Exposing Common Myths About Hip Replacement Surgery
Posted on: 5 June 2023
Hip replacement surgeries have allowed so many people to walk again. They've been life-saving and even life-changing for patients over the years. However, many myths are floating around about hip replacement surgery. If you are considering hip replacement or have a family member who has been scheduled for this procedure, it's important for you to know the truth. Keep reading, and you'll find it.
Common Myth #1:Hip replacement is only for older people.
It is true that many, and maybe even most, hip replacement surgeries are performed in older adults. But this is just because broken hips are more common in older adults because they fall more often and their bones are more brittle. If you are a younger person who breaks a hip or happens to develop severe hip arthritis, hip replacement can be a good option for you. There is no minimum age for hip replacement, and in fact, younger people tend to recover better from the procedure.
Common Myth #2: Hip replacement surgery will keep you off your feet for weeks.
It will definitely take you a while to heal from hip replacement surgery. But that recovery period does not mean sitting in bed and doing nothing else. Most surgeons will want you up and walking around within a few days of your hip replacement. This helps speed healing and prevent blood clots. With the help of your physical therapist, you'll be walking around remarkably soon. Depending on the reason you needed your hip replaced, you may even be more comfortable walking post-surgery than you were before surgery.
Common Myth #3: You'll need to take anti-rejection medications after a hip replacement.
Anti-rejection medications are necessary after an organ transplant to prevent your body from rejecting the transplanted organ. However, they are not necessary after a hip replacement because hip replacement surgery does not involve putting another person's tissues into your body. Your replacement hip will be made from a biocompatible metal, such as titanium, and maybe some medical-grade silicone. The body does not react to these materials, which is why they are used to make replacement hips. There are no long-term medication requirements for people who have had hip replacements.
Hopefully busting these three myths has given you a more informed idea of what hip replacement surgery actually involves and requires. To find out more, reach out to a company like Adams County Regional Medical Center today.
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