Hip Replacement

Southwest Orthopedic Group, LLP

Orthopedic Surgery located in Houston, TX & The Greater Houston Area

When conservative treatments haven’t resolved your hip pain or stiffness, a hip replacement could relieve your discomfort, increase your mobility, and help you get your life back. The experienced, board-certified surgeons at Southwest Orthopedic Group, LLP, with nine locations in Houston, Texas, and the greater Houston area, offer treatment for a wide variety of orthopedic conditions, including hip replacements. You don’t have to live with hip pain — call Southwest Orthopedic Group, LLP to schedule an appointment today.

Hip Replacement Q & A

What is a hip replacement?

Your hip is one of the largest joints in your body. This ball-and-socket joint connects your thigh bone by its femoral head to the socket of your pelvis. A hip replacement surgically replaces a damaged, fractured, or diseased hip joint.

Chronic hip pain or disability can arise due to a variety of factors, including:

Osteoarthritis: age-related wear-and-tear to the hip cartilage
Rheumatoid arthritis: cartilage damage and loss from chronic inflammation
Post-traumatic arthritis: lost or damaged cartilage due to a severe hip injury
Avascular necrosis: damage to the femoral head caused by disrupted blood supply
Childhood hip disease: a range of conditions that cause the hip to grow abnormally and affect joint surfaces

Doctors perform more than 300,000 hip replacements each year in the United States.

How does a hip replacement work?

A hip replacement takes several hours. During your procedure, your doctor removes the damaged bone and cartilage in your hip and replaces it with artificial, or prosthetic, components.

The first step of a hip replacement involves removing your damaged femoral head and replacing it with a metal stem. Your doctor fits or cements this stem into your thigh bone. Then, they add a ceramic or metal ball at the top of the stem to replace your damaged femoral head.

To prepare your hip socket, your doctor removes any damaged cartilage and replaces it with a metal socket. Finally, your doctor places a spacer made of ceramic, plastic, or metal between your new femoral ball and socket. This spacer creates a smooth gliding surface.

What can I expect after a hip replacement?

One of the most important steps of a healthy recovery from hip replacement is a regular activity, especially during the first weeks after your surgery. In most cases, you can resume normal to light activities within 3-6 weeks.

During this time, a physical therapist works with you to create an activity program that gradually increases your mobility, helps you resume other household activities like climbing stairs, and restores movement and strength to your hip.

If you’re suffering from hip pain, call Southwest Orthopedic Group, LLP to schedule an appointment today.

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