| In the United States today there are more cases of | | | | live on a continual dose of pain medication or continue |
| osteoarthritis also known as degenerative joint | | | | to lose what mobility they have. |
| disease reported then ever before. In fact there are | | | | By becoming deconditioned and allowing further |
| roughly 21 million people affected by it in the US in | | | | muscle and soft tissue contractures to begin to |
| one form or another. It is estimated that 27% of the | | | | develop, only causes further problems during the |
| visits made to the primary care doctors in this | | | | rehabilitation process. |
| country are attributed to osteoarthritis. There are | | | | By finding a surgeon that is willing to replace the joint |
| numerous factors that contribute to the high | | | | allows you to get back on your feet and live your life |
| incidence of arthritis. Included are obesity and the | | | | without the discomfort that is associated with |
| fact we are living longer. The diet we consume here | | | | osteoarthritis. And if you live a normal lifespan you will |
| in the west has also been blamed for the steady | | | | have to have a revision done as the joint |
| increase of arthritis along with, the lack of exercise | | | | replacement will not last forever. |
| and maintaining strength in the weight bearing | | | | How long the original replacement will last will depend |
| muscles of the hip girdle, quadriceps and gluteal | | | | on your age, body weight, level of fitness and overall |
| muscles just to name a few. | | | | health. This is one of the big reasons that originally |
| There are over 100 types of arthritis known in the | | | | kept surgeons from wanting to complete a joint |
| medical community but the one that is the most | | | | replacement on anyone under the age of fifty to |
| predominant is osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis not only | | | | start with. It was felt at one time that the original |
| weakens or atrophies the surrounding musculature | | | | replacement would have the best outcome. The |
| around the affected joint but it also causes a marked | | | | revision would not fair as well due to the fact there |
| decrease in the range of motion due to to the pain it | | | | would be further surgical removal of bone and soft |
| causes with movement. Its a cycle that if not | | | | tissue causing greater difficulty in movement, pain |
| corrected will steadily add to the loss of function and | | | | relief, etc.... and the fact that when the patient is |
| quality of life. | | | | younger they will be much harder on the replacement |
| It can affect all joints within the body but the area it | | | | then if they were older and not as active. |
| is seen the most is the weight bearing joints such as | | | | Today with the rapid advancement of technology in |
| the hips and knees. With arthritis in these joints | | | | materials used in medicine that have become more |
| walking now can become very painful depending on | | | | bio friendly and, joint prosthesis that have started to |
| the progression of it. Once the joint becomes bone | | | | mimic more of the rotational components of the |
| on bone walking effectively now becomes your | | | | human joint, will allow the original replacements to |
| biggest issue along with missing a good nights sleep | | | | have a longer shelf life. |
| as it will cause a mild chronic ache along with muscle | | | | No longer should their be a case where you are being |
| spasms depending on the position of the joint while | | | | told that you are to young for a joint replacement. |
| lying in bed. | | | | You and the surgeon will want to thoroughly discuss |
| Total joint replacement with hips and knees continue | | | | your options of course. |
| to be on the rise along with, orthopaedic surgeons | | | | Conservative treatment will initially will be your first |
| seeing younger individuals where pain becomes | | | | course of action to decrease pain and regain strength |
| unbearable and the replacement surgery is all that will | | | | in the affected joint. |
| give the patient relief. With the aging of the baby | | | | Once all avenues of conservative treatment have |
| boomer the typical patient also is more active then | | | | been pursued and relief has not been successful then |
| previous generations causing an earlier incident of | | | | is the time to get the joint replaced no matter what |
| arthritis which can brought on quicker through | | | | your age is. By postponing surgery due to age only |
| previous injuries to your knees or hips. | | | | will complicate matters in your quality of life and |
| Not to long ago finding a surgeon that was willing to | | | | rehabilitation. |
| replace a joint when someone was in their forties or | | | | There are now today multiple prosthesis models |
| fifties was difficult but today more orthopaedic | | | | available that your surgeon will recommend for your |
| surgeons are willing to recommend a replacement if | | | | current lifestyle as your surgeon will have some sort |
| conservative options such as physical therapy have | | | | of track record to go with in regards to what |
| been unsuccessful. | | | | components are more successful then others. |
| Once treatments with a physical therapist have not | | | | If a total joint is needed and recommended then it is |
| given the patient relief its time to consider getting | | | | highly advised to get it done. I had a knee replaced |
| the joint replaced as soon as possible. By continuing | | | | at 43 years of age and never regretted that decision. |
| to live with the chronic pain either the patient has to | | | | |