Hip Care

Orthopedics

Hip Injury Treatment & Care

Don’t let hip problems slow you down. Whether it’s arthritis, a bone or joint condition, osteoporosis, or a work- or sports-related injury, the orthopedic specialists at West Suburban are dedicated to getting you moving again.

Our orthopedic hip center offers a range of non-surgical options, including medication, physical therapy, and rehabilitation. If surgery is right for you, there are two different kinds of procedures that your doctor at West Suburban Medical Center may suggest. Both hip replacement and hip resurfacing can reduce or eliminate pain by replacing worn-out surfaces of the hip with man-made components.

Hip Replacement

Candidates for hip replacement are generally those suffering from arthritic hip pain that severely limits the activities of daily living, and other measures, such as exercise, physical therapy, and medication, have been ineffective. If you’re a candidate, our surgeons will work with you to choose the type of implant that’s right for you. In replacing the hip, part of the bone is removed and replaced with the implant, stopping the joint from grinding with movement.

Hip replacement surgery is generally a successful procedure, but there are some risks related you should be aware of:

  • Blood clots in your leg veins
  • Infection
  • Implant loosening
  • Fractures
  • Nerve or blood vessel damage
  • Hip dislocation
  • Change of leg length

Hip Resurfacing

You may be a candidate for hip resurfacing if you’re under 60 years old with isolated bone disease and have strong bone around the hip joint. While similar in many ways to hip replacement, hip resurfacing does offer some potential advantages:

Bone preservation: In total hip replacement, the entire femoral head is removed and a metal stem is inserted into the femoral canal. With hip resurfacing, the femoral neck and part of the femoral head is preserved.

Less risk for dislocation: Hip resurfacing creates a femoral head size that is typically larger than in hip replacement. This allows for a better range of motion and improved stability.

Less wear: Hip resurfacing implants have metal-on-metal bearing surfaces, resulting in very low rates of wear over time compared to metal and plastic.

Hip resurfacing poses similar risks to hip replacement, except for a change in leg length. Another concern relates to the metal-on-metal bearing surfaces. All implants wear out over time, and though metal-on-metal wears out less, they do release metal ions into the body. While these ions can be detected in those with metal-on-metal implants, there is little data to show that this is a problem.

Recovery: What to Expect

For both hip replacement and hip resurfacing, many patients are able to go home from the hospital after two to three days. Most people need to use a walking aid, such as a walker, for about four weeks afterward. Driving may be possible in about two to three weeks, and activities like golf and bowling in as few as 10 to 12 weeks.