Your hips are large, complex joints that help you stand and walk while supporting the weight of your upper body. Any type of hip pain can hinder your mobility and affect your quality of life.

At Douglas J. Abeles MD & Associates in Castro Valley, California, our board-certified orthopedic surgeons specialize in joint replacement procedures, helping many people get back to their active life without pain.

But surgery is usually the last treatment for any type of pain condition, including hip pain.

When is it time to consider hip replacement? Here, we want to share with you some of the signs that indicate it may be time to replace your natural hip with prosthetic parts.

Medical interventions no longer work

Before moving forward with hip replacement, we always try conservative medical interventions. This includes medications and physical therapy, as well as joint injections.

When these interventions no longer provide relief from your pain, then it’s time to consider hip replacement.

Hip pain disrupts your life

You rely on your hip to stand up, walk, climb stairs, and sit down. If your hip pain is so bad that it’s making it hard for you to get out of bed, shop for groceries, or even work, then you may benefit from a hip replacement.

Pain that affects your ability to go about your normal routine may leave you feeling depressed and anxious. Hip replacement can give you back your life.

Your hip hurts even when resting

You may expect to have hip pain when you walk or climb stairs if you have arthritis or an injury to the hip joint. Luckily, this pain goes away when you rest. But when you have hip pain that doesn’t go away when sitting or lying down, we may start the discussion about surgery.

You can’t lift or move your leg

Arthritis is inflammation of the joint and tends to worsen over time, causing pain and stiffness. When your hip joint is so stiff you can’t lift or move your leg, you may have severe arthritis and joint damage that can only be fixed with surgery.

You have severe joint damage

Imaging studies provide a lot of valuable information about joint health and when it’s time to consider hip replacement. When you have severe joint damage or joint deformity from an injury or arthritis, hip replacement is the only fix.

Hip replacement is major surgery that can take several weeks to recover from. But those few weeks of recovery are worth the life that comes after.

Is your hip making your life miserable? Are you considering hip replacement? We can talk to you about surgery and how it might help. Contact our office in Castro Valley, California, today to schedule an appointment with our orthopedic surgeons.