How Soon Can You Walk After Total Hip Replacement? 3 Surprising Benefits Of MIS

Regaining Mobility With Total Hip Replacement

Degenerative conditions like arthritis can slowly steal a person’s mobility, preventing individuals from participating in activities previously enjoyed. In more severe cases, the disease can make even simple tasks like walking incredibly difficult. Hip arthritis is a common source of distress for many people and may ultimately require surgery to correct the damage sustained by the bones, cartilage, and surrounding tissue. One common solution was either a partial or total hip replacement, which prolonged recovery time. These days, minimally invasive techniques offer serious advantages over traditional open total hip arthroscopy surgeries.

1. Reduced tissue disturbance

With traditional open surgery, not only did patients receive larger incisions, but more tissue surrounding the hip joint had to be moved to insert the replacement materials to recreate the hip joint. By contrast, a minimally invasive surgery (MIS) avoided this concern. Instead, only a few small incisions are made near the hip joint, and small surgical instruments are used to guide the pieces into place. Tissue still needs to be moved to ensure proper placement, but not to the same extent as with traditional hip replacement surgeries. MIS methods reduce the chances of the hip dislocating after being repaired.

2. Shorter recovery periods

One of the most common questions asked ahead of a hip replacement surgery is how long a recovering patient must wait until the ability to walk is regained. Traditionally, the answer was that an individual would be able to begin walking with assistive devices on the day of the surgery. However, walking unassisted can take anywhere from three to as many as 12 weeks. Conversely, with a MIS hip replacement, the timeline is significantly shortened, even though individual results may vary. Ultimately, recovering patients can get back to normal life faster.

3. Less cosmetic scarring

Research has shown that a link exists between a person’s personal interpretation of appearance and mental health. Historically, one of the biggest concerns patients voice around surgery is if incision scars will be highly visible. MIS total hip replacement makes smaller incisions. Compared to traditional surgery, which requires 6 to 10-inch incisions, a MIS procedure is smaller at just 3 to 5 inches long. The smaller scars translate to less visibility, which may give some patients peace of mind. Ultimately, less damage to the skin is also an important factor.

The case for MIS hip replacement

Since the 1960s, hip arthroscopy surgeries have become so routine that these days, more than 450,000 operations are performed annually in the US. Research tends to suggest that patients undergoing traditional versus MIS face similar long-term outcomes. In short, regardless of the method, improved mobility, range of motion, and quality of life can be achieved. However, that same research points to faster recovery and fewer setbacks, which makes life easier in the beginning for participants. If hip pain and poor mobility are impeding everyday activities, consider speaking with a specialist.