Is your hip pain holding you back from leading the life you want?
It may be time for you to consider seeking treatment for your joint pain. To help you make your decision, we chat to hip consultants Anthony Maury, Nick Carrington and Edward Britton from Clifton Park Hospital, part of Ramsay Health Care, in York City.
Below, the specialists discuss some common hip surgery myths:
1. Hip pain only affects the elderly
Hip pain can affect patients of all ages.
“While we usually observe osteoarthritis in the ageing population, there are some conditions that can cause hip pain when younger,” Nick explains. “Some rare conditions can affect the development of your hip resulting in hip and groin pain in childhood.”
Hip pain can also be caused by an injury, some genetic conditions, general wear and tear and overuse.
“Hip pain is a far more common problem than you may realise, and it can have a tremendous impact on your daily life, which is why it’s best to seek medical advice sooner rather than later,” Edward reveals.
2. I can’t continue to play sports after joint replacement surgery
“This is something I often hear from patients, mainly because they are nervous that too much activity could harm their hip replacement,” Anthony says. “However, this couldn’t be further from the truth and within three months of surgery you can return to the same life and activities that you previously enjoyed.”
At Clifton Park Hospital, the consultants will get to know what activities you hope to return to following your recovery.
“We can then tailor the type of hip replacement implants we use to give you the best chance of achieving these goals and ensuring that the replacement will last as long as possible,” Nick says. “Most modern hip implants last for up to 20 years.”
3. Hip replacement surgery and recovery take a long time
You may be put off by the thought of surgery because of hefty waiting times or slow recovery, but there are ways to access the treatment you need promptly.
“As a dedicated orthopaedic centre, we’re able to provide easy and fast access to our clinic for a diagnosis. We can then agree on a personalised treatment plan and assign a private patient manager who will be on hand to offer guidance and reassurance every step of the way,” Edward says.
On the day of surgery, you’ll likely stay in hospital for no longer than 24 to 48 hours.
“We’ll then ensure you can safely climb and descend stairs with the aid of walking sticks before discharging you,” Nick tells us.
“Following your surgery, one of our expert consultants will meet with you regularly to monitor your progress, help you manage any pain, and advise what light exercises, stretches, diet and routine you can follow to aid your recovery.”
You can also consider a less invasive type of hip surgery that will help you return to your normal routine as soon as possible.
“We have the option to perform surgery using muscle ‘sparing’ approaches called SuperPATH and PATH, which means less muscle and tendon is damaged during the operation, which can lead to a more rapid recovery of mobility and function,” Anthony explains.
4. Hip surgery is the only treatment for hip pain
There are plenty of ways that you can approach treating hip pain, and with the right medical advice, you can find the option that’s right for you.
“We always consider a multimodal approach to treating hip and joint pain and can recommend changes you can make to your lifestyle, routine and diet to ease symptoms,” Nick says.
Occasionally using painkillers and anti-inflammatory tablets or gels can be useful.
“At Clifton Park Hospital, patients will have access to a full range of conservative therapies, including pain management strategies such as injection therapy,” Anthony says.
“We also offer excellent physiotherapy treatment, where you will learn core and hip strengthening exercises that can help develop the muscles around your hips. You can also benefit from a technique called shockwave therapy that is used to ease tendon problems and isn’t available anywhere else in the city.”
Some patients may require hip joint surgery for better movement and flexibility.
“This can take the form of keyhole surgery if there isn’t significant damage to the hip bone, or we can consider hip replacement surgery for more severe cases of arthritis,” Edward says. “When surgery is the best course for a patient, we will talk them through all aspects of the procedure to help them understand what lies ahead and put their mind at ease.”
“We’re dedicated to ensuring patients receive quality care at every stage during their treatment, and use our expertise and knowledge to achieve the best results,” Nick says.
For help with your hip pain, visit cliftonparkhospital.co.uk or call 01904 211 645 to find out more.
