he decision to have surgery should be a cooperative one made by you, your family & your treating surgeon. At Joints & Sports Clinic, we help you arrive at this critical decision in a comprehensive and an objective manner You are likely to need a surgical intervention for your hip problems if you experience hip pain that limits everyday activities, such as walking or bending or hip pain that continues while resting, either day or night or Stiffness in a hip that limits the ability to move or lift the leg or if you have inadequate pain relief from anti-inflammatory drugs, physical therapy, or walking supports and other conservative modalities.

Total Hip Replacement is a surgical procedure in which your orthopaedic surgeon will remove the damaged part of your hip and replace it with metal or specialized medical plastic implants which will perform the functions of your hip joint. Your surgeon will remove damaged femoral head and replace it with a "Metal Stem" that is placed into the hollow center of the femur. The femoral stem may be either "Cemented" or "Press-fit" into the bone. A "Metal or Ceramic Ball" is placed on the upper part of the stem. This ball replaces the damaged femoral head that was removed. The damaged cartilage surface of the socket (acetabulum) is removed and replaced with a "Metal or Plastic Socket". Screws or cement are sometimes used to hold the socket in place. A "Plastic or Ceramic Spacer" is inserted between the new ball and the socket to allow for a smooth gliding surface.

Realistic Expectations

Most people who undergo hip replacement surgery experience a dramatic reduction of hip pain and a significant improvement in their ability to perform the common activities of daily living. Realistic activities following total hip replacement include "unlimited walking, swimming, golf, driving, hiking, biking, dancing, and other low-impact sports". With appropriate activity modification, hip replacements can last for many years. However, it should be noted that with normal use and activity, the material between the head and the socket of every hip replacement implant begins to wear and excessive activity or being overweight may speed up this normal wear. Therefore, most surgeons advise against high-impact activities such as running, jogging, jumping, or other high-impact sports.