Hip replacement

The Pros and Cons of Hip Replacement Surgery

Hip replacement
Millions of Americans have had their lives drastically changed by hip replacement surgery. It entails removing diseased or harmed hip joint components and implanting replacements in their place. While this surgery can significantly reduce pain and increase mobility, it’s important to thoroughly consider the benefits and drawbacks before deciding whether to get it.

The Pros

Pain Relief

One of the most significant benefits of hip replacement surgery is the relief it offers from chronic hip pain. Whether caused by arthritis, injury, or other conditions, a successful hip replacement can substantially reduce or even eliminate pain, enhancing your overall quality of life.

Improved Mobility

A successful hip replacement can help you regain lost mobility and the pain-free ability to carry out daily tasks. This will increase thanks to your increased mobility, which will also enable you to live an active lifestyle.

Durability

Modern hip implants are designed to be durable and long-lasting. This means if the surgery is successful and well-maintained, you can expect your new hip joint to provide reliable function for many years.

Enhanced Quality of Life

Patients frequently report a significant increase in their general quality of life when their pain is reduced, and their mobility is regained. Many people are able to resume interests they loved before they developed hip problems, such as hiking, gardening, or even just pain-free walking.

The Cons

Recovery Time

Recovering from hip replacement surgery can be a lengthy process. Physical therapy and rehabilitation are essential, and it may take several weeks or even months to fully regain strength and mobility.

Lifestyle Adjustments

After hip replacement surgery, you may need to make some lifestyle adjustments. High-impact activities like running or jumping may no longer be recommended, and certain movements may need to be modified.

Prosthesis Wear

While modern hip implants are durable, they are not immune to wear and tear. Over time, the artificial joint may wear down, potentially requiring revision surgery.

Schedule an Appointment

For those with hip pain and limited mobility, hip replacement surgery has the potential to completely transform their lives. The choice to have this surgery should be taken after carefully weighing the advantages and disadvantages. Consult with Pinehurst Surgical located in Pinehurst and Sanford, NC. Call 910-295-0224 to book an appointment.

young man sleeping on bed

Sleep Problems after Knee or Hip Replacement

One of the common problems we hear from our Pinehurst Surgical patients after their knee or hip replacement is sleep. They’ve been through the stress of the surgery, but now find a good night’s sleep to be as out of reach as running a 100-meter sprint.

This is an unfortunate common phenomenon after knee and hip replacement. It’s unfortunate not only because everyone hates tossing and turning throughout the night, but that your body needs the sleep time to do its magical nighttime repair work on the tissues around your new knee or hip.

Here’s some more on insomnia after replacement surgery.

You need the sleep

We all need a good night’s sleep; there’s plenty of research out there on the benefits. This is even more true when you’re recovering after knee or hip replacement with Dr. Moore. Here’s why you really need sleep at this time:

  • Sleep helps you physically heal — When we sleep our body can focus on healing, as it doesn’t have anything else to do. It’s an opportunity for our systems to decrease inflammation, clear bruising, decrease swelling, and rebuild affected tissues. When we’re sleeping, our brain triggers the release of hormones that encourage tissue growth.
  • Sleep helps reduce stress and anxiety — Recovery from replacement surgery isn’t a walk in the park. We can feel stressed and anxious about our long-term results. Sleep helps us combat mental fatigue, reduces blood pressure, and helps to mental recharge which is important for setbacks that can occur during recovery.
  • Sleep gives you the energy for rehabilitation — You need energy to work through the physical therapy ahead of you. You want to be able to push as much as necessary to aid your recovery, and you need restful sleep to do so.
  • Sleep boosts overall health — Sleeping 7-8 hours a night is linked to better overall health in all sorts of areas, everything from lower obesity rates to lower blood sugar levels.

Three reasons you’re not sleeping

There are different reasons you may not be sleeping during your initial recovery from knee replacement. These are the three most common:

  • Pain and discomfort — The pain will last for several weeks. After you hit the 2–3-week mark in recovery, your narcotic pain medication is cut back or eliminated. And you’ve increased your activity level to meet the demands of your rehabilitation. This can make pain spike during bedtime.
  • Narcotic pain medication — Pain killers combat pain, of course, but the medication itself can also cause insomnia. Some prescribed pain meds affect your natural REM cycle and disrupt sleep patterns.
  • Depression and anxiety — It’s not uncommon for someone who’s had joint replacement to have some feelings of depression. You can fret about your ongoing recovery time. You can be anxious about your future ability to return to various activities. You can feel isolated because you can’t participate in some of the things you formerly did while you’re recovering.

So, now you know that sleep problems are a common side effect after having knee or hip replacement. The good news? At about the six-week mark you should be experiencing much less pain, be off pain medications, and likely able to sleep in more comfortable positions. That should get you back to your normal sleep patterns.

Do you have chronic hip or knee pain? Give Dr. Moore a call at Pinehurst Surgical, (910) 295-0224, to set up a consultation.

man doing squats with kettlebell weights at home.

Coming Back from Hip Replacement

Hip replacement may not be as common as knee replacement, but over 300,000 people in the United States have hip replacements done every year. As the median age of the population continues to rise, those numbers will grow.

Dr. Moore is a board-certified orthopaedic surgeon who specializes in knee and hip replacement surgery, and he has performed hundreds of these surgeries.

Patients want to know what to expect, of course. This particularly applies to when they can “get back to normal activities.” Let’s get into that in this final blog of 2021.

Getting back to it

The key, and Dr. Moore stresses this during your consultation and after your surgery, is to not do too much too soon. This is usually what happens when patients have a more difficult time in recovery; they pushed too hard. Here are some guidelines if you are patient:

  • Weight bearing — Dr. Moore will tell you when you’re ready to put your full weight on the leg and hip. This can depend on the type of replacement you have had.
  • Driving — For most patients, they can return to driving when they are no longer taking opioid pain medication and when their strength and reflexes have returned to normal levels.
  • Sexual activity — It will be several weeks before you can resume sexual activity.
  • Sleeping positions — Dr. Moore will want you to avoid certain sleeping positions. He will want you to sleep on your side with a pillow between your legs to elevate your hip for a length of time.
  • Work — Your return to work depends on your job, as you would assume. This means desk jockeys could return in possibly just several days, while strenuous or physical work would need several weeks before returning.
  • Sports and exercise — For sports participants and exercise aficionados, this is the question they want to know. After your course of physical therapy and probably riding a stationary bike, Dr. Moore will clear you for various sports and activities.
    • Walk as much as you like.
    • Swimming can resume as soon as the wound is healed.
    • Low impact sports such as golf, swimming, bowling, pleasure horseback riding, stationary cycling, ballroom dancing, and low-impact aerobics will be fine moving forward.
    • High stress sports, such as hockey, jogging, mogul skiing, soccer, rock climbing, and the like are discouraged. There is too much chance that the artificial joints will wear out, break down, or loosen. These sports will likely shorten the lifespan of your new hip.
    • Mid-level sports such as tennis, moderate snow skiing, recreational cycling, backpacking, and softball are all somewhere in the middle ground. There will be more impact, but it won’t necessarily be enough to hasten the degradation of your artificial hip. If you choose to resume these sports/activities, you need to understand there is a possibility you will shorten the lifespan of your new hip.

Are you dealing with chronic hip pain? If the pain is infringing on your quality of life, it may be time to begin the process of considering hip replacement. Call Dr. Moore at Pinehurst Surgical Orthopaedic & Joint Replacement Center, (910) 295-0224, and let’s talk.

When You May Be Considering Hip Replacement

Our hips bear much of the load of the human body. And when you have a damaged or deteriorating hip, some of the most seemingly simple movements can become an exercise in torture. Walking around the block or getting up from a chair can involve shooting pain. Sleeping on your bad hip becomes almost impossible. 

When the pain and lack of mobility really starts to impact your life, it’s time to consider hip replacement with Dr. Moore and our team at Pinehurst Surgical Orthopaedic & Joint Replacement Center. Our patients have great success with these surgeries, enabling them to get back on their feet and back to normal. 

What is a hip replacement? 

The hips are involved in all our movements when we’re upright, and a damaged hip can make many of life’s simple pleasures, things like walking on the beach, excruciatingly painful, if not at the time, then hours afterward. Things you may have taken for granted your entire life, such as getting out of a chair, now are painful. Sleep can be difficult, as your bad hip is loaded when on your side. The damage is usually simply a result of long-term use. This can be especially true if you’ve participated in activities or sports with lots of impact, such as running or gymnastics. You’ve likely damaged the cartilage in the hip socket or maybe the cartilage has worn away. 

The goal becomes simply stopping the pain. People opt for cortisone injections or hip resurfacing procedures that “clean out” the torn or frayed cartilage. They stop participating in certain sports or activities they love. 

But when the pain continues, as it will when the damage is within the hip socket, it could be time to consider a total hip replacement with Dr. Moore. Hip replacement is one of the most successful operations performed in the medical world. As we age as a population, the need is growing all the time. Hip replacement can make a real difference in the life of the patient, in effect allowing the person to return to a pain-free life once again. 

Hip replacement involves addressing both the bone and the socket. The damaged ball of the thighbone is replaced with a metal ball; the socket is ground clean of damage and a metal socket is inserted into it for the new metal ball to pivot within. 

How will I know if I need a hip replacement? 

There is no “this is the day” threshold with hip replacement. The question usually comes down to how much your damaged hip is impacting your daily life. There isn’t a typical age threshold, but most of our Pinehurst Surgical hip replacement patients are between the ages of 50 and 80. 

People considering hip replacement surgery usually have been dealing with the pain for a long time, possibly decades. The question is — how badly is the pain affecting your life? Our team helps walk you through the decision to move forward with replacement. These are some of the common issues people have when considering hip replacement: 

  •     Hip pain is limiting activities such as walking or bending.
  •     Hip pain is impacting sleep.
  •     Hip pain continues even when resting.
  •     There is stiffness in the hip that limits movement.
  •     Other avenues to address the pain have not been effective — physical therapy, band-aid procedures such as hip resurfacing, cortisone injections, and other options are not stopping the pain.

Are your painful hips beginning to really affect your quality of life? Call Dr. Moore at (910) 295-0224, and let’s see how we can help you get past the pain.

Chronic Hip Pain

Our knees get all the glory when it comes to replacement surgery. Almost three quarters of a million Americans are getting new knees every year and those numbers are continuing to swell along with the average age of the nation’s population. 

But if you have chronic hip pain, in some ways it can be worse than knee pain. For instance, a good pull-over knee brace may allow you to avoid some of the pain associated with certain movements if your knee is degrading but you’re not quite ready for replacement surgery. But if your hip or hips are causing chronic pain, they will tell you about it when you’re walking and upright (just as your knee will). When you lay down, however, your knee probably quiets down. Not so with your hip. Sleeping can become a challenge, especially if you have damage in both hips. 

Let’s get into some of the causes of your chronic hip pain in this summer blog. 

What is causing my hip pain? 

Dr. Moore sees patients all the time with chronic hip pain. Many of these patients are dealing with serious pain and are reluctant to consider hip replacement, as they’ve heard it is quite difficult. That’s not the case at all. In fact, recovery from hip replacement can be easier than from knee replacement. But that’s for another blog. 

The most common cause of chronic hip pain is arthritis. There are three types of arthritis that impact the hips: 

  •     Osteoarthritis. Life is tough on the hips. If you’ve played sports such as indoor volleyball or tennis; if you’ve been a gymnast or dancer; if you’ve been a runner — all of these activities create a good deal of wear and tear on the hip socket. This all comes due in osteoarthritis, the “wear and tear” form of arthritis, usually after you turn 50. The cartilage on the end of your femur (thighbone) and the cartilage in the hip socket (acetabulum) become torn or worn down to the degree that bone rubs against bone.
  •     Rheumatoid arthritis. The most debilitating type of arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis causes the body to attack its own joints. The chronic inflammation can damage the cartilage, leading to pain and stiffness.
  •     Post-traumatic arthritis. If you’ve seriously injured your hip, the cartilage may become damaged in later years. Post-traumatic arthritis may be triggered by osteonecrosis. When a hip is dislocated (as was Bo Jackson’s during his Raiders’ football days) or fractured, the blood supply to the ball portion of the femur can become restricted. This can lead to the surface of the bone collapsing. Arthritis is sure to follow.
  •     Childhood hip disease. Some children have hip problems where the hips may not grow and develop properly. Even if successfully addressed in youth, this condition will often result in arthritis later in life.

If you have the chronic hip pain described above, there’s no reason to lose sleep and quality of life because of it. Dr. Moore is a board-certified orthopaedic surgeon whose extensive training, experience, and expertise can help you get past the pain with total hip replacement. Call us at (910) 295-0224 to schedule a consultation with Dr. Moore.

Problems with Your Hips

Because the hips feature large bones, many people don’t think of them when it comes to orthopedics. The knees, shoulders, and even the ankles can seem more destined for overuse and damage.

Ah, but your hips will let you know when they’re not happy. At Pinehurst Surgical, Dr. Moore diagnoses the root causes of our patients’ hip pain, and he employs different options for treatment.

What makes up the hips?

The hip is a ball-and-socket joint that joins the ball of the thigh bone (femur) to the socket of your pelvis. Inside the hip joint is a cartilage lining that cushions impacts between the femur and the hip socket. But those impacts can be pretty intense in the hips, and they can be very repetitive. That’s why dancers, gymnasts, and other athletes that participate in sports with impact often have damage to their hip cartilage, not to mention strains, bursitis, and the effects of osteoarthritis.

Common hip conditions

These are some common hip problems that we treat at Pinehurst Surgical:

  • Bursitis of the hip — Bursitis is the painful swelling of the bursae, the fluid-filled sacs that cushion areas where tendons and muscles slide across bone. When a patient has hip bursitis, the bursa at the top of the femur is affected. Because it is involved in so many movements, when this bursa is inflamed it can be very painful.
  • Arthritis in the hip — Osteoarthritis in the hip is gradual loss of cartilage due to daily wear and tear. As the cartilage wears down, or tears, it leads to chronic inflammation that can make it difficult to sleep, let alone perform certain normal activities. Usually, arthritis in the hip is in the form of osteoarthritis, but it can also develop after a traumatic injury.
  • Osteoporosis in the hip — When a person develops osteoporosis, their bone density drops. This leads to the bones weakening and breaking much more easily than is normal. A precursor of osteoporosis is known as osteopenia.
  • Avascular necrosis of the hip — If you’re old enough to know about Bo Jackson (if not, watch the ESPN 30-for-30 show or check out highlights on YouTube), this is the injury that sent him into retirement. A seemingly simple tackle led to dislocation of his hip. This led to avascular necrosis, where the bone tissue begins to die because it isn’t receiving enough blood. This eventually led Mr. Jackson to full hip replacement.

Having pain in your hips? Maybe it’s time to see Dr. Moore and our team at Pinehurst Surgical Orthopaedic & Joint Replacement Center. Give us a call at (910) 295-0224 to schedule an appointment.

Dr. John Moore IV

Am I a Good Candidate for Hip Replacement Surgery?

Hip Replacement Surgery

Living with hip pain is something many people think they must do – that hip pain and other joint pains are simply a sign of aging. But if your hip pain is affecting your quality of life, preventing you from doing the activities you would normally enjoy doing, or more than just an occasional occurrence, you may want to consult with orthopaedic surgeon Dr. John R. Moore and his staff at their surgical center in Pinehurst, NC.

What Is Hip Replacement Surgery?

A hip replacement is a surgical procedure that replaces the abnormal or worn surfaces of the hip joint. The replacement hip joint is created using a plastic-in-metal socket made of high-density polyethylene. More than 90% of patients who have hip replacement surgery report significant improvements in their ability to be active. The goal of the surgery is to alleviate pain and improve mobility.

Should I Have Hip Replacement Surgery?

If you suffer from osteoarthritis of the hip, have fractured your hip, or are suffering from increasing levels of hip pain, you should consider having hip replacement surgery. You will be required to complete a medical clearance, be in generally good enough health to withstand the operation, and for the best success, be committed to the required post-surgical physical therapy to help you regain your mobility.

How Long Does It Take to Recover?

The typical recovery time for hip replacement surgery is 8-12 weeks. After that time, we encourage patients to resume activities such as walking, swimming, and golfing. Full recovery and adjustment to the new hip joint may take up to six months.

Will I Be Able to Resume All Activity?

We encourage most activity and anticipate that your replacement hip will improve your mobility significantly. However, certain activities are not recommended, such as downhill skiing and singles tennis. Hiking, biking, walking, swimming, and golfing are all highly encouraged.

This surgery can help you live an active life without constant pain. For more information about Hip Replacement Surgery with Dr. Moore to reduce your joint pain or improve its function, call our office in Pinehurst, NC at (910) 295-0224.

Hip Bursitis Pinehurst, NC

The Basics of Hip Bursitis

You probably don’t think much about your hip and joints, that is until they start acting up. Here at our office, we see patients for just about any and every joint issue including hip bursitis. But what is this condition and how can it be treated? Let’s take a closer look and see.

What Is Hip Bursitis?

There are two types of hip bursitis, both of which cause inflammation in the hip.

  • Trochanteric Bursitis: This is the most common type of bursitis, and it takes place on the bony part of the hip called the trochanteric bursa.
  • Iliopsoas Bursitis: This is a lot less common than trochanteric bursitis and takes place on the inside of the hip toward the groin.

What are the symptoms?

Typically, patients experience sharp, intense, acute pain that spreads from their hip and then goes down their legs. The pain tends to be worse at night, after long walks, climbing a lot of stairs, or a lot of time spent in a squatting position.

Who Gets Bursitis?

Patients with bursitis tend to be either elderly or women. Also, patients who experience the following are at a greater risk of getting it:

  • Hip Injury – This can be a fall onto your hip, a bump with your hip, or even when you lie on one side of your body for an extended period.
  • Spine disease – Scoliosis, osteoarthritis in the lumbar spine, and other diseases inflame the hip bursae.
  • Unequal leg lengths – When one leg is significantly shorter than the other, the stress when walking can lead to irritation of the bursa.
  • Rheumatoid arthritis – This increases the likelihood that your bursa will become inflamed.
  • Bone spurs – These can develop within the tendons that attach muscles to the trochanter.
  • Repetitive stress or overuse – When you’re a runner, cyclist, run stairs, or have a job that keeps you on your feet for long periods, you’re more likely to develop bursitis.
  • Previous surgery – Hip replacement or surgery in the area can lead to bursitis.

What Is treatment Like?

Depending on how severe your bursitis is,we  will determine what kind of treatment you may best benefit from. Treatments include:

  • Making some changes in your activities
  • Non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs)
  • Physical therapy
  • Steroid Injections

If you suffer from hip bursitis or if you want to learn more about it, contact our office and call us at  910.295.0224.

Hip Replacement Pinehurst NC

4 Leading Causes of Hip Replacement Surgery

Your grandma may have had one, your neighbor may have had one, and you may be in need of one. If you’re not familiar with hip replacement surgery, then you may assume it involves replacing your entire hip with an artificial one. However, this type of surgery doesn’t involve replacing the entire hip but rather, it involves replacing the hip joint. During this procedure, Dr. John Moore will create an artificial hip joint made out of high-density polyethylene. Here are four leading causes of hip replacement surgery.

  1. Avascular Necrosis

Blood isn’t just for vampires. Blood is required for bone growth because they are living tissues. When your blood supply is interrupted, as with avascular necrosis, your bone begins to collapse or die.

  1. Hip Fractures

One of the most commons causes of a total hip replacement is when a patient fractures their hip. Although some hip fractures can be solved with a pin or screw, there are some instances in which a hip replacement is required.

  1. Post Traumatic Arthritis

Traumatic joint damage can be caused by a variety of things including an automobile accident, a work-related accident, or even some fractures. In advanced stages of post-traumatic arthritis, patients may need to consider a hip replacement.

  1. Osteoarthritis

This form of arthritis is the most common form in patients who are over the age of 50. With osteoarthritis, the cartilage in the hip starts to wear away so that you have bone on bone rubbing which can lead to a host of problems.

If you are suffering from any of the conditions above and you have noticed that your symptoms are getting worse, then it may be time to schedule a consultation with Dr. John Moore at our Pinehurst office. During your initial consultation, we will perform a physical exam and may take some x-rays to get a closer look at your hips. From there, we will be able to create a recovery plan.

Call us at 910.295.0224 to learn more!

Knee and Hip Replacement Surgery Pinehurst NC

FAQ’s About Knee and Hip Replacement Surgery

Going into a knee or hip replacement surgery can make patients feel like they’re walking into a spook alley— completely unaware and unsure of what to expect behind every corner. However, Dr. John Moore wants all of his patients to feel confident and informed before they go into surgery which is why we have created this brief list of Frequently Asked Questions.

Will I go Home After Surgery?

90% of Dr. John Moore’s patients are sent home rather than to a rehab facility after surgery. If you are in a nursing facility before surgery, however, you will be sent back to the same place.

Is Physical Therapy Required After Surgery?

Yes. Our staff will arrange for a physical therapist to come to your home to help you with some strengthening and other exercises. After a few sessions, you should be able to practice these exercises on your own without the assistance of a PT.

How Long Will I Be At the Hospital For?

Because knee and hip replacement surgeries are inpatient surgeries, they will require you to spend an average of two nights in the hospital. Some patients will need an additional night stay depending on a few factors.

Will I Need Special Equipment While In Recovery?

Dr. John Moore and his staff will arrange for the delivery and setup of special equipment required for recovery. For instance, patients will need a walker and an elevated toilet seat with handles. Additional equipment may be necessary depending on the type of surgery you had.

If at any time during or before your surgery you have questions or concerns, our staff is here to answer your questions.

Schedule your surgical consultation at our Pinehurst office today!