Canadian figure skater Kevin Reynolds undergoes successful hip surgery

OTTAWA – Canadian figure skater Kevin Reynolds has undergone successful surgery to repair a labral tear in his left hip, an issue that had been hampering him for over four years.

The surgery took place April 9 in Vancouver, Skate Canada said Wednesday in a release. Reynolds is optimistic he’ll make a full recovery and plans to return to competitive skating when healthy.

The hip issue worsened considerably over the last year and forced Reynolds to withdraw from the free program at the 2015 national championships.

“It is an injury that I have been dealing with for a long time,” Reynolds said. “After speaking with experts, we made the difficult decision to undergo surgery. Over the next week and beyond, I will work closely with my medical team on my recovery.

“I’d like to thank everyone for their continuous support, and I hope to eventually return to skating with a renewed sense of freedom.”

Reynolds, a three-time Canadian silver medallist from Coquitlam, B.C., won silver in the team event at the Sochi Olympics last year.