It should come as no surprise that a spouse or a partner has to take on a larger role as a caregiver if their loved one undergoes knee or hip replacement surgery. However, after a few weeks, many individuals can perform most daily functions on their own with relative ease, and eventually most patients are much more functional than they were prior to the operation. A new study found that not only are patients typically much happier once they’ve recovered from hip or knee replacement surgery, but their spouses also tend to see a big improvement in their own quality of life.
Your Spouse Will Thank You For Joint Replacement
When planning for an upcoming knee or hip replacement surgery, we oftentimes focus on how the operation and recovery will impact the patient. We may also consider the extra burden that a spouse or loved one may have to shoulder for the first few weeks after surgery when mobility and joint function is at its lowest. That said, we don’t always consider how a loved one stands to benefit from their partner undergoing a joint replacement procedure.
To get a better understanding of the impact a joint replacement procedure can have on a loved one, researchers surveyed 100 spouses of patients undergoing either a knee replacement or a hip replacement. The survey was completed an average of two years following the joint replacement surgery. After looking at the data, researchers uncovered just how beneficial joint replacement surgery can be for a loved one.
“It is well studied that the patient’s quality of life improves following surgery, but now we know it will also improve for spouses,” said lead researcher Dr. Nicholas Jozefowski, a recent graduate of Loyola University School of Medicine in Chicago, in a news release. “Most spouses assume a caregiving role when their partner has joint replacement surgery and they are sacrificing a bit in terms of their quality of life, but we can show it will improve these data. Patients can have less pain, and couples can do more things together.”
This is encouraging news, especially considering the growing demand for joint replacement surgery in the US. More than 500,000 patients undergo hip replacement surgery and roughly 800,000 patients undergo knee replacement surgery every year in the US. This suggests that hundreds of thousands of spouses may soon notice an increased quality of life once their partner is in less pain and better able to perform daily tasks.
So if you’re wondering how your life may change as a result of joint replacement surgery, don’t overlook the positive benefits that your spouse and children may also experience when you regain function and can get back to doing family activities you once loved. We love helping give patients their life back and seeing not only how that affects them, but those around them.
To learn more about how we can help address hip or knee limitations you’re dealing with, reach out to Dr. Botero and his team today at (865) 558-4444.
