Among the most effective and successful surgeries, hip replacements are one of the most common surgical procedures in the United States, with close to half a million done each year. As the population ages and the technology continues to advance, the number of hip replacements will undoubtedly continue to grow.
Still, most experienced surgeons will recommend a conservative approach with physical therapy (PT) before considering surgery to treat hip osteoarthritis, the biggest cause of severe pain and limited mobility in the hip joint.
Endeavor Health orthopaedic surgeon Anand Srinivasan, MD, an expert in hip and knee replacement, highlights signs that your hip pain may need more than PT.
Signs it may be time for surgery
There are a few obvious clinical signs that it’s time to consider hip replacement surgery, explained Dr. Srinivasan:
- Inability to bear weight
- Difficulty walking
- Severe pain not helped by PT
However, for most people, the decision to pursue joint replacement is not driven by a single obvious or acute event.
Signs hip pain is affecting your quality of life
“For many people, it comes down to function and quality of life continuing to decrease despite trying PT or other conservative options,” said Dr. Srinivasan.
Most patients will talk about one or several increasing problems that make their day-to-day life more challenging and less enjoyable:
- Limited range of motion
- Basic daily activities becoming harder to do
- Walking more than a few steps is challenging and painful
- Pain makes it difficult to sleep
- Pain intensifying and prohibiting normal tasks, like tying shoes
Why physical therapy comes first
Dr. Srinivasan usually advises patients to consider six weeks of PT before scheduling surgery. Even for patients who still need surgery, physical therapy with focused core and hip strengthening can help them get as strong as possible before joint replacement, which will help in post-surgical rehabilitation, said Dr. Srinivasan. That recommendation comes with an important caveat, added Dr. Srinivasan: PT should only be continued if the exercises don’t cause severe pain or worsen current symptoms.
Success rate and benefits of hip replacement surgery
When conservative measures are no longer sufficient, joint replacement provides a reliable long-term solution.
“Today’s hip replacements have a high success rate and offer a viable solution to restore and improve quality of life and return people to activities they once enjoyed,” Dr. Srinivasan said.
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