Hip prostheses: Don't be afraid of sports

Christiane Fux studied journalism and psychology in Hamburg. The experienced medical editor has been writing magazine articles, news and factual texts on all conceivable health topics since 2001. In addition to her work for, Christiane Fux is also active in prose. Her first crime novel was published in 2012, and she also writes, designs and publishes her own crime plays.

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Joint prostheses meanwhile give many people new mobility. But many patients take care of their implant - out of concern about premature wear. Exercising is the best thing you can do for your artificial joints.

In the last few decades, the development of modern joint prostheses has given a boost: The new implants are much more durable than earlier models. "Loosening is greatly reduced, implant fractures hardly ever occur," says Prof. Carsten Perka from the Berlin Charité at a webinar of the German Society for Endoprosthetics.

Gentle no longer applies

When Perka asks his patients during aftercare what they are doing at home, the answer is often: "I'm taking it easy". In the past, this was actually recommended by doctors. It was feared that exercise could accelerate wear and tear. If abrasion particles then triggered an inflammatory reaction around the implant and loosened it, the artificial joint had to be replaced prematurely.

But this recommendation has long been out of date. Modern implants withstand extreme loads, especially on the hip. Innovative prosthesis materials, diverse implant models and differentiated, gentle surgical techniques mean that a much more active lifestyle is possible.

Exercising protects the joint

Even more: Sport is usually not only possible without any problems, it is urgently recommended. Because it protects the new joint. Trained muscles and ligaments around the joint replacement stabilize the joint.

In addition, training not only builds muscle mass, but also helps maintain the bone mass in which the joints are embedded. In addition, trained patients are safer and more balanced when walking and standing and therefore fall less often.

Last but not least, the patients could also benefit from a better immune status thanks to the training, reports the orthopedic surgeon. "Infections in the joint area may then also be less common." For all these reasons, the experts recommend that their patients with replacement joints be physically active for at least one hour a day.

From walking to marathon

With softer sports such as Nordic walking, cycling or hiking, people who were previously less athletic could also join.

But more demanding sport is also possible with a hip prosthesis. “Before the procedure, I ask my patients about their plans,” says Perka. The patient's response influences the choice of an appropriate artificial joint. "Ceramic heads are particularly recommended for higher loads, such as jogging," the orthopedist knows. Even downhill skiing is possible as long as the patient has mastered the technique before the operation.

The right joint for every sport

For sports such as yoga, ballet or rowing, other models are the better choice. The training goes hand in hand with an increased risk that the prosthetic head will dislocate (dislocation). Then an extra large swivel head is ideal.

Joint sockets with a so-called tripolar joint pairing ("dual mobility") have only been on the market for a few years. With this combination, even extreme joint positions do not lead to a dislocation of the prosthesis.

However, so-called “stop-and-go sports” such as ball sports, but also extreme endurance loads and sports with intensive body contact such as martial arts are taboo for people with a hip prosthesis. You can still significantly shorten the life of the hip prosthesis.

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