Many people wait longer than they should to begin talking to a professional about a hip replacement. When is the right time?
The best answer: When it begins to affect your daily life.
If hip pain affects your mobility and impacts your quality of life, it’s time to see a specialist. The sooner you obtain a proper prognosis, the sooner you can make an educated decision.
First of all, not all hip pain indicates the need for hip replacement or even surgery. There may be options of cortisone injections or physical therapy. And there are cases when your surgeon may suggest waiting.
That said, hip prosthesis materials and technology have advanced to the point that delaying because on the projected life of the implant is no longer considered an issue.
Dr. Johnson of The Bone & Joint Center is credited with bringing the total anterior hip replacement to West Michigan. The anterior approach to total hip replacement is a minimally invasive procedure that offers remarkable outcomes.
The procedure allows Dr. Johnson to replace the joint without disturbing or detaching muscle from the pelvis or femur. Instead, he works in-between the natural separation of the muscles.
There are many other benefits to this procedure, including a smaller incision, quicker recovery, shorter hospital stay, and fewer post surgery hip precautions. Dr. Johnson is also able to precisely measure — and often correct — leg length. Many patients marvel at the difference.
Never let your quality of life decrease because of hip problems. Although the thought of surgery may make you anxious, the minimally invasive procedure will have you up and walking again in no time.
