Knee, Hip & Shoulder Joint Replacements

What are knee, hip and shoulder joint replacements?

Joint replacements are surgeries that are carried out to replace damaged joint components with new components made from titanium, polyethylene, or ceramic materials. These replacement joints return mobility to people who would otherwise be disabled by joints that no longer carry weight effectively or cause pain. In most cases, joint replacements don’t replace the entire joint, but they replace certain parts of the joint that have worn down or become diseased.

What causes knee, hip and shoulder joint replacements?

A variety of conditions can damage your joints to the point that joint replacement surgery is the most viable option. The most common of these conditions is osteoarthritis from aging, which is also known as the degenerative joint disease. This disease causes the cartilage between your joints to degrade, and it can cause pain to the extent that you are unable to walk or move your elbows. In other cases, an accident or an injury may precipitate joint replacement surgery. Other factors such as heredity, obesity and joint overuse can lead to the degeneration of joints.

What are the symptoms?

Patients needing a joint replacement typically experience pain, joint soreness, stiffness, joint, swelling. Functionally patients have difficulty with self care, dressing, washing, reaching, getting out of a chair, walking and climbing stairs.

How are knee, hip and shoulder joint replacements diagnosed?

Doctors use a variety of diagnostic tools to determine whether you are in need of joint replacement surgery. First, they will consult your medical history and ask you questions about your pain levels and mobility. Then, they will perform a routine physical examination and order X-rays of the joint in question. After consulting the evidence, your doctor will decide whether or not joint replacement surgery is necessary.

How are knee, hip and shoulder joint replacements treated?

After you undergo joint replacement surgery, it can take some time for your body to recover fully. Pain relievers are sometimes prescribed to joint replacement patients during this recovery period, and physical therapy is almost always recommended for a few weeks or months after the surgery. At Advance Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation, our therapists are highly skilled in treating post operative joint replacements. We work to restore the mobility, strength and function of the replaced joint. We incorporate modalities such as electrical stimulation, cryotherapy, manual therapy, range of motion, stretching, therapeutic exercises, home safety training, adaptive equipment management, home exercise programs. As well as gait and balance training for the hip and knee replacements.