5 minute read
As we age, our hips are more susceptible to joint diseases that can damage the cartilage and bone. Deteriorating hip joints can cause problems with walking, turning, bending, and other everyday functions. This blog discusses why hips are essential for everyday movement, when to consider hip replacement surgery, and how hip replacement surgery can improve your life.
Aging Joints
Growing older often comes with benefits, such as having more time to focus on what you want and continuing to make new memories with the people you love. Yet, it also comes with less desirable aspects. Many people dread the changes that aging makes to their bodies, especially when it comes to fine lines, wrinkles, and sagging skin. However, these surface-level aesthetic changes are not the only signs of aging that occur. As people get older, the body also faces internal changes, and the joints begin to wear down.
When the hip bones deteriorate, it can cause significant pain in the body and often restricts the person’s range of movement. As we age, our bodies are more susceptible to developing joint diseases that cause our bones to weaken. Joint diseases that affect the hips include avascular necrosis, femur neck fracture, rheumatoid and osteoarthritis, and functional hip deformities.
It can be incredibly painful for people with degenerating hips to perform everyday functions and motions. Patients who are having their daily lives affected by hip pain may be good candidates for hip replacement surgery, which can provide life-changing results.
What Do the Hips Do for the Body?
Many of us are not actively conscious of how often we use our hips on a daily basis. Yet the hip joints, also called the acetabulofemoral joints, allow us to have extensive mobility of the legs. Some of the regular movements and functions that the hip joints allow us to do include:
- Walking
- Running
- Jumping
- Climbing stairs
- Bending over
- Squatting
- Sitting
In addition to giving us a wide range of motion with our legs, the hip joints also connect the upper and lower body. They offer support for our upper bodies and our overall body weight.
Keeping your hips as healthy as possible is essential since they are responsible for such integral movements. Regular walks are a great way to limit stiffness and strengthen the hips. For people who have desk jobs or spend long periods sitting down, it’s a good idea to get up and take frequent breaks to move your body. Doing exercises that strengthen the core and glutes can be beneficial, and lower-impact workouts are easier on the joints. Maintaining a healthy weight is also essential for keeping the hips healthy, as it limits the strain on the hips.
How Do You Know If You Need a Hip Replacement?
If you’re experiencing hip pain that interferes with your daily activities, then it may be time to consider hip replacement surgery. Surgery is often not recommended as the first course of action. Alternative options such as pain medications, physical therapy, and exercise are usually recommended to see if these methods will relieve hip pain. However, in cases when these methods are not enough on their own, surgery may be the best option.
Some signs that it might be time for a hip replacement include having difficulty:
- Getting out of bed
- Standing up
- Sitting down
- Walking
- Going up or down stairs
- Bending down
Additionally, feeling pain in the hips when you aren’t moving your body is also a sign that you might need hip replacement surgery.
How Does a Hip Replacement Change Your Life?
It can be incredibly frustrating and inconvenient to experience hip pain. Since we use our hips for so many everyday functions, it can be difficult to get through a typical day when there is persistent pain.
Hip replacement surgery can improve a patient’s quality of life by:
- Providing relief from hip pain
- Increasing range of motion
- Making it easier to perform everyday tasks
Robotic Hip Replacement With Dr. Snibbe
Dr. Jason Snibbe performs robotic hip replacement in Los Angeles, CA. Robotic hip replacement allows for incredible precision when positioning the prosthetic hip. Dr. Snibbe is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon who is widely known and respected for his work. He specializes in patient-centered care robotic surgery techniques.
Schedule Your Hip Replacement Consultation in Los Angeles, CA
Is it time for you to consider hip replacement surgery to improve your quality of life? If so, scheduling a consultation is an important step in your hip replacement process. Your consultation will determine your candidacy for surgery and what your treatment plan will include.
We want all patients to feel comfortable and confident in their decision to seek hip replacement surgery. During a consultation with Dr. Snibbe, patients can expect to discuss their medical history, pain, and how their everyday lives are affected by their hip pain. Dr. Snibbe will examine the patient’s hip and review x-rays to assess whether they are a hip replacement candidate. Once you are determined to be a good candidate and make an informed decision about hip replacement surgery, your customized treatment plan will be created.
To schedule your hip replacement consultation or to learn more about the procedure, call Dr. Snibbe’s office at (310) 746-5918 or fill out our online contact form today.
