Total Hip Replacement

V. Benefits of Hip Replacement
When all of the non-operative methods have been considered and are found to be undesirable, hip replacement may be indicated. It must be remembered that hip replacement does not give you a normal joint. It is an artificial joint. It is not as durable and long lasting as a normal joint and it is not as stable as a normal joint.

If a person with a normal joint has a hip replacement, he would not be happy. Similarly, a person with only mild arthritis would not feel a marked improvement with hip replacement. On the other hand, 95% of people with severe arthritis notice a dramatic improvement.

Total hip replacement is one of the most successful of all surgical procedures. A successful result is defined as freedom from pain and restoration of motion as well as function. A successful hip replacement will allow a person to return to the routine activities of daily living. Certain restrictions apply, however. Persons with total hip replacement should not expect to resume jumping or jogging activities. (impact loading). Lifting of weights greater than 30 pounds should be avoided. Multiple repetitive loads, such as walking long distances (greater than a mile) should be avoided. Tennis, horseback riding and racquetball are not advised but golf, swimming and bicycling are good exercises. There are also some restrictions of motion. Although a leg with a hip replacement can sometimes flex up to 120 degrees, it is not advised that you attempt to bend it more than 90 degrees. Therefore, squatting or sitting in very low chairs can be dangerous because of the possibility of dislocation of the hip (coming out of the socket).

Dislocation can also be caused by turning the hip inward or outward to the extremes of motion.

The combination of bending the hip up and rotating it inward is exceptionally dangerous.



An ideal candidate for total hip replacement is a patient who is over 60, relatively sedentary, with normal mental capacity and who is not overweight.

The converse of this represents the so called “high risk patient” for total hip replacement; namely, those who are under 60, overweight, excessively active or who has had a previous total hip that has failed. The relative success rates and risks in this group are discussed below.

In summary, if you are an ideal candidate, the expected benefits from total hip replacement should be a 95% chance of relieving all of your pain and restoring motion and function for routine activities of daily living.