We talked Knees! What About Hips?

[dcama5]

Bandre,

I just got total hip replacement (THR) last Monday, 3/4, and I am in the slow recovery process. For a few years earlier, I was able to get relief from cortisone injections at about 1 injection per 5-6 months, but the hip deteriorated much more rapidly over the past year and the injections stopped working. At the point of the THR, riding was pretty much impossible because the hip joint arthritis was so severe.

Your orthopedist should advise you on when THR is your best option. It's a well known procedure now, done in about one hour in an outpatient setting. The day I had mine, the surgeon did 7 cases with 2 OR suites running. Post procedure, they wake you up, have you walk a little, climb and descend some stairs, pee, and head home. My first PT appt. was the next day and that was very painful. They will also give you some oxycodone for the severe pain during the first week of recovery - that helps me a lot.

The anterior (incision) approach is definitely the best and is generally accepted now as the standard of care. I have PT all this month at 2 times/week. That helps a lot. What complicates my case some is that I also have bursitis on the outside of the same hip, and have been getting cortisone injections for that as well.

Anyway, good luck with it.
Dave