Surgeons perform more than 450,000 hip replacements every year. Hip replacements are called for in the case of a fracture, arthritis, or other conditions. When conservative treatments like activity modification, exercise, or oral pain medications no longer provide relief, surgery may be the best course of treatment.
Hip replacement gives your hip a new life, relieving stiffness, pain, and discomfort. The surgery is safe and effective. Patients are back to activities relatively quickly and enjoy normal life without pain and dysfunction.
But, how long does this honeymoon last? Hip replacement surgery techniques have greatly improved since the 1960s. Current prosthetics are long-lasting and offer patients a huge boost in their quality of life. Research has found that, in 58% of patients who undergo hip replacement surgery, the new hip lasts more than 25 years.
At Total Joint Specialists, our orthopedic surgeons have an extraordinary amount of experience with hip surgery and replacements. While there’s no guarantee that your hip replacement will last a certain amount of time, our expert team asks you to consider the following when estimating how long your hip replacement will last.
The age at which you receive a replacement matters. In recent years, more hip replacement surgeries have occurred in “younger” patients who are in their 50s and 60s. Some of this newer hip replacement technology hasn’t been around long enough to give us definitive data on longevity. But, we are optimistic that these new implants will last longer than ever.
If you get a hip replacement at a later age and have 15-20 years life expectancy, you can be pretty certain your hip will last your lifetime. If you get a hip replacement at a younger age, you can also expect it to last at least 15-20 years.
The hip replacement’s longevity really depends on how much wear-and-tear you put on it. With our recommendations for movement modifications, including sticking to lower-impact activity, we are hopeful that this will be the only hip surgery you’ll need.
If you’re active and put a lot of stress on your new joint, it could impact the longevity of your new hip. Think of your car: the more stressful miles you put on it, the quicker it wears out. Your hip is somewhat the same.
Here are some things you can do to ensure your hip’s longevity:
Keep moving, as it keeps all of the tissue around your hip healthy. But, avoid repetitive, high-impact activities. We can recommend appropriate activities, including golf, hiking, gardening, cycling, and many other sports.
If you’re carrying excess pounds, it puts stress on the new joint replacement. Ask us for help if you need support in losing weight.
Take all antibiotics prescribed for any infection or illness. This helps prevent spread to your hip.
Check in with us every few years. We can assess your hip’s function and provide recommendations when it comes to activity and prolonging your hip’s life.
About 90% of patients who had moderate pain before their hip replacement surgery reported great outcomes in terms of pain reduction. Most had little or no pain after five years.
Candidates for hip replacements have persistent pain, despite taking pain medications. The pain worsens when walking and interferes with sleep. You may have trouble getting up and down stairs and can’t rise up from a seated position easily.
Know that if these symptoms describe you, hip replacement surgery may be your best solution. We have some of the best surgeons in the country who will see you through surgery and support you during rehab and physical therapy.
Hip replacement materials are the best they’ve ever been and surgical techniques are minimally invasive, meaning less blood loss, minimal scarring, and faster recovery.
Explore your options for hip replacement or other treatments by contacting Total Joint Specialists at one of our locations in the greater Atlanta area. You can find us in
Midtown Atlanta, Alpharetta, Braselton, Canton, Cumming, Gainesville, Lawrenceville, or Woodstock, Georgia. Call or use our website to request an appointment.
