While the need for hip or knee replacement surgery is often associated with age, orthopaedic surgeons in Australia are seeing a huge increase in patients aged in their 60s, 50s and 40s undergoing the operation. In fact, while 15 years ago it was more common for people in their 70s to have a hip replacement, the average age is now mid to late 60s.
There are two main reasons why younger patients are using robotic-assisted surgery to alleviate knee or hip pain:
- Historically osteoarthritis has been thought of as an ‘old person’s disease’. However, due a number of factors, including the active lifestyle that people lead (which can cause injury or wearing of the knee or hip bones), vulnerability to this type of arthritis has grown.
- In the past, surgeons have been hesitant to perform a hip or knee replacement surgery on a younger patient because the replacement would only last for a short time before surgery would be required again. Thanks to today’s technological advancements, hip replacements can be carried out on younger patients with greater success.
No matter your age, a robotic-assisted hip or knee replacement is designed to improve your quality of life and get you back to doing the things you enjoy, pain-free. Everyone is different, and hip or knee replacement surgery shouldn’t be undertaken lightly. Your surgeon will advise whether robotic-assisted surgery is the right option for you.
Dr Stuart MacKenzie is one of the top orthopaedic surgeons in Newcastle and the Hunter and has used robotic-assisted technology to help patients, both young and old, to get moving again.
