Medically Reviewed by Patrick K. Denton, MD

Younger and younger people are new knee and hip joints.  Yet, surgery is not always the place to start when your joints are hurting, according to McLeod Orthopedic Specialist Patrick Denton, M.D.

Here are some facts from Dr. Denton’s video:

• People want to stay active as they grow older.
• The fastest growing age group seeking knee and hip joint replacements is 45-65.  It’s tripled in the last 10 years.
• The most common cause of pain in the knee or hip joint is deterioration due to arthritis.
• Symptoms include:
  • Pain that affects your daily activities,
  • Difficulty walking, bending and squatting or
  • Night pain.
• Doctors prefer to start with conservative treatments, including medicine, injections (cortisone or steroids), injection of a gel lubricant, physical therapy and bracing.
• If these measures don’t bring relief, it is time to talk with an Orthopedic Specialist about total joint replacement.

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