Take Charge of Your Health - The In's and Out's of Joint Replacement

Break-In Period
Attention new knee owner,
please avoid extreme speeds and harsh acceleration
for the first few hundred miles...
-Anonymous

       When medications and physical therapy have not helped, total joint replacement surgery can be an effective way to eliminate pain, weakness, stiffness, limited motion, and swelling in joints such as the shoulders, hips,and knees.

       A joint is where the ends of two or more bones meet. The knee is a hinge joint with the ability to bend and straighten whereas the hip and shoulder are ball-and-socket joints where the rounded end of one bone fits into a cup-shaped area of another bone. With a total joint replacement, parts of an arthritic or damaged joint are removed and replaced with a metal, plastic, or ceramic device called a prosthesis to replicate a normal, healthy joint.

      Hip and knee replacements are most common, but replacement surgery can also be performed on the shoulder, ankle, wrist, and elbow.

Hip Replacement:
First performed in 1960, hip replacement is one of the most successful surgeries in medicine. More than 400,000 total hip replacements are now performed in the US every year! The most common cause of chronic hip pain is arthritis and in particular osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, or traumatic arthritis. Osteoarthritis is age-related wear and tear where the cartilage that is cushioning the bones wears away leaving the bones to rub against each other. Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease causing chronic inflammation and traumatic arthritis that often stems from a severe injury or fracture.

People who benefit from hip replacement surgery often experience:

  • Hip pain that limits everyday activities, such as walking

  • Hip pain while resting

  • Stiffness that makes it difficult to move or lift the leg

  • Inadequate pain relief from anti-inflammatory drugs or physical therapy.

Once recovered, realistic activities following total hip replacement include unlimited walking, swimming, golfing, driving, hiking, biking, dancing, and other low-impact sports.

Knee Replacement
Knee replacement surgery was first performed in 1968. Over time improvements in surgical materials and techniques greatly increased its effectiveness. Over 700,000 knee replacements are performed each year in the U.S. alone! The knee - the largest joint in the body - includes the lower end of the thighbone (the femur), the upper end of the shinbone (the tibia), and the kneecap (the patella). The menisci is located between the femur and tibia and cushions the joint. The synovial membrane is a thin lining that releases fluid that lubricates the cartilage. When these parts are not working together, people experience pain, muscle weakness, and reduced function. The most common cause of chronic knee pain and disability is arthritis. A knee replacement is actually a knee resurfacing  because only the surface of the bones are actually replaced. The damaged cartilage at the ends of the femur and tibia are removed and replaced with metal components that recreate the surface of the joint. The under-surface of the kneecap is then resurfaced and a plastic spacer is inserted between the metal components to create a smooth surface. While the vast majority of patients will need a total knee replacement, in certain cases, only one of the three parts of the knee is replaced. This enables you to keep more of your natural bone, tissue and ligaments. A partial knee replacement is less invasive and may result in a faster recovery, less time in the hospital, and a more active lifestyle than with a total knee replacement.

Shoulder Replacement
Although shoulder joint replacement is less common (53,000 people each year) than knee or hip replacement, it can be just as successful. In shoulder replacement surgery, the damaged parts of the shoulder are removed and replaced with a prosthesis. Patients can have either a total shoulder replacement or a partial one dependent upon what is replaced. The treatment options are either replacement of the head of the humerus bone or replacement of the ball and the socket. In addition to arthritis which can cause pain and stiffness, a rotater cuff tear, disruption of the blood supply to the shoulder, and severe fractures can also lead to shoulder replacement.

Recovery
Joint replacements require a well-planned rehabilitation or exercise program to restore flexibility and strength. To return to normal routine, physical therapy is critical.

With hip replacement, most patients are walking the second day after surgery with a walker or crutches and are often able to leave the hospital. After about 4 weeks they can graduate to a cane and typically within another 6-12 weeks, they can stop using the cane as their hip is capable of supporting their full weight.

Although patients with knee replacement are typically walking comfortably without support after 6 weeks, it may take more time before full benefit is achieved. In terms of driving, most doctors recommend waiting 6 weeks.

With a shoulder replacement, most patients stay in the hospital 3-5 days. Physical therapy is critically important and recovery can be slow and is not always steady. Full recovery of the shoulder with strength and range of motion can take up to one year. Most patients and physicians agree it is wise to try medication, steroid injections, physical therapy, heat/ice, weight loss, and other less invasive, nonsurgical treatments first, but if chronic pain and lack of mobility/range of motion continue to impact your quality of life, it’s time to discuss joint replacement.

For detailed recovery timetables you can visit:
Hip: https://www.webmd.com/osteoarthritis/ss/slideshow-hip-surgery-recovery-timeline
Knee: https://www.healthline.com/health/total-knee-replacement-surgery/rehabilitation-timeline
Shoulder: https://www.healthline.com/health/shoulder-replacement         

        As always, join us on the Health-E³ website blog page. We look forward to hearing your thoughts and experiences. Feel free to ask questions about anything on the website or suggest ideas for additional helpful information. And remember, it's up to you to Take Charge of Your Health.

Sydney SharekComment