Orthopedics

If you have been putting off treatment for a lingering or life-limiting hip injury, the highly-trained physicians at St. Luke's Orthopedic and Total Joint Center in St. Louis can help.

Initial treatment includes losing weight, moderate exercise, restriction of activity and pain medication. Reducing the amount that a person walks and use of a cane may also help. When most other forms of treatment options have failed to relieve your pain and improve your mobility, you might want to consider hip replacement surgery from the St. Luke's Orthopedic and Total Joint Center in St. Louis.

In a normal hip, the bone is covered by a smooth lining of cartilage. This surface, with a small amount of joint fluid, allows the joint to move smoothly. Various diseases, such as osteoarthritis, can cause the smooth cartilage lining to break down. These conditions can lead to pain and stiffness in the joint. In a hip that has been affected by osteoarthritis, cartilage has been destroyed, the joint space is narrow and the bone has been eroded. Outgrowths of new bone, called spurs, develop at the margins of the joint.

We will discuss the best options of hip replacement based on several different factors, including the patient's age, weight, activity level and bone quality. Our team of experts also consists of rehabilitative therapists who work individually with you on a program that puts your life back on track.

Signs you may need hip replacement surgery include:

• Severe pain in the hip associated with activity
• Severe hip pain at night
• Severe interference with daily activities and work

To learn more:
Timely treatment for hip fractures can alleviate complications
Help is available for many types of hip pain
Hip Joint Replacement Series
Hip fractures serious: Prevention and proper treatment critical
Women can ease effects of arthritis with proper exercise programs
Skeletal System

To connect with one of our hip replacement doctors in St. Louis, call our Physician Referral Service at 314-205-6060 or find an orthopedic doctor now.