Being overweight or obese is oftentimes one of the driving reasons why someone may need to undergo a hip replacement procedure, but obesity can also increase the risk of issues during and after your operation. In today’s blog, we’re going to take a look at some of the reasons why obesity can make it harder to undergo a successful hip replacement procedure and recovery, and we’ll touch on some tips for managing your weight ahead of your operation.
Obesity And Hip Replacement
Not all that long ago, being overweight or obese may have excluded an individual from being able to undergo a hip replacement procedure. That’s not to say that anyone will be eligible for hip replacement procedure, but new surgical techniques and post-op management plans have made it such that more patients can get the hip replacement procedure they need to reduce their pain and become more active.
However, being overweight to obese still poses some challenges for your operation and recovery. Here’s why:
- Tougher Visualization – It can be harder for the surgeon to visualize the site because of the extra fat and tissue in the area. In order to ensure they have a proper visualization so that they can safely perform the surgery, they’ll need to make a larger opening in the skin.
- Longer Recovery – Due to the fact that a larger incision needs to be made and more tissues need to be cut in order to access the hip area, you’ll likely need a little bit longer to recover from the additional trauma of surgery.
- Increased Complication Rate – Not only does a larger incision site and more tissue cutting lead to a longer recovery, but it also increases your risk of certain surgical complications, like bleeding, nerve damage and infections. Overweight individuals will be at an increased risk for a number of different complications. Even though the rate of complications remains very low, their risk is higher than someone who is at a healthy weight.
- More Pressure On The Joint – As we alluded to in the introduction, being overweight will put more pressure on your hip joint. And while it’s still unlikely that being overweight will cause the artificial disc to wear down to the point where you’d need to have that implant eventually replaced, this additional pressure can still cause discomfort and inflammation at the surgically reconstructed site.
Fortunately, losing just a little weight can take an immense amount of strain off of your hip joint. Because your hip handles a lot of pressure when you’re upright and moving, losing as little as 10 pounds can take up to 50 pounds of pressure off of the hip joint. Not only can weight loss make your recovery from hip joint surgery easier, but weight loss may help you prevent the need for a hip replacement in the first place!
Obviously losing weight is difficult if your mobility is affected by your hip discomfort, but if you can strive to make a little progress, you may find that it becomes easier and easier to continue to pursue good habits as weight and pressure on the hip begins to decrease. Improving your diet and becoming just a little more active can help you become a healthier version of yourself, and that may make all the difference when it comes to your hip health.
If you want assistance developing an exercise and diet plan to help manage your weight and increase your likelihood of undergoing a successful hip replacement, consider reaching out to Dr. Botero and his team. We’ve helped countless patients lose weight ahead of surgery and even prevent the need for a hip replacement procedure altogether, so let us help you find the right solution for your hip discomfort. For more information, reach out to our team today at (865) 558-4444.
