Living With Your New Joint

It is important to remember that recovery varies from person to person depending on their level of pain and activity before their surgery.

Your new prosthesis contains metal which may activate metal detectors and security devices. For this reason, you will be given a personal card that verifies that you have had a joint replacement and have received a metal prosthesis.

In ideal circumstances a new joint would function well and last you for the rest of your life. Unfortunately, some joints do wear out before this and become loose.

How long your joint replacement will last depends on many factors such as:

• Your physical condition
• Your weight
• How active you are

Keep in mind that prosthetic joints are different to a natural healthy joint.

Many patients have enjoyed relief from pain and improved function, compared to their status before the surgery. The prosthetic components can wear as they roll and slide against each other during movement. The rate of wear of the components depends partly on how they are used. Activities that place a lot of stress on the implant, as may be the case with heavier and more active patients, may reduce the service life of the prosthesis. Implant loosening and wear can lead to the necessity for revision surgery. Your surgeon will be in the best position to discuss these issues with you.