The hip is one of the most important joints, as it connects the upper part of the femur to the pelvis.
When our hip does not respond correctly, we consider a hip prosthesis. This may be the case when we suffer a hip fracture, i.e. a break in the upper part of the femur, or when we suffer from osteoarthritis of the hip, i.e. wear and tear of the cartilage covering the surface of the femoral head and/or the acetabulum.
However, how can we know which type of prosthesis is recommended in our case?
As we can imagine, there are different types of prostheses, which we will discuss in depth.
On the one hand, there is the total prosthesis. This is made up of a stem that joins the prosthesis to the femur, a cup that fixes it to the pelvis and two components that articulate with each other. They are usually used in cases of osteoarthritis or joint wear.
In turn, we have the partial prosthesis. It is fixed in the same way as the total prosthesis, but the femoral head articulates directly against the pelvis. This is why it is used in fractures of the femur where the acetabulum may or may not be worn.
There is also the revision prosthesis, which can be total or partial. They are used to replace an existing prosthesis that has a problem. They are usually larger and may contain modular components that can be adapted to an anatomy that is no longer the original one.
Finally, there are resurfacing prostheses. This is a kind of metal hood that sits over the femoral head and articulates against a metal cup. They were designed for young patients with good bone quality, who, due to their life expectancy, will have to undergo one or more prosthesis revision surgeries. However, we cannot forget that after undergoing hip replacement surgery, we must follow a series of guidelines to make recovery easier.
We have the moral obligation to follow an outpatient rehabilitation programme indicated by a physiotherapist, which will guarantee the total success of this surgery.
Make an appointment with Move & Balance Physiotherapy and recover from your operation in the best way and by the hand of a professional.
