The increase in hip and knee replacements among Baby Boomers is doing more than putting a fresh spring in their step or helping them stay on the job. According to New Orleans orthopedic surgeon Dr. Richard Meyer, it’s also improving the patients’ lives in the bedroom.
Nearly a million people a year undergo a total hip or knee replacement, and numbers have rocketed in the past 10 years and are expected to keep growing as Boomers refuse to submit to the sedentary lifestyle that surrounds someone suffering from painful arthritis.
In 90% of patients surveyed, total hip or total knee replacement improved overall sexual function, including frequency and duration. Your New Orleans orthopedic surgeon finds that sexual function needs to be discussed with patients when making routine evaluations, and most patients are very open to talking about it.
The average age of patients surveyed was just over 56 years old, and the patients were asked about their overall wellbeing and sexual wellbeing both prior to and after their hip or knee replacement surgeries.
Some of the newer hip and knee implants are accompanied by a guarantee that they will last from 20 to 30 years. And if an implant does wear out, unfortunately a more complicated revision surgery is usually required. While the life of an implant is still largely unknown, they have greatly improved over the last two decades.
Your New Orleans orthopedic surgeon reports that nearly twice as many people now get knee replacements as hip implants. However, both surgeries have skyrocketed in popularity since 2000, when over 280,000 knee replacements and 165,000 hip replacements were performed.
Many years ago, people were terrified of hip and knee replacements and it was uncertain how these people were going to do with them. Now, they’re fascinating; people are scheduling them like they’re getting a new car battery.
How long it takes to heal is still one of the first questions patients ask New Orleans orthopedic surgeon Dr. Richard Meyer. He typically reviews the patient’s progress six months after the hip or knee replacement surgery, as their own body usually decides when it’s time to resume normal activities.
If you’re interested in a hip or knee replacement or have any questions, please call our office today to Schedule an Appointment.