Hip replacement or total hip arthroplasty is a relatively common medical procedure to regain mobility and bring an end to incessant pain in victims of extreme pain in the hip joint. Due to accident, degeneration, or disease, complete hip replacement surgery options have rescued countless patients from discomfort.

The hip joint, the body's largest and most important joint, wears and tears day and night throughout life. In all of these, such wear starts with growing prominence with age, eventually causing pain and loss of function. Osteoarthritis, a degenerative joint disease that occurs with age, is one of the main causes of hip degeneration. 

Sadly, inflammatory arthritis, generated by rheumatoid arthritis, and traumatic/injurious fractures of the hip also compromise integrity of the joints to some extent. Avascular necrosis, in which bone tissue is damaged by insufficient blood supply, is also one of the contributing factors. 

When these conditions cause chronic pain and decreased mobility which cannot be treated anymore using medication and physical therapy, hip replacement is typically advised.

What to Expect During the Procedure

Hip replacement surgery involves the removal of the broken part of the hip joint and its replacement with artificial components built from metal, ceramic, or durable plastic. Your medical care team will describe the type of implant that will be suitable for your requirement before the surgery and gather health data required to make the procedure go smoothly.

The operation lasts around two hours and is performed under spinal or general anaesthesia. The cut is made by the hip, the infected cartilage and bone are removed, and prosthetic components are implanted to re-establish the smooth surface of the hip joint. Improved surgical instruments have decreased the operation to minimally invasive in most patients - less cutting, quicker recovery.

Recovery and Rehabilitation

Recovery is a significant stage of hip replacement surgery. The majority of patients walk and stand with the help of others within a couple of days of surgery. Some early pain is to be expected, but can be controlled with pain medication prescribed. Your physical therapist will teach you exercises which will help strengthen your muscles and improve flexibility so your new joint performs optimally.

The initial few weeks postoperatively are ideally addressed by strict adherence to rehabilitation protocols. Limitation of motion in certain joints and maintenance of a healthy wound are both critical to avoiding complications. The majority of patients are able to return to light activity at approximately six weeks and continue to build upon an increasingly impressive amount of functioning in the succeeding months.

Is Hip Replacement Right for You?

Whether or not to have hip replacement surgery depends on a variety of factors, such as the severity of symptoms and how much these affect your quality of life. If chronic hip pain interferes with walking, working, or simple daily activities, and other forms of treatment have not alleviated the condition, hip replacement can be considered. An orthopaedic surgeon must be consulted in order to assess your eligibility for the operation.

While having an operation may be a daunting prospect, hip replacement has saved countless other people's lives. An extremely successful treatment with phenomenally good outcomes, improved techniques have only managed to reduce risk further.

If you find yourself consistently in pain in your hips, visit a physician to determine what is available and if and how surgery to replace your hip can enable you to walk again and live more comfortably.