Are you too young for hip replacement?

You might be eager to get hip replacement surgery if you are experiencing pain and reduced mobility. However, it might be too soon.

Hip replacement, or arthroplasty, involves removing a damaged hip joint and replacing it with a functional artificial joint. The surgery is mostly used to treat osteonecrosis, lack of blood supply to the femur, many forms of arthritis and hip fracture.

Before considering hip replacement surgery, you should talk with your orthopedic surgeon, who likely will explore less invasive treatment options first, such as physical therapy, lifestyle modifications and medications.

“Candidacy for hip surgery is based on several factors, including what conservative treatments you have already tried, the severity of your pain and its impact on your everyday life, and any other pre-existing health conditions you may have,” explains Dr. Bradley John Zarling, an orthopedic surgeon at Advocate Health Care.

There isn’t an age requirement for hip replacement surgery, however, most people who receive the surgery are between 50 and 80 years old, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.

“Hip replacement surgery is also performed on adults under the age of 50 years old,” says Dr. Zarling. “I occasionally have patients in their early 30s with osteonecrosis of the hip or congenital deformities which requires hip replacement for better quality of life.”

He says nowadays most hip replacements can last about 30 years. However, the younger you are when you receive the hip replacement, the more likely you may need parts of it replaced later in life.

Revision surgery replaces or repairs the previously implanted hip joint, which addresses wear and tear, loosening of the joint, infection and dislocation. Like your original hip replacement surgery, a revision requires a few months of recovery and physical therapy.

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