Hip Replacement Now for Younger Set

January 9, 2011 8:32 am 3 comments

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Art Jahnke

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The Washington Post reports on a downward trend in the age of people opting for hip replacement. Once upon a time, the Post reports, doctors advised patients to wait until they were 60 before getting a new hip, and even today, most hip recipients are over 65, but the portion of patients ages 45 to 64 grew from 27 percent in 1998 to 40 percent in 2008. In that year, by the way, more than 277,000 total hip replacements were performed. Why the youth movement? The Post suggests that younger people are less willing to give up active lives and more willing to accept the extreme likelihood that a second hip replacement will be necessary 15 or 20 years down the road. James Graeter, director of the George Washington University Hospital Joint Replacement Center, tells the Post that he advises patients that they should go with their hip as long as they can until it gets to the point where it hurts all the time or it wakes you up at night, and not for a hip that hurts after you walk a half-mile, but hurts with every step.

3 Comments

Enoch

January 10, 2011
11:17 am

I’m 35 and just had a hip replacement in October. My quality of life had declined due to my lack of mobility and the constant excruciating pain. From the time I woke up from my surgery I was a new man, pain free and ready to resume normal activities again. Best health wise decision I have ever made.

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Anna

January 21, 2011
10:58 pm

I am 24 years old and just had a total right hip replacement 9 days ago. I am scheduled to get my left hip replaced in march. I had severe juvenile rheumatoid arthritis as a child for 4 years. I cannot sit at a 90 degree angle yet. Don’t no anyone as young as me to get this done so can anyone who is in their twenties or thirties tell me what to expect? Thanks!

Reply
- Mary
  
  November 10, 2012
  7:25 pm
  
  Hi Anna,
  I had my first total hip replacement three years ago this coming may, i was born with displacia and had it corrected when i was three over the years the cartilage wore away between the hip joint and with the pain and the difficulties i had with it i had no choice then to go for it, i was 22, i am now 24 and am awaiting my second one, i.found for the first year i had brilliant relief but since then i found i have as much pain in my hip as i had before the surgery but i have been told once i have the second i should have relief because i am putting all my pressure on my right hip from the pain in my left i hope all has worked out for you x
  
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