How Long Do Hip Replacements Last? What Patients Should Know

If you are suffering from pain and stiffness in your hips that is impacting your mobility and quality of life, and you have tried other forms of non-surgical treatment such as pain and anti-inflammatory medication, walking aids, physical therapy and joint injections without any relief from your symptoms, then your doctor may recommend that it's time to have a hip replacement. Signs that your quality of life is declining include not being able to sleep properly because of pain and restlessness, not being able to do simple tasks like getting dressed or climbing the stairs and not being able to participate in the activities you enjoy.

Hip replacements today are a pretty common procedure nowadays in Australia, with thousands of procedures performed each year. The success rate of this operation is high, and a hip replacement does not shorten your life, in fact, it can significantly improve your quality of life and even increase life expectancy by 2%, according to a Swedish study.

How Long Does a Titanium Hip Replacement Last?

As with all medical outcomes, the success rate will never be a simple black-and-white answer because there are too many differentials to consider. One of the most important factors is the overall health of the patient, and their weight will have an impact too. Being overweight may not only add risks to the anaesthetic and the surgery itself - making it more complicated to access the hip joint due to the extra fat and tissue surrounding it but also prolong recovery if the incision site is enlarged. Overweight patients may find it more difficult or painful to get up and about again because of the extra pressure that is put on the surrounding bones, muscles and tissues, which can also have a detrimental effect later on. Losing weight before the surgery can help reduce the risks of complications, pain and inflammation.

The type of implant you have and the level of activity you do will also affect how long the replacement lasts, so how long a titanium hip replacement lasts in a young person may not be as long as an older person, who may be lucky enough to have their hip replacement last their lifetime. Bearing all these factors in mind, a titanium hip will usually last anywhere between 10-20 years, and sometimes up to 25 years.

What Are the Signs That Your Hip Replacement Is Wearing Out?

With proper care, you should get many pain-free years from your hip replacement without having to worry about whether it needs replacing, but there are certain signs to look out for that may indicate things are wearing out. Mechanical failure, loosening or breakages can happen over time as wear and tear of the artificial hip begin to take its toll. A sudden fall or impact accident could cause the new joint to become dislocated and being more active or overweight can increase the risk factors for wearing out a mechanical joint.

Pain in the hip, groin or leg, especially when walking, or pain that feels stronger and lasts longer than before should flag up a warning, especially if you begin to find difficulty in walking or develop a limp. Look out for any swelling around the hip joint, or signs of infection including localised pain and swelling in the area. You may experience a grinding or clunking sound coming from your hip joint, or the joint feeling unstable, or notice a decrease in motion when bending or stretching your leg.

Should you need another operation on your hip joint it is known as revision surgery and is used to replace a damaged or failed hip implant. It is considered to be more complicated than the original implant, and recovery can often be more difficult as there is more scarring and less bone to work with, however, advancements in technology and surgical techniques have greatly increased the number of successful revision surgeries. multiple revisions are not ideal due to the risk of complications with each new surgery, reduced mobility and bone

loss.

What Are The 3 Big Don'ts for a Hip Replacement Patient?

When you have had a successful hip replacement surgery there are certain rules you should follow to allow proper healing of the surgical site and prevent strain on the new joint. The main reason to be cautious is because of the possibility of the new hip joint dislocating in the early stages of recovery when the tissues are still healing. Should this happen, it would require further surgery and increase the complications of a successful recovery.

The three main rules are:

• don't cross your legs at the knees for at least 6-8 weeks,
• don't bring your knee up higher than your hip,
• don't lean forward while you are sitting or as you sit down.

Following these 3 basic rules will increase the chances that the surgical site can heal properly, and you can begin the correct exercises and movement patterns that will help to regain strength and mobility while protecting the new hip.

It is important to avoid bending the hip more than 90 degrees and putting added pressure on the new joint, to avoid sitting in chairs that are too low and bend the joint further than it needs, to avoid any sudden movements in the initial stages and obviously to avoid any high-impact activities like running, jumping or contact sports that may cause high impact until you are fully recovered.

Choose Your New Hip Wisely!

Choosing to go private for your new hip will greatly reduce waiting times meaning you can get on with your life quicker than if you wait for the public hospital to perform the surgery. Choosing specialists means that you not only get seen quicker, but you can take full advantage of the most up-to-date technologies, equipment and post-operative care available so you will be back on your feet in no time at all.

If you're wondering how long does a new hip replacement operation take? Well, it can depend on varying factors - which type of surgery you are having, how much damage there already is to your hip, your overall health and risk with the anaesthetic, but as a general rule of thumb, the operation itself can take anywhere up to two hours. Generally, our patients stay with us for recovery for 1-2 hours after the operation before being discharged home. You will be informed by the surgeon before being discharged how long you will need to use crutches, and when your post-op checks will be, when you need to begin exercises and rehabilitation and what the next steps are.

For most people having a new hip greatly improves their quality of life, so contact us today to find out how we can improve your mobility and reduce your pain.