Australian rockstar Jimmy Barnes has marked the New Year with a significant milestone as he continues to walk down the road to recovery following his major hip surgery.
On Sunday, January 1, the 66-year-old took to social media to update fans about his health, sharing that he can now walk up and down a flight of stairs.
“First day of the year and I can make it up to the top of the stairs and back down,” Barnes wrote in his post.
“What a great start to the new year.”
Fans of the Working Class Man singer were delighted by Barnes’ speedy recovery and took to the comment section of his post to leave words of encouragement.
“Keep up the good work and you will be back on stage again, doing what you do best. Hope you all have a very Happy and healthy New Year.”
“You will be back to normal in no time if you keep surging ahead like this. Keep up the good work…There are some good people in the world.”
“Great physio workout Jimmy, keep up the great progress. Happy New Year to you, Jane and the Family.”
“Happy New Year to you and your family. What a great 1st day to 2023 to walk up and down the stairs — before you know it you will be up on the stages again sharing your amazing music with the world.”
Last month, Barnes’ wife Jane gave fans a promising update on the singer post-surgery, sharing a photo to social media of Barnes smiling while using a walking frame to help him stand.
“Tubes out, drains out, up and walking slowly,” she wrote alongside the photo.
“So far so good. Incredible.”
Hip Op update! @JimmyBarnes tubes out, drains out, up and walking slowly. So far so good. Incredible ???????????????? pic.twitter.com/XcrzVmzPpc
— ????Jane Barnes (@jane13barnes) December 14, 2022
Barnes’ recent health woes forced him to cancel his upcoming Australian tour after doctors informed the singer that he was in urgent need of surgery.
Barnes said despite cancelling a show being against his religion, his hip and back pain had left him in constant agony.
The singer attributed his health woes to a lifetime of jumping around on stage but was adamant about getting the issues fixed in order to continue rocking out with fans.
“I’ve been jumping off PA’s and stomping around stages for nearly 50 years, but it’s finally caught up with me,” Barnes said on social media.
“I’ve had niggling back and hip issues for years, but things suddenly got a lot worse over the last few weeks and I’m now in constant and severe pain.
“As everybody knows, it’s against my religion to blow out gigs but the Doctors tell me I need an operation as soon as possible and it will really limit my movement for a few months.
“As much as it kills me to inconvenience everyone, I have to get this fixed so I can jump around onstage for another 50 years.”