COMMON RISK FACTORS FOR HIP REPLACEMENT …

  • July 13, 2018
  • blog

Common Risk Factors for Hip Replacement

As the age passes by, the body starts expressing the effects of natural aging process in the form of deformities. When your joints start aching and do not support movement, you know that you are not just getting older, but there’s a need to take some actions which will help you to continue doing things that you love and enjoy life. A bad hip joint may be obstructing your way. Modern science has blessed humanity with advanced surgeries like total hip replacement to help you get over the pain and limiting movement. In reality, these replacement surgeries are not just related to the elderly, they are equally beneficial for people of all ages with a worn hip joint.
Hip is one such joint in the human body that if it is affected by arthritis, it leaves the person in constant suffering and pain, especially if the case involves osteoarthritis. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one in four women and one in five men are exposed to lifetime risk of hip arthritis, which may require a hip replacement surgery for relief.
What are the risk factors that trigger a bad hip?
There can be several reasons which can contribute to a bad hip. Here are some of the risk factors highlighted by orthopedic specialists which are known to trigger a bad hip.
Developing Osteoarthritis in Hip. Arthritis is one of the most common causes for hip pain. This inflammation of joints is known to be worse when you wake up and gradually settles down as you start becoming active during the day. Further it begins to worsen with time.
Hip is supposed to be the most vulnerable joint in the body to develop arthritis, and osteoarthritis in particular. The risk of developing hip osteoarthritis prevails more in women than men. Yet as we grow older, the hips are getting weary and fatigued while carrying the most of our body weight daily. This imposes great pressure on the cartilage present in the joint area. As the cartilage degrades with excess weight and aging, the person gets the risk of having a constant complaint of pain in the hip region.
Excessive Body Weight and higher Body Mass Index (BMI). BMI is a measure of body fat which is calculated from your weight in relation to your height. Higher BMI can be associated with an increased risk with the success of hip replacement surgery. Your body weight is largely supported by your limbs and hence excess weight adds to the strain that your hip joints are exposed to. This further adds to the risk of developing osteoarthritis. The outcome of this can be as severe as stopping your hip movement to the extent that the person starts avoiding your daily routine activities.
Family history of arthritis. Almost 50 percent of hip arthritis cases may be found related to inherited genetics. This can be either in the form of a family member with identified osteoarthritis problem or in the form of having genes for poor bone health, thereby causing the condition of arthritis.
A Hip Trauma in the Past. In case you had faced a severe hip injury in the past, it might trigger your hip pain with aging. This may further increase your risk for osteoarthritis as well.
Amount of Physical Activity as part of daily routine. Walking, running, exercising, doing household chores and so on, are some types of the physical activities. Physical activity adds excessive strain on your hips. Thus there is higher chance of having the need for hip replacement. This excess strain also causes wear and tear in the hip joints thus resulting in constant ongoing pain. This exposes your hip joints to higher risk of injury and thereby the need for undergoing a hip replacement surgery later.
Benefits of hip replacement
Hip replacement has been proven to offer great relief in pain and considerable mobility in patients who are suffering from osteoarthritis or inflammatory arthritis of the hip region. More than 90% of patients get relief from pain and the increased mobility for around 10 years and many of them would have it functioning even for 20 years.
Still, whenever you get a hip pain which doesn’t go away after your basic treatments like some exercises, local application of some gel or ointment for pain relief, it is highly recommended that you visit an orthopedic specialist for a consultation and explore the options suggested by the expert. However, no pain should be ignored and timely actions are a great help in keeping your body fit and active.