Signs You May Need a Hip Replacement

Your joints are designed to last a lifetime, but thanks to rising life expectancy rates, many of us are dealing with joints that are unable to go the distance. Each year in the United States, surgeons perform about 600,000 knee replacements and 330,000 hip replacements, allowing nearly one million people a second chance at leading active lives.

The team of highly qualified orthopedic surgeons here at Orthopaedic Institute of Henderson, understands the increasing burden we’re placing on our joints, and we’re here to help through services like hip replacement.

If your life is affected by malfunctioning hips, here are a few points to consider when you’re weighing your options.

A pain in the hip

The first, and arguably the most intrusive, sign that you may be a candidate for hip replacement is pain. The pain typically starts out slowly, only presenting itself after periods of activity. While you can chalk this pain up to great physical effort, slowly the pain starts to creep into your inactive moments.

Whether your hips hurt while you’re sitting at your desk or you’re struggling with pain at night, this constant, unwelcome companion is a sign that the condition may have progressed past the point where we can resolve the problem without replacing the joint.

Inability to keep up with day-to-day activities

If you have trouble completing daily tasks because of painful and/or stiff hip joints, this should give you pause.

With hip replacement surgery, we can clear away the damaged tissues and replace them with artificial components, allowing you to get back to your daily routine.

Consider your overall health

If painful hips are preventing you from engaging in activities you once enjoyed, this can have a significant impact on your physical and mental well-being. Being active has almost immeasurable benefits when it comes to your overall health and wellness. If you’re sidelined from life because of malfunctioning hips, you run the risk of other areas of your health deteriorating as a result.

You’ve exhausted your treatment avenues

If you’ve tried medications, joint injections, physical therapy, or surgical repair, and your hips are still giving you problems, this is a clear sign that you should consider hip replacement surgery.

Follow the evidence

If you’re having problems with your hips, our first order of business is to determine the cause. In a majority of cases, the culprit is osteoarthritis, which is a degenerative and irreversible condition that causes the breakdown of the protective cartilage within your joints.

Unfortunately, your cartilage doesn’t have a good blood supply, which means it can’t repair and rebuild itself. Depending upon the degree of cartilage loss we find, hip replacement surgery may be your best option.

Ultimately, the decision to undergo hip replacement is one that only you can make, but we’re here to guide you every step of the way.

If you’d like to explore whether hip replacement can restore your quality of life, contact our office in Henderson, Nevada, to set up a consultation.