Arthritis is the term commonly used to refer to problems with pain and inflammation in joints. While there are many forms of arthritis, the most common is osteoarthritis which often starts to develop in adults in their mid-40’s.
Joint replacements are not always the best solution for arthritis. Some of the reasons why you may not be a suitable candidate for a hip replacement include:
Muscle disorders which will affect the function of the new joint
Pain that is not too bad and not affecting quality of life
Medical conditions which make it unsafe for you to receive an anaesthetic
Systemic infections in the body
Severe osteoporosis where your brittle bones cannot support or adhere to the artificial joint
Living with arthritis isn’t always easy. As a patient, there are many things you can do to make sure you live a healthy lifestyle. The real key to living well with the disease is you.
If you have arthritis, carrying out tasks around the home can be a challenge. However, making some practical changes to your home and changing the way you work should make things easier.
Home Fixes - keeping things in easy reach, making home adaptations such as handrails on stairs, raised toilet seats and raised chairs. An Occupational therapist can provide advice on equipment you may need to live independently.
Other long term lifestyle changes that can help manage it or slow it down include:
Staying active: the aim is to improve muscle strength and reduce stiffness while maintaining some movements in the joints.
Switching from high-impact activities (like jogging or tennis) to lower impact activities (like swimming, golf or cycling) will put less stress on your hip
Diet : Eating healthy provides nutrients to the bones and tissues and maintaining a healthy weight will reduce the amount of strain in the weight bearing joints such as knees and hips.
Sleep well: good sleep helps reduce pain and will also help you cope better with your condition. If the pain makes it difficult to sleep, consider changing mattresses, pillows or even positions of sleep.
Other ways to improve your sleep:
Get enough exercise early in the day.
Avoid caffeine or alcoholic beverages at night.
Keep your bedroom dark, quiet, and cool.
Take a warm bath to relax and soothe sore muscles at bedtime.
Talk to your doctor about timing medications to provide more pain relief at night.
Additional tips for protecting your joints include:
Use larger, stronger joints as levers. Move the pressure of opening a heavy door from your hand to your shoulder.
Use several joints to spread the weight of an object. Use both hands to carry your shopping or distribute the weight evenly in a shoulder bag.
Don’t grip too tightly. Grip as loosely as possible or use a padded handle to widen your grip.
Consider using walking aids such as sticks or crutches as this will also help with maintaining a good posture.
References
Versus Arthritis, 2018, Osteoarthritis (OA ) of the Hip, viewed 28 December 2020 https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/conditions/osteoarthritis-oa-of-the-hip/Versus Arthritis
NHS, 2018, Symptoms: Osteoarthritis, viewed 28 December 2020
OrthoInfo, 2020, Osteoarthritis of the Hip, American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, viewed 28 December 2020
NHS, 2018, Arthritis – Living with Arthritis, viewed 22 December 2020