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36 The Courier sun • health • april 2, 2015 for breaking news visit www.couriersun.com ▶health DON’T LET JOINT PAIN SLOW YOU DOWN Are you an avid golfer, green-thumb gardener or playful grandparent - a weekend warrior - who wants to stay active but whose joints can’t always keep up? If you’re thinking about discussing joint pain and possible replacement surgery with your doctor, but find yourself procrastinating, you’re not alone. Delaying treatment may prolong pain and deprive you from doing the things you love. Many patients who finally decide to have surgery wonder why they waited so long to get help. “I always tell my patients, many of whom are golfers, having an arthritic hip or knee doesn’t necessarily mean your golf days are over,” says Dr. Adam Freedhand, an orthopedic surgeon based in Houston, Texas. “In fact, the reason we do joint replacement is first to reduce pain and second to improve function. Although joint replacement surgery isn’t right for everyone, we can help the appropriate patient improve their function and reduce pain, helping them get back out on the green.” “Take a look at TOUR veterans like Fred Funk and Hal Sutton, winners on both the PGA TOUR and Champions Tour. These guys are elite athletes whose arthritic joints threatened to end their golf careers. Now - Hal has bilateral Mobile Bearing hip replacements and Fred has a GetAroundKnee and both are back in the game,” says Dr. Freedhand. Joint replacement may not be right for every patient. For individuals considering surgery, it’s important to discuss with your surgeon the joint replacement options that may be right for you. “Joint replacement surgery has evolved over time - there are new surgical techniques, the addition of robotics and other technologies, but it all should start with a conversation with a surgeon,” says Dr. Freedhand. More than half of all chronic conditions in people over the age of 50 are caused by joint and back pain,i according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, which expects more than 3 million total knee replacement procedures by the year 2030 - up from 600,000 in 2009.ii This surgery can be quite successful for appropriate patients, significantly relieving pain for 90 percent of the patients who have the procedureiii and helping them improve their quality of life. Here are some things to think about as you embark on a weekend of activities, including signs that may indicate when you should see your doctor. Thoughts for golfers and athletes Low back pain is the most common injury or complaint among both professional and amateur golfers, followed by injuries to the upper extremities (elbow and shoulder).ivThe elbow is the second most commonly injured area in golfers.ivWarming up before golfing has been shown to decrease the incidence of golf injuries. One survey showed that over 80 percent of golfers spent less than 10 minutes warming up before a round. Those who did warm up had less than half the incidence of injuries of those who did not warm up before playing. iv5 signs you should talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of joint replacement surgery and whether it is right for you: Your pain has progressed to the point that it wakes you in the middle of the night.The pain prevents you from doing routine daily activities, including walking up the stairs or getting up out of a chair.You can no longer participate in physical activities that you enjoy, such as walking for exercise, traveling or playing with grandchildren, because of the pain.Your knee is severely swollen or your leg is bowed.All other treatment options such as injections and overthe counter medications have failed.For more information about joint replacement surgery, speak to your physician or visit www.movewithstryker.com. IMPORTANT INFO Knee Replacements General Indications: Total knee replacement is intended for use in individuals with joint disease resulting from degenerative, rheumatoid and posttraumatic arthritis, and for moderate deformity of the knee. Contraindications: Knee replacement surgery is not appropriate for patients with certain types of infections, any mental or neuromuscular disorder which would create an unacceptable risk of prosthesis instability, prosthesis fixation failure or complications in postoperative care, compromised bone stock, skeletal immaturity, severe instability of the knee, or excessive body weight. Common Side Effects of Knee Replacement Surgery: As with any surgery, knee replacement surgery has serious risks which include, but are not limited to, peripheral neuropathies (nerve damage), circulatory compromise (including deep vein thrombosis (blood clots in the legs)), genitourinary disorders (including kidney failure), gastrointestinal disorders (including paralytic ileus (loss of intestinal digestive movement)), vascular disorders (including thrombus (blood clots), blood loss, or changes in blood pressure or heart rhythm), bronchopulmonary disorders (including emboli, stroke or pneumonia), heart attack, and death. Implant related risks which may lead to a revision include dislocation, loosening, fracture, nerve damage, heterotopic bone formation (abnormal bone growth in tissue), wear of the implant, metal sensitivity, soft tissue imbalance, osteolysis (localized progressive bone loss), and reaction to particle debris. Knee implants may not provide the same feel or performance characteristics experienced with a normal healthy joint. Hip Replacements General Indications: Total hip replacement is indicated for joint disease resulting from degenerative and rheumatoid arthritis; avascular necrosis and correction of functional deformity. Contraindications: It is not indicated for those with infection, compromised bone stock, skeletal immaturity, mental or neuromuscular disease or excessive body weight. Common Side Effects of Hip Replacement Surgery: Like any surgery hip replacement surgery has risks which include but are not limited to: bone fracture, bone loss change in the length of the treated leg, pain, hip stiffness, excessive bleeding, hip joint fusion, nerve damage, infection, blood clots, amputation, heart attack, pneumonia, decrease of bone mass. Implant related risks which may lead to a revision of the hip implant include wear of the implant, reaction to particle debris, dislocation, fracture, loosening, audible sounds during motion and metal sensitivity. The information presented is for educational purposes only. Speak to your doctor to decide if joint replacement surgery is right for you. Individual results vary and not all patients will receive the same postoperative activity level. The lifetime of a joint replacement is not infinite and varies with each individual. Your doctor will help counsel you about how to best maintain your activities in order to potentially prolong the lifetime of the device. Such strategies include not engaging in high-impact activities, such as running i The AAOS Act. AAOS website. Available at: http://www3.aaos.org/ govern/federal/nolc/nolc2011/AAOS_ Bill_NOLC.pdf. Accessed August 21, 2014. ii The Direct and Indirect Costs to Society of Treatment for End-Stage Knee Osteoarthritis. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2013;95:1473-80. Available at: http://anationinmotion.org/content/ uploads/2014/06/Final-knee-study.pdf. Accessed August 21, 2014. iii American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Total knee replacement. Available at: http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/ topic.cfm?topic=A00389. Accessed August 21, 2014. iv American Orthopedic Society for Sports Medicine. Golf Injuries. Courtesy BPT


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