Hip pain and knee pain may come from an injury that happened a long time ago or from a recent trauma, such as a car accident or a fall. You may also experience pain simply as a result of the natural aging process. As we age, the cartilage that cushions our joints wears thin and the bones may begin to rub together or press on surrounding nerves. Oftentimes the hip causes knee pain and vice versa. You may be experiencing pain in your knee but upon examination it’s discovered that the source of the problem is actually in your hip.

It might be time for knee or hip replacement when severe pain from arthritis limits your everyday activities such as walking, taking stairs, or getting in and out of chairs. Other reasons to consider knee joint replacement surgery or hip joint replacement surgery include:

• Experiencing moderate to severe hip or knee pain while resting day or night
• Having swelling or stiffness of the hip joint or knee joint that does not improve with rest or medication
• Being unable to move at the hip or having difficulty bending or straightening the knee

Only a doctor can accurately diagnose your condition by performing a physical exam, reviewing your health history, and looking at results from tests, such as an X-ray or MRI. Together, you and your orthopedic specialist will determine if these limiting symptoms justify undergoing surgery.

There are conservative, nonoperative methods of controlling your discomfort. In some cases, physical therapy can help alleviate your pain. You may also benefit from taking medication that blocks the sensation of pain or helps relax your muscles. Oftentimes patients benefit from a combination of physical therapy and medication. Certain patients may need to avoid physical therapy, however, as it may aggravate pain and inflammation. If or when conservative hip and knee treatments fail, and after careful diagnosis and assessment of severity of symptoms, hip or knee replacement may be recommended. 

The hip and knee replacement surgery success rate is greater than 95 percent—meaning, of those who do get surgery, more than 95 percent achieve good to excellent results with relief of discomfort while significantly increasing activity levels and improving mobility.

As with any surgery, there are risks. The most common knee and hip replacement risks are blood clots and infection. After joint replacement surgery, however, complications are rare.

Your plan for postoperative care should be discussed with your surgeon before surgery. Most people go home to recover following knee replacement after an overnight in the hospital—you will be evaluated both medically and for function by our multidisciplinary care team. Your discharge plan will adjust to surgeon and therapy recommendations in the hospital.

Recovery varies from person to person. Generally speaking, however, the better your current health and activity level, the more quickly you’ll be back on your feet enjoying the things you like to do in life. It’s also essential to follow your surgeon’s instructions and exercise program for best results. You should be able to resume most daily activities in the weeks after surgery. Most people gradually increase their activity level at the surgeon’s discretion.

Common activities include:

• Recreational walking
• Biking
• Swimming
• Golf
• Doubles tennis
• Bowling
• Dancing

You’ll need to avoid high-impact sports, such as jogging, downhill skiing and singles tennis.

Thanks to cutting-edge protocols and advances in pain control medication, we are able to keep you relatively comfortable after surgery. Your orthopedic surgery team will discuss various pain management strategies with you with the goal of helping you achieve freedom from pain without relying on medication.