Orthopaedic Surgeon Central Coast
Expert in Mako RoboticHip & Knee Replacement
Dr John Limbers is an orthopaedic hip and knee surgeon consulting on the Central Coast, with rooms in North Gosford and Kanwal. His current practice is deliberately focused on hip and knee arthritis, primary joint replacement and revision joint replacement.
Dr John Limbers
MBBS (Hons 1) · BSc (Med) · FRACS · FAOrthA
Experience
25+ years
of orthopaedic surgical experience
Hip & knee replacements
5,000+
completed
Mako robotic procedures
3,000+
Mako robotic-assisted hip and knee replacements
Consulting on the Central Coast
Across more than 25+ years in orthopaedic practice, Dr Limbers has completed more than 5,000+ hip and knee replacements, including more than 3,000+ procedures using Mako robotic-arm assisted technology.
This gives him extensive experience across the spectrum of joint replacement, from patients considering surgery for the first time through to people with a painful, loose or failed previous implant.
For Central Coast patients, consultations are available close to home at Gosford Private Consulting Suites in North Gosford and Tuggerah Lakes Private Hospital in Kanwal. Dr Limbers performs private surgery at Gosford Private Hospital and also operates at Sydney Adventist Hospital in Wahroonga.
The practice sees privately insured patients, self-funded uninsured patients and eligible Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) patients. Dr Limbers does not currently accept Workers Compensation or Compulsory Third Party (CTP) insurance patients.
About Dr Limbers
Dr Limbers graduated in medicine with First Class Honours from the University of New South Wales before completing orthopaedic surgical training through the Australian Orthopaedic Association program in Sydney.
He then undertook further subspecialty fellowship training in hip and knee replacement at Addenbrooke’s University Hospital in Cambridge and Cappagh National Orthopaedic Hospital in Dublin.
He was the first surgeon in New South Wales to perform a Mako robotic total knee replacement outside the technology’s pre-release clinical assessments and was among the first Australian surgeons to adopt Mako robotic-assisted anterior total hip replacement. He is also a former Australian Orthopaedic Association Director of Training and a contributor to the RASKAL registry-nested randomised trial of robotic-assisted knee replacement.
Key Orthopaedic Surgical Experience
A hip and knee practice, built on volume.
More than 25+ years of orthopaedic surgical experience
More than 5,000+ hip and knee replacements
More than 3,000+ Mako robotic-assisted hip and knee replacements
Among the first Australian surgeons to adopt Mako robotic-assisted anterior hip replacement
Experience with functional hip planning and spinopelvic assessment
Dr Limbers’ current practice is intentionally concentrated on hip and knee arthritis and joint replacement. For a patient looking for a hip surgeon on the Central Coast, that means the assessment, surgical planning and rehabilitation pathway are built around a narrow area of subspecialty practice rather than general orthopaedics.
Areas of Expertise
What Dr Limbers treats.
- Mako assisted
Anterior Total Hip Replacement
Hip replacement through a muscle-sparing anterior approach.
- Mako assisted
Total Knee Replacement
Full knee replacement using robotic-arm assistance.
- Mako assisted
Partial Knee Replacement
Resurfacing only the damaged compartment of the knee.
- Mako assisted
Revision Total Hip Replacement
Replacing a previous hip replacement.
- Mako assisted
Revision Total Knee Replacement
Replacing a previous knee replacement.
Osteoarthritis & Non-Surgical Options
Assessment, and the treatments that come before surgery.
Assessment of painful or failed previous joint replacements
Mako robotic-arm assisted
A CT-based plan, executed with precision.
Explore the full list of procedures.
View All Services
Hip and Knee Arthritis on the Central Coast
Osteoarthritis is the main condition seen in Dr Limbers’ practice.
For Central Coast patients, assessment begins with the effect arthritis is having on everyday life: walking distance, stairs, sleep, work, exercise and the activities that matter to the individual. Weight-bearing X-rays help confirm the pattern and severity of disease, but an X-ray alone does not determine whether surgery is needed.
Many patients can continue with non-surgical treatment, including exercise, strengthening, weight management where relevant and appropriate pain relief. When symptoms remain substantial despite these measures, Dr Limbers can discuss whether anterior hip replacement, partial knee replacement or total knee replacement is the most appropriate option. Patients with a painful or failed existing joint replacement can also be assessed for possible revision surgery.
About Mako Robotic Surgery
Mako robotic-arm assisted surgery combines a CT-based three-dimensional plan with a surgeon-controlled robotic arm.
The robot does not perform the operation independently. Dr Limbers plans the procedure, makes the surgical decisions and controls the robotic arm throughout.
For hip replacement, the system can assist with patient-specific component planning and execution. Dr Limbers also uses functional hip planning to assess how the pelvis changes between standing and sitting, particularly where spinal stiffness or previous spinal fusion may influence hip mechanics.
For knee replacement, Mako planning is combined with assessment of knee movement and ligament tension. This allows implant position and alignment to be refined before bone preparation. Robotic assistance improves the accuracy with which the surgical plan can be reproduced; longer-term differences in patient-reported outcomes compared with other technology-assisted methods continue to be studied.
About Gosford Private Hospital for Orthopaedic Surgery
Dr Limbers performs Central Coast surgery at Gosford Private Hospital in North Gosford.
The hospital is the largest private hospital on the Central Coast and has 148 patient beds, 14 critical care beds and 12 modern operating theatres.
Gosford Private’s orthopaedic theatres are specifically equipped for orthopaedic procedures, and the hospital has established robotic hip and knee replacement capability using the Mako system. Its orthopaedic ward is supported by experienced nursing staff and a multidisciplinary allied health team that includes physiotherapists, exercise physiologists and occupational therapists.
Rehabilitation is available on site for patients who need additional support after surgery. The hospital’s rehabilitation service includes inpatient and day programs, a gymnasium, hydrotherapy pool and facilities designed to help patients practise activities needed for a safe return home.
For patients undergoing hip or knee replacement, having surgery, ward care and rehabilitation services within the same private hospital precinct can make the transition from operation to recovery more straightforward. The rehabilitation pathway required will still depend on the procedure, general health, mobility and home support.
Consulting Locations
On the Central Coast
North Gosford
Gosford Private Consulting Suites
Suite 4, 12 Jarrett Street
North Gosford NSW 2250Kanwal
Tuggerah Lakes Private Hospital
corner Pacific Highway and Craigie Avenue
Kanwal NSW 2259
Operating Locations
Where Dr Limbers operates
Sydney Adventist Hospital (the SAN)
185 Fox Valley Rd, Wahroonga NSW 2076
Dr Limbers' principal operating hospital in Northern Sydney.
(02) 9480 9111Gosford Private Hospital
Burrabil Ave, North Gosford NSW 2250
Private surgery for Central Coast patients.
(02) 4324 7111
Book an Appointment Today
Appointments are available at North Gosford and Kanwal on the Central Coast, with surgery performed at Gosford Private Hospital when appropriate. Dr Limbers also consults and operates in Wahroonga in Northern Sydney.
For Central Coast appointment enquiries, call 0424 992 259. The practice welcomes privately insured patients, self-funded patients and eligible DVA patients.