How to Prepare

A joint replacement can relieve pain and help you live a fuller, more active life.

Choosing the right surgeon to perform your joint replacement is important, and it can be a daunting task. There are several ways to find a surgeon who is right for you. A personal referral from your primary care doctor or friends and family that have experience with joint replacement are a few possibilities. Another form of referral would be through your medical insurance provider who may list preferred surgeons in their network. A third and powerful referral tool is the Internet.

If you need total knee or total hip replacement surgery—and your weight is significantly higher than it should be—your doctor may advise you to lose weight before your procedure. Even though you may feel fit and healthy at your current weight, studies show that a patient with a BMI greater than 40 is more likely to experience serious complications both during and after surgery than a patient of normal weight. Your doctor wants you to be aware of these risks so that you can take steps to minimize them before your procedure.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common disorder caused by a loss of cartilage that affects the joints.

Joint replacement can help relieve pain and enable you to live a fuller, more active life. If you and your orthopaedic surgeon have decided that you are a good candidate for joint replacement, you are in good company: In 2016, almost 1.25 million hip and knee replacement surgeries were performed in the United States, making it one of the most common orthopaedic procedures performed today.

“Doctor, I’m ready to have my knee replacement surgery, but I’m a smoker. Is it safe for me to continue smoking and have my surgery?”

Joint replacement surgeons often hear this question in their offices. Quitting smoking is one of the most critical things to do in preparation for hip or knee replacement surgery so that your surgery will be successful.

Total hip and total knee replacements have improved the quality of life for millions of people worldwide by relieving pain and restoring function and motion caused by arthritis and other joint conditions. People with successful joint replacements are able to stand, walk, rest and participate in recreational activities with little pain. While some people would be satisfied if they achieve these basic goals, others will expect to do more like participating in physically demanding sports and hobbies.