The same can be said about joint replacement surgery. Although there is a lot of positive feedback from people who have had the surgery and claim it has changed their lives for the better, there is still a reluctance on the part of many people to give into this extensive surgery.
Total joint replacement is a surgery in which a damaged joint - usually caused by arthritis - is removed and replaced with a prosthesis, a replica of the joint that’s made of metal, plastic or ceramics. It is designed to mimic the movement of the joint it replaces and eliminate the pain caused by the natural joint deterioration.
The reticence to undergo the surgery may stem from the extensive rehabilitation that’s necessary once the surgery has been performed. Or perhaps it’s a general aversion to invasive surgery. It may even be a dread of having a natural body part replaced by something artificial.
But eventually, the pain of having a hip or knee limit your mobility and consequently, your ability to enjoy life, wins out. In 2011, almost a million total joint replacements were performed by surgeons in the United States. While knees and hips are the most common joints replaced, they're not the only types of replacements available. Today, patients can have a wrist, ankle, shoulder and/or elbow replaced with a prosthesis.
Is the Time Right?
Joints are hinges, constantly bending and straightening to allow us to perform various movements. The joint is where two bones meet. The hip and knee are considered ball and socket joints because the rounded end of one bone fits into the cup of another.