Artificial Hip Implant
Total hip replacement surgery (THR), which has been dubbed the "greatest medical advancement of the last century," has transformed the lives of countless sufferers dealing with the pain and limitations of a painful, diseased hip joint. This medical miracle has given millions of people their lives back, and has enabled them to resume an active, fulfilling, and pain-free lifestyleHowever, as great as this advancement is, there is still one major drawback endemic to an artificial hip: Wear and tear. Artificial hips, like all artificial joints, wear out and degrade over time. However, by following a few simple steps and precautions, you can greatly extend the life of your artificial hip.
Instructions
Extend the Life of an Artificial Hip
1. Avoid high impact activities at all costs. There is nothing more detrimental to the health and longevity of an artificial hip than high impact activities. Activities that overly stress the hip, such as running, jogging, jumping and rebounding, should be avoided or kept to an absolute minimum. These types of activities can, over time, cause the artificial hip implant to loosen. When this happens, the hip implant will become painful and will eventually fail, necessitating a second hip replacement or revision. Artificial hip implants are very sturdy and very durable, and they enable a person to resume an active lifestyle, but physical activity should be kept to low impact activities, such as walking, cycling, swimming and all other forms of low impact activity.
2. Keep your weight down. Excessive body weight places an increased stress on an artificial hip. The hips are the main weight bearing areas of the body, and they support more of the body's weight than any other joint in the body. Being overweight increases the stress and the loading placed on an artificial hip, and this can cause premature loosening and wear of the artificial hip prosthesis over time. By keeping your weight as low as possible, you greatly increase the likelihood that your new hip will last for many years.
3. Keep your leg muscles strong and flexible. The muscles in your legs, most notably your quadriceps and hamstrings, act as shock absorbers. Every time you take a step, your leg muscles contract and support a great deal of your body weight. The stronger and more conditioned your leg muscles are, the less stress that is placed on your hip joint. By enabling the muscles in your leg to do more work with each step, you will greatly increase the longevity of your artificial hip. Exercises such as cycling, swimming and walking are great ways to strengthen your leg muscles, as are weight training exercises such as leg extensions and leg curls.
4. Do not perform activities that cause hip pain. Pain is a signal, a warning sign, and if an activity causes pain in your hip, stop doing it! And when I say pain, I'm not referring to normal muscle soreness or the occasional aches and pains. Those types of pain are normal and should be expected. If an activity that you are doing causes any sudden, sharp or severe pain in your hip, stop engaging in that activity. Make an appointment with your orthopedic surgeon to have your hip evaluated. It's better to be safe and to err on the side of caution!
Tags: your muscles, body weight, impact activities, over time, cycling swimming