Part of The Joint Replacement Guide — Phase 3: Understanding the Risks · Article 12 of 42 · Hip & Knee Key Points Bleeding Some blood loss is expected with any joint replacement, but modern techniques — including the routine use of a medication called tranexamic acid, which reduces bleeding during and after surgery —…
Part of The Joint Replacement Guide — Phase 2: Considering Surgery · Article 8 of 42 · Hip & Knee Key Points Deciding to have joint replacement surgery is a shared decision between you and your clinical team — not something dictated by an X-ray result. The right time is when symptoms are significantly affecting…
Part of The Joint Replacement Guide — Phase 2: Considering Surgery · Article 11 of 42 · Hip & Knee Key Points What Is Prehabilitation? Most people are familiar with rehabilitation — the process of regaining strength and function after surgery. Prehabilitation applies a similar principle in reverse: preparing your body in the weeks or…
Part of The Joint Replacement Guide — Phase 2: Considering Surgery · Article 10 of 42 · Hip & Knee Key Points “Fitness for surgery” is about a combination of factors, and many of the most important ones can be improved before your operation. Weight, blood sugar control, smoking, and anaemia are among the biggest…
Part of The Joint Replacement Guide — Phase 2: Considering Surgery · Article 9 of 42 · Hip & Knee Key Points A good outcome from joint replacement is a partnership between you, your support network, and your clinical team. Your own engagement with preparation and rehabilitation is one of the biggest controllable factors in…
Part of The Joint Replacement Guide — Phase 2: Considering Surgery · Article 7 of 42 · Hip & Knee Key Points Injections can provide useful short-term relief but are not a long-term cure for osteoarthritis. Cortisone (corticosteroid) injections have the best evidence of the three, though relief is typically measured in weeks to a…
Part of The Joint Replacement Guide — Phase 2: Considering Surgery · Article 6 of 42 · Hip & Knee Key Points Non-surgical treatment is the correct starting point for almost everyone with osteoarthritis, and should be tried properly before surgery is considered. Exercise and physiotherapy have the strongest evidence base of any non-surgical treatment…
Part of The Joint Replacement Guide — Phase 1: Understanding Your Condition · Article 5 of 42 · Hip & Knee Key Points Osteoarthritis is by far the most common cause of hip and knee pain in adults, but it isn’t the only one, and part of a thorough assessment is making sure the diagnosis…
Part of The Joint Replacement Guide — Phase 1: Understanding Your Condition · Article 4 of 42 · Hip & Knee Key Points OA Doesn’t Progress in a Straight Line One of the most common questions patients ask is “how long will this take to get worse?” — and honestly, there is no single answer….
Part of The Joint Replacement Guide — Phase 1: Understanding Your Condition · Article 1 of 42 · Hip & Knee Key Points What’s Actually Happening in Your Joint A healthy joint is a remarkably efficient piece of engineering. The ends of the bones are covered in smooth, glassy cartilage that lets them glide against…