Written by Top Doctors
Orthopaedic surgery
Hip replacement: what to expect before and after surgery
Hip replacement surgery is a corrective procedure to restore flexibility, functionality, and movement to the hips, located at the joint where the leg meets the pelvis. The thigh bone called the femur, fits into a niche of the pelvis in a ball-and-socket joint. It is synovial, meaning that there is a lubricative membrane that sits between the two bones and keeps movement fluid and without pain. When this membrane deteriorates, or if the patient has been in a bad accident that has damaged their hips or suffering from extreme arthritis and cannot walk even with a cane or walker, a hip replacement becomes neccessary.