How young is too young for a knee or hip replacement?
Whether young or old, patients should try conservative, or nonoperative, treatment before
considering a hip or knee replacement. Unfortunately, conservative treatment doesn’t always
result in satisfactory outcomes. A young person in their 20s, 30s or 40s who has exhausted
conservative treatment for their knee or hip arthritis is in a particular dilemma. We tend to see the following situations for younger patients suffering from arthritis:
- Younger patients are usually more physically active, which may lead to an earlier failure of hip or knee replacement surgeries.
- But there are also less active young people who have diseases (such as rheumatoid arthritis, hemophilia, sickle cell disease, etc.) which leads to severe multi-joint arthritis.
Regardless of the cause of arthritis, a young person’s activity level can significantly diminish, putting them at risk for secondary conditions. Some conditions include weight gain, heart disease, depression, and more. Therefore, hip or knee replacement in a young person may be necessary for improved health and quality of life.
Finally, young people with hip or knee replacements will need to realize that they will likely require revisions of their joint replacements at least one to two times in their life (assuming a normal life span). Fortunately, we have made great advancements in joint replacements such as minimally invasive robotic techniques and improved materials.”
If you have any bone or joint questions for Dr. Stonnington, submit to marketing@mhg.com
Dr. Stonnington is an accomplished and experienced primary and revision joint replacement surgeon who specializes in robotic joint replacements and minimally invasive, muscle sparing total hip arthroplasties. In addition, he is one of the few orthopedic surgeons in Mississippi proficient in pelvic and acetabular fracture repairs/reconstructions.