Overview
The hip is a ball-and-socket joint that allows the leg to move in a variety of positions. The femoral head (ball) rides in the acetabulum (socket). The joint is lined with a lubricating tissue called cartilage, which cushions the joint as it moves and bears weight.
Osteoarthritis, the most common form of arthritis, is a wear and tear condition that destroys joint cartilage, and it typically develops after years of constant motion and pressure in the joints. As the cartilage continues to wear away, bone begins to rub against bone, causing the irritation, swelling, stiffness, and discomfort commonly associated with arthritis.
Conservative Treatment Options
There are a number of non-surgical, or conservative, treatment options for osteoarthritis and other forms of arthritis. Typically, non-surgical options start with gentle exercise and physical therapy. As the arthritis becomes more painful and limiting, the non-surgical treatment options become more involved.
Surgery, including joint replacement, is generally only recommended after all other conservative treatment options fail to provide relief. Your doctors will help you develop a plan that will best fit your specific condition.
Rehabilitation and walking begin the day after surgery, and your hospital stay is normally 3 to 4 days. Therapy will begin in the hospital and usually continues after discharge for approximately six to twelve weeks.
Joint replacement surgery of the hip has been extremely successful in helping patients with arthritis return to their normal activities and relieve their discomfort.
Healthy Hip
Hip Arthritis
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*All literature found within this article has been abridged from the following sources:
Total Hip Replacement
When non-operative treatment fails to control the discomfort and stiffness from arthritis of the hip, your surgeon may recommend total hip replacement. Joint replacement implants, typically made from metal alloy and polyethylene (plastic), are used to resurface the joint. Newer implants with metal sockets are now being used in selective patients. Total hip replacement replaces the upper end of the femur (thighbone) and resurfaces the acetabulum (socket). The implants are designed to restore function and eliminate as much discomfort as possible while allowing you to return to a more active lifestyle.
Total Hip Replacement
