In this video, Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon Mr Syed Ahmed, highlights the different types of hip replacement, and how to achieve the best long term outcome.
A hip replacement (arthroplasty) is a common type of surgery where a damaged hip joint is replaced with an artificial one known as an implant.
So the most commonly used hip replacement is a total hip replacement where you resurface the socket which sits inside the pelvis and also replace the worn head and the stem that goes down your thigh bone.
Now when you’re talking about types of hip replacement the two most commonly used types of hip replacement are either cemented or uncemented fixation. In uncemented implants the stem itself is coated and allows bone to ingrow into the stem. With cemented implants there’s immediate fixation between the stem and the thigh bone. The preference of which implant one uses is based on age and the anatomy of the patient.
How long do hip replacements last?
90% of hip replacements last over 15 years and around 60% of hip replacements last about 25 years, but again this is dependent on a number of different factors based on the type of hip replacements that are used, and the activity levels of the individual. If you’re going to play contact sport or if you’re going to do closed circuit exercises then there’s a higher likelihood that you’ll wear this out quicker.
How long does it take to recover after surgery?
Normally an individual is in hospital for one or two nights following surgery. The duration of your stay in hospital depends on how quickly you’re able to get up and mobilise with physiotherapy, how well your pain is under control, and how medically stable you are – considering any conditions that you may have.
After two days when you’re home you’re usually able to walk fairly independently with the help of crutches. By four to six weeks, most patients really go back to all their normal activities.
How can I improve my chances of a speedy recovery?
Before the procedure, you must make sure you strengthen and condition the muscles around the hip and so doing simple exercises that will be provided to you by physiotherapy.
The physiotherapists that are on the ward will give you exercises that strengthen your adductus, which are the muscles on the outside of your hip which will help you walk a lot more comfortably and smoothly following your hip replacement.
What you want to make sure in the first few weeks after the procedure is that you don’t fall over. You want to make sure you’re stable when you use your crutches if you need them and you gently let the muscles heal around the hip.
Most patients who have hip replacement do not need long-term physiotherapy. You generally tend to be able to manage doing a lot of the exercises that physio recommended for you at home or you attend some online classes.