FAQs

Complications can include infection, blood clots, joint dislocation, unequal leg lengths, and nerve damage. Long-term risks involve prosthesis wear-out necessitating revision surgeries. Surgical technique, anaesthetic and post-operative care are all aimed at reducing these risks, but none of them can be removed entirely.

Yes, physiotherapy is vital for recovery after total hip replacement. It restores motion, strengthens hip muscles, and improves functioning while reducing pain and preventing complications like rigidity or dislocation.

Post-operative care options depend on general health, surgery extent, and home support availability. Most patients experience less pain and may return home the next day, though some benefit from a rehabilitation centre stay.

Surgery involves removing damaged knee joint parts and replacing them with artificial components using specialised robotic assistance. The incision is closed with stitches and sterile bandaging. The entire surgery normally lasts about one hour, or two at most.

Australian registry data show that most modern knee replacements have not needed revision 15 to 20 years after surgery. That measures whether the implant was replaced, not how well the knee feels, and younger, more active patients have a higher chance of needing a revision during their lifetime. Weight, activity and how well the knee recovers also play a part.

Knee replacements differ along several independent design features rather than falling into a fixed set of types. One is how the posterior cruciate ligament is handled: cruciate-retaining designs keep it, posterior-stabilised designs replace its function, and medial-pivot or medial-congruent designs use the shape of the bearing to provide stability. Another is whether the plastic insert is fixed to the metal tray or allowed to move slightly (fixed-bearing or mobile-bearing). Others include cemented or uncemented fixation and whether the kneecap is resurfaced. The combination is chosen for the individual knee.

Usually two to four nights in hospital, with physiotherapy starting straight away, then several weeks at home with continued exercises and outpatient physiotherapy. Most people are off walking aids by around four to six weeks and managing everyday activities by six to twelve weeks. Strength, stamina and comfort keep improving for up to about twelve months, and swelling after activity can persist for much of that time.

Primary risks include infection, blood clots, implant wear or dislocation, nerve or blood vessel damage, persistent pain or stiffness, anaesthesia complications, bone fractures, limited range of motion, and the potential need for revision surgery.

Osteoarthritis is the prevalent cause, causing cartilage deterioration, pain, stiffening, and diminished movement range. Total knee replacement proves effective for controlling severe osteoarthritis-related pain and restoring normal function.

Alternatives include pain relievers and anti-inflammatory medications, physical therapy with targeted exercises, lifestyle changes like weight reduction, low-impact workouts, and corticosteroid injections for short-term relief. The Australian guideline recommends against hyaluronic acid (gel) injections and stem cell therapy for knee osteoarthritis.

Risks include infection, blood clot formation, prosthetic wear and loosening requiring revision, nerve or blood vessel damage, persistent pain or stiffness, anaesthesia complications, bone fractures, and limited range of motion.

Useful things to ask about: how many hip replacements the surgeon performs a year and what proportion of their practice is joint replacement; their fellowship training and college qualifications; which hospitals they operate at; which surgical approaches they use and why; and how revision surgery is handled if a replacement later needs attention.

Low-impact activities such as walking, swimming, cycling and golf are usually built back up gradually over the first few months as strength returns. Running and skiing are decided case by case, and sports involving repeated impact, hard pivoting or the risk of a heavy fall, such as basketball, football and squash, are usually advised against after a knee replacement. Advice on a particular activity is individual and is given at review.

Most patients begin walking with assistance on surgery day or the next day using walkers or crutches. Within one week, more independent walking with aids begins. By 3 to 6 weeks post-surgery, many can walk without crutches, achieving normal walking in 3 to 6 months.

Yes, elderly patients with osteoporosis can undergo knee replacement. Dr Rhys Clark evaluates overall health and osteoporosis severity. Special techniques and implants designed for osteoporotic bones enhance stability and durability.

Consider removal when the lipoma causes pain or discomfort, grows rapidly, interferes with activities, when there are concerns about appearance, or when diagnostic uncertainty raises suspicion of more serious conditions like liposarcoma.

Small, superficial lipomas are often removed under local anaesthetic; larger or deeper ones may need a general anaesthetic. A lump that is large, deep, growing or of uncertain nature should be assessed first, usually with imaging and sometimes a biopsy, because a small proportion of fatty lumps are not simple lipomas. The removal itself usually takes 30 minutes to an hour, and most people go home the same day.

Surgery is recommended when lipomas cause pain, grow rapidly, interfere with activities, present cosmetic concerns, or when diagnostic uncertainty exists regarding whether it is a benign lipoma or a malignant liposarcoma.

The meniscus tears through sudden twisting movements with the foot firmly planted, common in direction-change sports. The meniscus becomes caught between knee bones, causing pain, swelling, and difficulty moving the knee.

Symptoms include localised knee pain (inner or outer), swelling within 24 hours, a popping sensation, difficulty fully straightening the knee, locked knee sensations, and feelings of instability or giving way.

The two recover quite differently. After a partial meniscectomy, where the torn part is trimmed away, most people are back to most everyday activities within about four to six weeks, depending on age, the state of the knee and the work involved. A meniscus repair has to heal, so recovery is slower: usually a period of protected weight-bearing and limited bending, and a return to sport commonly around four to six months, depending on the tear and the rehabilitation protocol.