Hip replacement surgery in the United States is at an increasing high as studies have shown these surgeries have doubled in occurrence from years past.
Some may think this surgery is only being performed on older patients, however, patients as young as 30 are receiving a hip replacement.
What Type of Person May Need Hip Surgery?
Many professional athletes from many different areas are also enduring these replacements. Gymnasts, bodybuilders, and football players are among the many who have found their way to a hip replacement. Why are so many athletes in need of a hip replacement?
As athletes put their bodies through rigorous training and endure physical trauma, it is no wonder their bodies are feeling the impact. With current advances in medicine, implant materials and surgical techniques have improved throughout the years, making these replacement surgeries allow for less recovery time.
Since changes in procedures and techniques, many of these athletes are finding they have a new lease on life and are getting back into the game before they know it when years ago their careers may have been over.
Criteria For Becoming A Candidate
If hip pain and stiffness have been hampering your performance, and you have tried conservative treatments without much success, you might be a candidate for a hip replacement.
- No Pain, No Gain: Due to the highly competitive and lucrative nature of modern sports, athletes often push their muscles and joints to the limit and beyond. Not surprisingly, the hip joint, which supports the weight of the entire body, does get its fair share of abuse on the playing field. The wear and tear of the hip joint in sports such as basketball and football are much greater today than ever before. Athletes often are tempted and encouraged to “play through the pain,” risking an irreversible hip injury that can only be treated with replacement.
- Biomechanical (Dis)advantage: The hip is a very sturdy joint that is protected and stabilized by a complex network of muscles, ligaments, tendons, and cartilage. Due to the complexity of the hip joint and its surrounding structures, about 30 percent of hip injuries go undiagnosed. Hence, conditions such as muscle strains, labral tears, trochanteric bursitis, and hip impingement may progress to the point of causing severe biomechanical imbalances in the joint, necessitating replacement of the hip.
- High Impact Activity: The simple act of jogging or running can increase the load on the hip each time your foot strikes the ground to almost five times your body weight, and stumbling can increase the load to 7 times your body weight. Repeated loading over long periods during training or playing on the field results in microtrauma and ultimately degeneration of the joint.
- Longer Life Expectancy: As human beings are living longer with more active lives, it is only natural that an athlete’s career is increasing its longevity. This does, however, mean an increased likelihood of hip replacement being needed in the mature athlete. While an athlete should not expect to have the same performance level with a hip replacement as with the original hip, many sports such as hiking, cross-country skiing, swimming, and cycling can be performed after hip replacement without limitation.
If you are an athlete who has sustained a hip injury, contact our team at AICA Orthopedics as we have highly skilled surgeons who are trained in these advanced techniques to get you back in the game. Contact our team of Atlanta orthopedic doctors today by dialing (404) 855-2141 and schedule an appointment!
