For many patients, undergoing hip replacement surgery is a great option for maintaining, or returning to, an active lifestyle.
The operation can be more extensive and the recovery more extensive than some people realize, though.
Dr. Slade Moore, orthopedic surgeon for Novant Health & Sports Medicine in Kernersville, clears up common misconceptions about hip replacement, while offering candid advice for those wondering if surgery is the right path for you.
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Myth #1: Surgery is my only option.
Any surgery is a last resort. There are several things that can be done before surgery that can help treat arthritis hip pain. There are nonsurgical treatments like losing weight and exercise and there are anti-inflammatory medicines, and at times, cortisone injections, which can be very helpful in reducing pain and inflammation in the joint.
Myth #2: I shouldn’t exercise on my sore hip.
It’s a total misconception. People get afraid, “I'm going to wear the joint out.” Exercise is probably one of the most important things to do on a daily basis and can help manage arthritic symptoms. You want to choose an exercise that puts relatively lower stress on the joint – walking, riding a bike, the elliptical or swimming, but you also want exercise to strengthen muscles in the area, which can help symptoms.
I tell my patients all the time, “Don't be afraid to exercise. You’re actually going to feel better usually.”
Myth #3: Losing weight won’t make a difference.
A pound of weight loss is anywhere from four to 6 pounds (of pressure) off the hip joint. So a 10-pound weight loss is 40 to 60 pounds of stress off the joint. It can make a huge difference.
Myth #4: I should take pain medicine every day to treat joint pain.
I tell people to take medicine to the point where it’s beneficial to you, but you don’t need to take it every day. Maybe you only need to take it every third day, or every other day to manage symptoms. If you’re considering daily medication for pain, consult your doctor first.
Myth #5: You can get injections to help grow cartilage, the connective tissue in joints.
Be wary of places that advertise injections for the hip and knee arthritis that will help grow cartilage back. I have people who have come to me and spent thousands of dollars on injections and they were never going to help. I had a patient come to me who had spent $7,000 on injections and her hips were terribly arthritic. She really needed to consider surgery. What they were telling her was just not true.
Myth #6: Having hip arthritis means I’m destined for hip replacement surgery.
The reason to do surgery on the hip or the knee is because of pain that's not manageable by other means to the point where you don’t have a quality of life that you want. Maybe you are unable to walk on the beach or not able to exercise anymore because of the pain. Then it’s time to talk about maybe cortisone shots or surgery. It's usually a progression of things.