Have Hip Pain?
Did you know that there are many options for managing and reducing your pain? Before you put up with discomfort and limited mobility any longer, take a moment to learn the facts about knee pain, and what you can do about it.
What is Osteoarthritis?
One of the most common causes of chronic knee pain is arthritis, particularly osteoarthritis (OA). OA occurs when there is a breakdown in the cushioning cartilage between joints. When this cartilage wears down, bones begin to rub against each other, causing pain, swelling, stiffness and damage to other parts of the knee.
While the exact cause is unknown, there are several factors that may increase risk of developing OA:
- Age: The strongest risk factor for OA is age 5. Typically seen in patients over 45, it may also start in young adulthood often due to injury.
- Gender: Women are not only more likely to have OA than men, but they may also have more severe.
- Joint Injury: Traumatic injury to a joint increases the risk of developing OA.
- Obesity: There is consistent evidence that obesity increases the risk of symptomatic hip OA.
- Joint Alignment: People with joints that are not aligned correctly, like bowlegs or dislocated hips, are more likely to develop OA in those joints.
Prevalence
There is a lifetime risk developing symptomatic knee OA of around 40% for men and 47% in women. This risk increases to 60% in people with a BMI of 30 or higher.
Diagnosis
OA generally presents itself with pain that has developed gradually, with stiffness or swelling of the joint – mostly associated with activity. A doctor performs a physical examination that focuses on the patient’s walk, range of motion in the joint and swelling or tenderness. Cartilage loss can be generally confirmed with x-rays that show a loss of cartilage in the affected knee.
Nonsurgical Treatment Options
OA can be treated either non-surgically with drugs, or with a variety of surgical treatment options. Nonsurgical options generally begin with lifestyle modification – losing weight, switching from running to lower-impact exercises and minimizing activities that may aggravate the patient’s condition. Certain drugs are available for the treatment of OA, such as anti-inflammatory and pain management medications. Physical therapy can also help increase the range of motion and flexibility in affected joints, and supportive devices like braces, canes and specialized shoes can assist with pain and weight-bearing issues.
Supine HA Animation
Surgical Treatment Options
Total hip replacement with HipAlign
Hip replacement surgery removes damaged or diseased parts of a hip joint and replaces them with new, synthetic parts. Patients usually spend one to four days in the hospital after hip replacement surgery, with recovery time ranging from about three to six months. An exercise program can reduce joint pain and stiffness.
Benefits of Hip Replacement surgery using HipAlign:
- Reduced exposure to radiation during the procedure (for Direct-Anterior Approach hip replacements)
- Validated accurate leg-length reconstruction
- Data demonstrates that 95% of hip cup-placements are within the “target zone” compared with 70% of conventionally implanted hips.
How HipAlign works
HipAlign is a medical device allowing surgeons to focus on the patient and tailor each procedure to your unique anatomy and kinematics (motion). HipAlign uses the same kind of sensor technology that keeps satellites in orbit and planes in the air. Think of it as “GPS for surgery” that allows surgeons to make real-time decisions based on data that will make your surgery more successful.
