Seize the moment

Dan Williams, Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon at Duchy Hospital, highlights four signs that you may need hip surgery.

If you’re finding that hip pain is preventing you from doing the things which make life worth living, such as walking the dog, keeping up with the grandchildren, enjoying a round of golf or just getting out and about, you may be wondering whether you need hip surgery. If you’re not sure whether it’s time to seek help, Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon, Dan Williams, highlights four signs to look out for. Of course, the best way to know for sure is to speak to a specialist and have an X-ray.

“…it’s not something to be scared of and can give you a whole new lease of life!”

Hip or groin pain

Persistent pain which prevents you from getting on with daily life may well be a sign of arthritis in the hip. If this is the case, the pain tends to be focused between the hip and the knee, but if it’s shooting down the leg, it could be due to a problem with your back. If you’re having to use a walking stick as you feel your hip is too painful, or have begun to limp to try and minimise the pain, then it’s time to get help. This shouldn’t be something you have to put up with.

No longer going the distance

If you find yourself avoiding walking the distances you used to just a few years ago, perhaps no longer walking to the shops as often as you did, giving up meeting friends for a round of golf or letting another family member take the dog for a walk, speak to
a specialist.

A question of balance

If you struggle to stand on your bad leg for longer than a minute because of pain, even when you are holding onto something for support, then you could have a damaged hip.  Again, it is time to get help.

Struggling to put your socks on

If you struggle to bend down enough to put your socks on this may be because of stiffness in your hip, particularly if you find it harder to put them on one foot than the other.

Many hip problems can be treated without needing a hip replacement. There are a number of things you should try first, such as physiotherapy and simple painkillers, but if you do require surgery, it’s not something to be scared of and can give you a whole new lease of life!