If you need total knee or total hip replacement surgery—and your weight is significantly higher than it should be—your doctor may advise you to lose weight before your procedure.
Can you have hip replacement surgery if you are overweight?
Summary: There’s good news for overweight people with painfully arthritic hips and knees: A new study finds that obese patients who underwent knee or hip replacement surgery reported virtually the same pain relief and improved function as normal-weight joint replacement patients six months after surgery.
Why do I have to lose weight before hip surgery?
Your blood sugar and blood pressure will come closer to normal the more weight you lose. Weight loss will also improve your breathing and make getting the oxygen you need during surgery easier.
How much weight should I lose before hip surgery?
Dr. Kirson: Studies have shown that as weight increases, hip pain increases. That’s why losing as little as 5% of your weight can significantly reverse inflammation and relieve hip pain. Some studies have shown that losing even one pound will take six pounds of force off your hip and help you find hip pain relief.
Do you have to lose weight to get a hip replacement?
While obesity does increase the risk of early complications after knee or hip replacement, obesity itself should not prevent patients from having the surgery, the researchers concluded. “Our data shows it’s not necessary to ask patients to lose weight prior to surgery,” Li said.
How can I lose weight while waiting for a hip replacement?
Losing Weight
- Reduce your fat and calorie intake. Try to eat meals that are full of fruits, vegetables and whole grains, lean meats, and low-fat dairy. …
- Get more physical activity and exercise. If you have constant hip or knee pain, you may not be as active as you were before.
What weight is too heavy for surgery?
Having a BMI of 30 or greater may prevent a surgeon from scheduling surgery. However, there is no hard and fast rule. If you fall into the “overweight” category, losing extra weight is always recommended, but may not be required by your healthcare provider.
How can I reduce pain during waiting for hip replacement?
Ways to manage your pain while waiting for surgery
- Using a heat pad or hot water bottle, or alternatively an ice pad or cold compress.
- Using a TENs machine.
- Self-massage to stretch and ease tight muscles. Some people found using a foam roller helpful to relieve stiffness and tension.
What is the maximum weight for hip replacement?
There are no set weight limits regarding who can have hip replacement surgery. However, being overweight can decrease the lifespan of a joint implant. In addition, obese patients are more prone to medical complications, post-surgical infections, and wound healing complications.
Can you avoid hip surgery by losing weight?
There’s no guarantee that a program of weight loss and muscle strengthening will help everyone avoid joint surgery, either. But both experts say the approach is an important alternative.
How much pressure is taken off your hips when you lose weight?
Similarly, other studies have concluded that a pound of weight loss can remove six pounds of pressure off the hips. A 2010 study indicated that weight loss can lessen inflammation of the joints.
Will losing weight help my arthritic hip?
Losing weight cannot repair the damage that’s already been done to your joints by arthritis, but in addition to decreasing your pain, it can also help to slow down the further progression of the disease.