When You May Be Considering Hip Replacement

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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.