About Our Joint Replacement Center
The Joint Replacement Center at Alomere Health was designed for you. We offer compassionate, comprehensive care for people undergoing joint replacement surgery. Our center has been created in coordination with Alomere Health to specifically provide an unsurpassed experience that will shorten your hospital stay and improve the quality of your orthopedic care. Bringing together the combined expertise of our orthopedic specialists, we have developed a program that is simply unparalleled in the area.
We’re With You—Every Step of the Way!
From extensive presurgery education to a complete continuum of care following surgery, a seamless step-by-step program has been created to ensure that you will have the information, care, and support you need throughout the entire process.
Rest assured that our outstanding, board-certified orthopedic surgeons, along with our highly trained registered nurses, physician assistants, and rehabilitation therapists, at the Joint Replacement Center at Alomere Health are working to restore the quality of life for the people of our community, one joint at a time.
Our Services
Alomere Health and Heartland Orthopedic Specialists partner together to provide the following services:
- Hip Replacement
- Hip Revision
- Knee Replacement
- Partial Knee Replacement
- Knee Revision
- Shoulder Replacement
- Ankle Replacement
For more than 10 consecutive years, over 98% of our joint replacement patients have indicated that they had an exceptional patient experience at our practice even during the recent COVID-19 pandemic.
Heartland Orthopedic Specialists/Alomere Health is the only Joint Replacement Center in the region that is a member of the American Joint Replacement Registry. By participating in this gold-standard registry, our organization and surgeons submit and analyze data as well as actively utilize the knowledge gained to provide the highest quality orthopedic care to our patients. Click here to learn more.
Get to Know Mako®
Mako robotic-arm assisted technology enables our joint replacement surgeons at Heartland Orthopedic Specialists to provide patients with a personalized surgical experience based on his or her specific diagnosis and anatomy.
Join Us for a Joint Seminar
For current patients, caregivers, or those considering a joint replacement procedure, we host educational events about joint replacements. Take this opportunity to learn more about our joint replacement process and new updates in procedures directly from our joint experts. Space is limited, so be sure to register early and continue to check back for new topics!
Joint Replacement Center Reviews
Frequently Asked Questions
Joint cartilage is a tough, smooth tissue that covers the ends of bones where joints are located. It helps cushion the bones during movement, and because it is smooth and slippery, it allows for motion with minimal friction. Osteoarthritis, the most common form of arthritis, is a wear-and-tear condition that destroys joint cartilage. Sometimes as the result of trauma, repetitive movement, or for no apparent reason, the cartilage wears down. Cartilage destruction can result in painful bone-on-bone contact, along with swelling and loss of motion.
Joint replacement is one of the great orthopedic surgical advances. Surgeries of this type often involve conditions such as degenerative arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, or joint damage. Our orthopedic surgeons observe and manage the disorder to determine the most beneficial time and type of surgical intervention. Just as no two patients are alike, no two joint replacements are exactly the same. That’s why our care is precisely focused on the unique medical and lifestyle needs of each patient.
In the total joint replacement procedure, our orthopedic surgeon removes the arthritic or damaged joint surfaces and replaces them with smooth, artificial surfaces. These artificial surfaces are called “implants” or “prostheses.” The implants are specifically designed to restore smooth, low-friction movement. While the hip and knee are by far the most commonly replaced joints, our physicians also have in-depth experience with the shoulder, ankle, and other joints.
Watch these videos to learn more about total knee replacement and total hip replacement procedures.
The knee has three joints (compartments), any or all of which can be impacted by osteoarthritis:
- The inside (medial) compartment
- The outside (lateral) compartment
- The kneecap (patellofemoral) compartment
If you have early-stage arthritis confined to one compartment of the knee, your doctor may recommend a partial joint replacement or UKA (unicompartmental knee arthroplasty). Damaged surfaces of the single compartment are removed and resurfaced. Patients interested in partial joint replacement must meet specific criteria for consideration.
If you have difficulty walking or performing everyday activities, it may be time to consider joint replacement surgery. The orthopedic surgeons of Heartland Orthopedic Specialists will perform a thorough evaluation to determine if joint replacement surgery is right for you. Typically, joint replacement is considered when conservative, less aggressive treatments have failed.
Age is generally not an issue if you are in reasonable health and have the desire to continue living a productive, active life.
Knee and hip joint replacement have been widely used for many years with excellent results. Advances in surgical technique, implant technology, medications, and rehabilitation have led to less discomfort, improved outcomes, and quicker recovery. Typical benefits of joint replacement surgery include pain relief, improved movement and use of a joint, and improved alignment of deformed joints.
On average, total joint replacement surgery patients are hospitalized for 1 – 2 days. Partial or unicompartmental knee replacement patients and anterior approach hip replacement patients are generally able to go home the day after surgery. If you are having a bilateral knee replacement, expect to be discharged in 2 – 3 days. A highly qualified team of nurses and physical and occupational therapists work with you, your surgeon, and the total joint team to keep you comfortable and progressing toward your goal of returning home.
It is generally recommended to continue with two to six visits of outpatient physical therapy for advancement of your exercises during postoperative rehabilitation. As each patient has their own unique needs, some will require less intervention and others more.
Our orthopedic surgeons and Joint Care Coordinator are happy to share up-to-date information with you. Feel free to contact us at any time.
The longevity of joint implants varies from patient to patient. Factors such as the patient’s physical condition and activity level, weight, and general health affect longevity. The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons website reports the ten-year success rate with most prostheses today is about 95 percent. Knee implants may last more than 20 years, and the chance of a hip replacement lasting 20 years is 85 – 90 percent.
Regular performance of low-impact exercise is recommended to maintain your fitness and health of the muscles around your new joint(s). Low-impact activities may include walking, dancing, golf, hiking, swimming, bowling, and gardening at your surgeon’s discretion.
Exercise Videos
Committed to helping you return safely and quickly to your active and healthy lifestyle, we have conveniently provided a way for you to learn at-home pre- and post-operative exercises. Use these short videos to help you prepare for surgery and continue rehab after while in the comfort of your own home.