Treatment

without

surgery

You and your doctor may decide there are some things you can do now to manage your pain without surgery.

What can I do now?

Hip exercises stretching with weights icon

Lifestyle changes

Exercise may help.1 Talk with your doctor about the kinds of exercises that may strengthen the muscles around your hip and help reduce your pain. For people with mild or moderate osteoarthritis of the hip, certain exercises may help improve how they feel and help them postpone surgery.1

Physical therapy of someone bending their knee while lying on a table icon

Physical therapy

Physical therapists can help lessen your pain by teaching better posture or “form” for your day-to-day activities, like getting in and out of a chair. They can also teach you how to use assistive tools like a cane or walker so you can be more active with less stress on your hips. Your physical therapist may also recommend walking and strengthening exercises, depending on your anatomy, joint functioning, and disease progression.

Pain medication pill bottles

Medication

Your doctor may recommend over-the-counter or prescription anti-inflammatory medicines to help reduce the swelling and pain in your hip joint. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), like ibuprofen, and steroid medications, like corticosteroid injections, may be helpful.2 Use of these medications must be monitored by your doctor.

Talk with your doctor about non-surgical approaches to decreasing your hip pain. If these approaches don’t help, you’ve still got options.

References:
  1. Goodman A. Exercise may delay or prevent hip surgery. Arthritis Foundation. www.arthritis.org/living-with-arthritis/exercise/benefits/exercises-for-hip-pain.php. Accessed 9 May 2023.
  2. Cortisone shots. Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. Accessed 9 May 2023.
Important information

Hip Replacements

Hip joint replacement is intended for use in individuals with joint disease resulting from degenerative and rheumatoid arthritis, avascular necrosis, fracture of the neck of the femur or functional deformity of the hip.

Joint replacement surgery is not appropriate for patients with certain types of infections, any mental or neuromuscular disorder which would create an unacceptable risk of prosthesis instability, prosthesis fixation failure or complications in postoperative care, compromised bone stock, skeletal immaturity, severe instability of the joint, or excessive body weight.

Like any surgery, joint replacement surgery has serious risks which include, but are not limited to, pain, infection, bone fracture, change in the treated leg length (hip), joint stiffness, hip joint fusion, amputation, peripheral neuropathies (nerve damage), circulatory compromise (including deep vein thrombosis (blood clots in the legs)), genitourinary disorders (including kidney failure), gastrointestinal disorders (including paralytic ileus (loss of intestinal digestive movement)), vascular disorders (including thrombus (blood clots), blood loss, or changes in blood pressure or heart rhythm), bronchopulmonary disorders (including emboli, stroke or pneumonia), heart attack, and death.

Implant related risks which may lead to a revision of the implant include dislocation, loosening, fracture, nerve damage, heterotopic bone formation (abnormal bone growth in tissue), wear of the implant, metal and/or foreign body sensitivity, soft tissue imbalance, osteolysis (localized progressive bone loss), audible sounds during motion, and reaction to particle debris. Hip implants may not provide the same feel or performance characteristics experienced with a normal healthy joint.

The information presented is for educational purposes only. Speak to your doctor to decide if joint replacement surgery is appropriate for you. Individual results vary and not all patients will return to the same activity level. The lifetime of any joint replacement is limited and depends on several factors like patient weight and activity level. Your doctor will counsel you about strategies to potentially prolong the lifetime of the device, including avoiding high-impact activities, such as running, as well as maintaining a healthy weight. It is important to closely follow your doctor’s instructions regarding post-surgery activity, treatment and follow-up care. Ask your doctor if a joint replacement is right for you.

Stryker Corporation or its other divisions or other corporate affiliated entities own, use or have applied for the following trademarks or service marks: Mako, Mobile Bearing Hip, Stryker, Together with our customers, we are driven to make healthcare better. All other trademarks are trademarks of their respective owners or holders.

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