Hip Replacement Specialist

Western Orthopaedics, P.C.

Orthopedic Surgeons & Physical Therapists located in Denver, CO & Arvada, CO

If you have chronic pain in your hip that’s significantly impairing your daily activities, it might be time for a hip replacement. The orthopaedic surgeons at Western Orthopaedics, P.C., in Denver and Arvada, Colorado, are highly skilled in hip replacement procedures and can provide you with a state-of-the-art solution to improve your quality of life. To learn more about what a hip replacement can do for you, call the office nearest you or book a visit online.

303-321-1333

Hip Replacement Q & A

What is a hip replacement?

Hip replacement is a surgical procedure to replace and restore your hip if you’re experiencing chronic pain or impaired functioning. It’s one of the most successful operations in all of medicine, and it’s a relatively common procedure, with over 300,000 instances happening in the United States every year.

Your hip replacement can either be partial or full.

Partial hip replacement

In a partial hip replacement (hemiarthroplasty), your surgeon replaces the ball portion (femoral head) of your hip and leaves your joint socket (acetabulum) intact.

Full hip replacement

In a full or total hip replacement, your surgeon implants a prosthetic shell into your joint socket, in addition to replacing your femoral head.

Why would I need a hip replacement?

Your hip has a ball-and-socket anatomy that cartilage lines. Cartilage is slick and numb, which makes it an excellent material to coat the ball and socket and facilitate a wide range of complex and fluid motions. If you develop a problem with the cartilage in your hip, you might need a hip replacement to treat it fully.

There are a few different conditions that can impair the functioning of your hip and cause chronic pain, like a physical injury or childhood hip disease, but the most common causes of hip replacement are:

Osteoarthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis
Post-traumatic arthritis

Each type of arthritis can damage the cartilage in your hip joint, leaving the raw bone of your ball to rub up against the raw bone of your socket.

Do I need a hip replacement?

Most people come to discover that they need a hip replacement as a result of pain. An arthritic hip is an uncomfortable hip, and that discomfort can worsen to the point where it limits your daily activities and interferes with your sleep.

The specialists at Western Orthopaedics, P.C., evaluate your medical history, conduct a physical exam, and take imaging, like X-rays or MRI, to determine if a hip replacement would benefit your condition. Hip replacement is typically a last resort for treating a painful or dysfunctional hip, but it’s an incredibly effective and successful treatment method.

What’s involved in getting a hip replacement?

When you get a hip replacement, your orthopaedic surgeon resurfaces or replaces the areas of your hip joint that’s lacking in cartilage. Using metal, plastic, or ceramic components, a hip replacement restores the surfaces of your hip joint so that they function properly and do not cause pain

You receive general anesthesia for the procedure, which typically takes one to two hours. You can expect to spend two or three days recovering in the hospital before going home, at which point you can begin rehabilitation/physical therapy to restore your normal gait, improve functioning, and strength.

Schedule a consultation by phone or online with Western Orthopaedics, P.C., today, and learn more about how a hip replacement can improve your quality of life.