Am I Too Young for a Hip Replacement?

Let’s look at the procedure itself, common reasons for getting one, and how age affects this treatment.

Am I Too Young for a Hip Replacement?

Your hip is a ball and socket joint vital for stability and weight bearing that is composed of three parts: the ilium, the pubis, and the ischium. Because it’s responsible for bearing your weight when performing most tasks, your hip is one of the most stable joints in your body. This also means that over time it’s prone to problems due to wear-and-tear or injury.

Hip replacement surgery is a safe and effective treatment for relieving pain and making the complications of hip problems easier to manage. It’s a common procedure, with over 300,000 surgeries done per year, but they’re frequently performed on people over 60. Is there a reason for younger people to get this procedure, and is it safe for them? Read on.

Residents of the Medford and Grants Pass, Oregon, area looking for relief from hip pain can get help from the extensive medical team at Southern Oregon Orthopedics. As the largest group of orthopedic specialists in southern Oregon, we offer a one-stop solution for treating patients of all ages.

Let’s look at the procedure itself, common reasons for getting one, and how age affects this treatment.

The hip replacement process

The procedure itself is a rather straightforward operation that’s generally done within two hours. After anesthesia is applied, an incision is made over your hip to get through the layers of tissues and access the damaged bone.

Next, any diseased or damaged areas of the joint are removed, retaining as much healthy tissue as possible. Then the implant is placed, followed by a metal stem in the top of your thigh bone, which is topped by the replacement ball for the hip joint.

We perform this process using MAKOplasty®, a technology that uses a robotic arm to perform a less invasive procedure that improves your recovery and post-surgical experience.

Reasons to get a hip replacement

Arthritis is a common reason for hip pain leading to surgery, due to damage it can cause to the cartilage in your hip joints. Osteoarthritis is often the result of wear-and-tear as you get older, and rheumatoid arthritis is the result of an overactive immune system which attacks your healthy cartilage.

Osteonecrosis is another possible reason for hip replacement, which happens when there’s inadequate blood being supplied to your hip joint. This can be caused by a dislocation or fracture in your hip bone, and may lead to the bone collapsing.

Injuries to your pelvic area can also necessitate hip replacement, if they result in fractures or breaks in your joint. Any of these causes can lead to the persistent pain that can make basic tasks like walking difficult, make it harder to get up from a seated position, or cause trouble sleeping.

The effect of age on the procedure

While arthritis commonly associated with hip problems is more common in older people, and there’s been an increase in the procedure in adults ages 45-54, there’s no indication that younger individuals can’t get the treatment if they need it.

Studies have shown improvement in successful procedures in patients dealing with conditions like childhood inflammatory arthritis. In addition, implanted hip joints have enjoyed a 90 percent survival rate in patients 20 and younger dealing with juvenile arthritis over a decade.

While it’s less common for children and young adults to deal with the sort of hip problems that would lead to replacement surgery, it’s entirely safe if it becomes necessary. So, young or old, if you need a hip replacement, we can help.

Make an appointment with the medical team at Southern Oregon Orthopedics to feel better and improve your mobility. Call our office most convenient to you or schedule online today.