It’s important to seek help for hip pain — especially when it’s disrupting your life. Maybe you had hip replacement surgery scheduled but it was postponed because of COVID-19. Or maybe you’ve just noticed increasing pain around your hips or groin area. If you are concerned about your mobility, it’s important to make an appointment with your orthopedic specialist.
Signs Your Hips Need Attention
According to orthopedic surgeon, Adam Land, MD, of AdventHealth Medical Group Orthopedics & Sports Medicine, hip and joint pain isn’t only limited to aging individuals. Dr. Land has worked with athletes with hip injuries, patients with congenital hip conditions and labrum injuries which can occur at any age.
Symptoms of hip deterioration that patients might notice first is a loss of motion, such as bending over to tie shoes. Another indication of hip injury is a sharp pain originating in the groin area. The first step to healing is to schedule a thorough exam with an orthopedic specialist who specializes in hip repair.
Dr. Land said he can understand a great deal from a physical exam with X-rays. Once he concludes the cause of the pain, he can offer treatment options to fit your lifestyle and health goals.
Will I Need Surgery or Are Other Treatments Available?
Only your doctor can determine if surgery is a good option for you, and they might offer other treatments to alleviate pain, such as cortisone injections.
“I always tell patients joint replacement is an elective surgery. This decision depends on how they feel and what their commitment to healing is. Today, there are good new anti-inflammatory medicines that can help hip pain and provide some relief,” said Dr. Land.
Who Needs Hip Replacement Surgery?
Patients are often good candidates for hip replacement surgery if they have:
- Continued to experience chronic pain even while sitting or asleep
- Exhausted all other forms of treatment
- Maintained an active lifestyle
Total hip replacement surgery does come with some risks and risk factors and should be taken into consideration. Hip replacement is better tolerated than other joint replacements, and with appropriate care, they can last a lifetime.
What Should I Expect Before and After Surgery?
Once your medical team recommends surgery as an effective option for treating your chronic hip pain, your primary care provider or orthopedic specialist will work with you to ensure that hip replacement surgery is safe for you.
The surgery typically lasts between one and two hours with an additional two hours for prep and recovery in the operating room. During hip surgery, Dr. Land uses the direct anterior approach which is muscle sparing with smaller incisions, ultimately leading to a faster and easier recovery. This surgery can be life-changing for patients who have lost mobility to injury or arthritis.
“After total healing, most patients will go through the day without thinking about their hips at one-year post-operation. I don’t place any limitations on what they can do when they’re fully recovered,” said Dr. Land.
Will I Need Physical Therapy After Surgery?
Physical therapy after surgery is essential to recovery. In just four to eight weeks with physical therapy, you can be back on your feet with considerably less pain. The normal healing process takes about 16 to 20 weeks, as soft tissue takes longer to heal. As for scarring, the incision is always only as big as it needs to be. Special care and concern are taken to minimize scarring related to the procedure.
Live Pain-Free Again
Our hip replacement surgery experts are here to help you get moving through life comfortably again.
“The most important part of a patient’s decision to get help is to have someone they can trust to counsel them through their health and together go over options. Meeting at an appointment means we’re entering into a partnership. I provide advice and the foundation of trust moving forward, and I’m there every step of the way,” says Dr. Land.
Hip replacement is extremely effective at restoring your mobility and helping you get back to the life you love. Trust the leading orthopedic experts at AdventHealth Medical Group Orthopedics & Sports Medicine to be there for you with a compassionate spirit, pioneering surgery options and safe facilities and practices.
Learn more about orthopedic care and how you can restore your vibrant, active life at GeorgiaOrthoExperts.com.
