
Photo: Hoxton/Ryan Lees
Federal statistics show that the number of hip replacements in adults between the ages of 45 and 54 has tripled over a 10-year period. Whatâs behind the rise?
The New York Post spoke to Roy I. Davidovitch, MD, the Julia Koch Associate Professor of Orthopedic Surgery and director of NYU Langoneâs Hip Center, who explained reasons for this increase are that todayâs implants are more durable, and active patients donât want to put up with pain and delay surgery until theyâre older. People who engage in high-impact sports like tennis or running, or even yoga, might stress the joint and wear down cartilage if a person is predisposed to hip arthritis.
âWe used to push hip replacements on very elderly, sedentary patients because we didnât want them to be active on it and wear it down,â says Dr. Davidovitch. But now, he says, âItâs not acceptable to say âWeâre going to delay a hip replacement until youâre old enough.ââ
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