Joint Replacement
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Sports Medicine and Orthopaedic Institute
Orthopedic Surgery located in San Bernardino, CA, Victorville, CA, Pomona, CA, Barstow, CA, Loma Linda, CA & Chino, CA
Joints ravaged by arthritis may not be repairable, but replacing the joint could offer significant benefits. If you're suffering from advanced arthritis, the experienced orthopaedic surgeons at Sports Medicine and Orthopaedic Institute can help. They use minimally invasive arthroscopy and other cutting-edge techniques to perform total and partial joint replacement surgery. To find long-lasting relief from joint pain and dysfunction, contact one of the practice's four offices in San Bernardino, Victorville, Pomona, Barstow, Banning, Loma Linda or it's Chino, California location. Call to schedule a consultation or book an appointment online today.
Joint Replacement Q&A
Why might I need a joint replacement?
Severe trauma that isn't repairable can sometimes require joint replacement. However, the most likely reason for needing this kind of surgery is advanced osteoarthritis, which affects the bones and articular cartilage in your joints.
Articular cartilage is a smooth, strong substance that covers the bones in your joints, preventing them from rubbing together. However, joints that must continually withstand weight-bearing stress, like your hips, knees, and shoulders, lose this protective cartilage over time.
When the cartilage deteriorates, your bones start to rub against one another as you move your joints. The result is severe pain and swelling, often with limited joint motion. You might also be aware of the bones grinding and popping in your joints. Any joint can develop arthritis, but hand and knee joints are particularly prone to this condition.
You could also have another form of arthritis, such as rheumatoid arthritis, that might become so severe you need joint replacement surgery.
Joint replacement surgery – also known as arthroplasty – can relieve your symptoms and significantly improve your daily quality of life.
What does joint replacement surgery involve?
There are several types of joint replacement:
Total joint replacement
Total joint replacement surgery involves removing all the damaged cartilage from the joint and any rough, diseased bone. Your Sports Medicine and Orthopaedic Institute surgeon then puts new, artificial components on the ends of the bones that replicate the joint function.
Partial joint replacement
Partial joint replacement may be possible if one of the bones in your joint is worth saving. In this case, your surgeon just replaces the badly damaged bone. Because arthritis tends to affect the ends of every bone, partial joint replacement is less common than total joint replacement.
The Sports Medicine and Orthopaedic Institute team uses advanced, minimally invasive arthroscopic techniques where possible when performing joint replacement surgery to keep tissue damage and pain to a minimum.
What joints are suitable for replacement?
Many joints are suitable for joint replacement surgery. The team at Sports Medicine and Orthopaedic Institute performs a range of joint replacement procedures, including:
- Hip
- Knee
- Ankle
- Hand
- Wrist
- Finger
- Elbow
- Shoulder
With their extensive range of motion, shoulders can often become unstable from repeated dislocations, rotator cuff tears, and cuff tear arthropathy.
In these cases, rather than doing a straight swap, your surgeon might switch the position of the new ball and socket to offer greater stability. This is known as reverse total shoulder replacement.
If you're experiencing worsening arthritis and want to see whether joint replacement surgery is the answer, call Sports Medicine and Orthopaedic Institute today or book an appointment online.
