Am I a Good Candidate for Hip Replacement Surgery?

Dealing with chronic hip pain can impact your everyday life by making it uncomfortable to sit, stand or move around. This pain can also prevent you from doing your favorite activities. Hip replacement surgery might provide you with relief, but not everyone is a good candidate for this procedure. Find out more about this type of surgery, including what the recovery process is like.

What Is Hip Replacement Surgery?

This is a type of procedure that is done when there is severe damage to the cartilage and bone in your hip joint. Surgeons remove the damaged parts of your hip joint and replace them with artificial ones. When this surgery is done successfully, it can help restore normal joint function and relieve pain.

Reasons to Consider Hip Replacement Surgery

When you have hip pain that is not improving with medication, lifestyle changes and other conventional forms of treatment, you might benefit from having hip replacement surgery. Your doctor might also recommend surgery if you have serious damage to your hip joint due to an injury or chronic condition, such as any of the following:

• Arthritis: Osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis can cause severe and ongoing hip pain and stiffness.
• Severe injuries: Serious hip injuries can cause post-traumatic arthritis to occur. You can also develop avascular necrosis if your injury restricts the amount of blood that flows to your femoral head in your joint.
• Childhood hip problems: If you had childhood hip problems, you can develop arthritis later on, even if you received treatment for your condition.

What to Expect During Hip Replacement Surgery

During this procedure, your surgeon will remove damaged areas of cartilage and bone and put artificial components in their place. This includes the femoral head and the cartilage surface in your hip socket. Your surgeon will replace the femoral head with a metal stem, then place an artificial ball on the top part of this metal piece. Your surgeon will also replace the cartilage surface with a metal socket and secure it in place using cement or screws. The final step is placing a spacer between the artificial ball and socket, which allows you to move your joint smoothly.

Good Candidates for Hip Replacement Surgery

Patients of almost any age can have hip replacement surgery done, although it’s more commonly done in patients who are between 50 and 80 years old. When deciding whether or not you are a good candidate, your surgeon will evaluate the amount of pain you are experiencing and how severely it is affecting your life.

Benefits of Hip Replacement Surgery

Having hip replacement surgery can allow you to participate in your favorite activities again. When this surgery is successful, you can also do daily activities and tasks with ease, and you’re less likely to experience pain and stiffness in your hip joint.

Recovery Process for Hip Replacement Surgery

The recovery process for this procedure can take several weeks. During the early part of your recovery, you will need to keep the surgical wound clean and free from infection. You will also need to limit your activities for as long as your surgeon recommends. When you are able to resume activities, you’ll start off with lighter ones and gradually work toward doing more difficult activities as your hip heals. Always follow your surgeon’s instructions for follow-up care.

If you have ongoing hip pain and are interested in learning more about hip replacement surgery, please contact Specialty Orthopaedics to schedule an appointment. We can evaluate your hip and determine if this procedure is right for you.