How Does Arthroscopic Surgery Work?
Surgeons treat many orthopedic conditions with arthroscopic surgery, but you may not fully understand what this advanced surgical technique entails. Read on to learn about arthroscopy and why it’s used.
Hip replacements are one of the most common joint replacement surgeries, with more than 650,000 people predicted to undergo the procedure in the United States in 2025 and 850,000 in 2030.
The majority of people undergoing hip replacement do so due to osteoarthritis of the hip. This condition occurs when the cartilage that cushions the joint wears away, causing stiffness, pain, and movement limitations.
While the exact cause of osteoarthritis isn’t fully understood, it has something to do with the inability of certain people’s tissue to repair itself over time. Some individuals are more at risk of the disease.
Here at Silicon Valley Orthopaedics, located in Fremont, California, the medical team consisting of George Thabit, III, MD, Nic Gay, MD, Masi Reynolds, DO, and April Mancuso, MD, see hundreds of cases of hip arthritis every year. Read on to learn four of the primary factors that contribute to the development of hip arthritis.
Age is the greatest risk factor for osteoarthritis. Cell, muscle, and proprioceptor changes in the hip joint that happen with aging contribute to the development of osteoarthritis, especially when other risk factors are present.
People inherit an increased risk of developing osteoarthritis. You aren’t born with the actual breakdown of joint cartilage. Certain genetic factors make it so your body is less efficient at regenerating new tissue to buffer damage from wear-and-tear.
Injuries to the hip don’t create arthritis, but they can contribute to its development later on. Injuries that can make the hip susceptible to disease include labral tears and a hip fracture.
If you have a job or play a sport that requires repetitive hip joint movements, like squatting and bending, you may be at increased risk of arthritis.
Women are more likely to develop hip osteoarthritis as compared to men. Being overweight or having structural abnormalities, like hip dysplasia, are also factors.
Your risk of arthritis also rises with health challenges like diabetes, high cholesterol, and vitamin D deficiency.
If you’re at risk of hip arthritis, maintain a healthy weight to help reduce the severity of symptoms. You might also consider trading high-impact activities, like running, for lower-impact ones, like swimming and cycling.
Come see us at the first signs of pain and we can help you with therapies like topical and over-the-counter pain medications, in-house physical therapy, and other treatments to slow arthritis progression.
If you’re struggling with hip pain that interferes with daily chores or activities, make an appointment at Silicon Valley Orthopaedics today. We can assess your hip to determine if arthritis or another condition is causing your pain. Usually, X-rays, symptom evaluation, and physical exams are enough to diagnose arthritis.
Our team helps you understand your treatment options, which include lifestyle modifications, corticosteroid injections, regenerative medicine, and surgery. Hip replacement surgery has a high success rate and greatly increases quality of life for people with arthritis.
We usually recommend hip replacement surgery when other treatments, including pain medications, injections, and physical activity modifications, fail to bring relief.
Contact Silicon Valley Orthopaedics if you’re concerned about the health of your hips or other joints. Call or use this website to schedule your visit.
