Getting Help With My Leg

Your body's joints play a vital role in your movement and range of motion, so having healthy joints is essential for day to day activities. Unfortunately, joints can suffer wear and tear due to age, or not longer function properly due to arthritis or injury. When this happens, surgical intervention may be necessary. One joint that is often operated on is the hip joint. Many people every year require a hip joint replacement. If you are having issues with one or both of your hips, your primary care doctor will most likely refer you to an orthopedist for more specialized treatment. Some signs that hip joint replacement surgery may be your best option include:

Inability to Walk without Extreme Pain

Most people don't even think when they are walking-- it's just something that they do all day, every day. However, for people with major hip problems, walking can be a very painful chore. If your hip joint is severely damaged or diseased, the simple act of walking or even moving the joint can be excruciatingly painful. There is no reason to continue living in pain and not having the ability to walk normally. A hip joint replacement can restore your ability to walk without pain after you recovery from surgery and complete physical therapy.

Extreme Joint Stiffness

The joints in your body are meant to be fluid and allow for a wide range of motion. However, this can change over time, and joints can become very stiff and immobile. IF this happens in one or both of your hip joints, you may lose the ability to lift your leg and move it in normal ways. If your hip joint has become so stiff that you can no longer properly move one or both legs, more conservative treatment may not help. Replacing your old, damaged joint with an artificial hip joint will most likely solve your problem.

Non-Surgical Treatment are Not Helping

When you see an orthopedist for problems with your hip joints, he or she will create a treatment plan. An initial treatment plan typically includes a variety of non-surgical options that can be very helpful. Best case scenario, you will respond well to the non-surgical treatment and your hip joint function will be restored. Unfortunately, not all non-surgical treatment plans will work for everyone. If your orthopedist has exhausted all non-surgical treatment options for your hip joint pain, hip joint replacement surgery will typically be recommended.