Clear answers for the moment before the decision.
Surgeon-reviewed education for active adults deciding whether hip or knee replacement is the right next step. Start with the question that feels closest to your life right now: timing, Restore Don't Replace planning, same-day recovery, Smart Therapy, surgeon selection, or getting back to what you love.
All patient education
These pages are written as practical questions because patients rarely need more noise. They need a clearer next step.
What the first two weeks can look like after anterior hip replacement
A practical guide to walking, soreness, home setup, warning signs, and why surgeon-specific instructions matter after anterior hip replacement.
Hip Replacement ApproachAnterior vs posterior hip replacement: how should patients compare approaches?
A balanced explanation of hip replacement approaches and why surgeon experience, anatomy, diagnosis, and implant position matter more than marketing language.
Knee Replacement PlanningCan both knees be replaced at the same time?
Bilateral knee replacement may be considered for select patients, but medical risk, recovery demands, home support, and surgeon judgment are central.
Same-Day Hip ReplacementCan I go home the same day after hip replacement?
How outpatient hip replacement decisions are made, including anesthesia recovery, walking, pain control, medical risk, and home support.
Same-Day Knee ReplacementCan I go home the same day after knee replacement?
What has to be true before same-day discharge after knee replacement, including pain control, walking, stairs, medical stability, and home support.
Hip And Spine PainDo I need a hip replacement or spine evaluation first?
Hip arthritis and spine problems can overlap, so the first step is matching pain location, exam findings, imaging, and response to prior treatment.
Hip Replacement RecoveryHip replacement red flags after surgery
Symptoms after hip replacement that should prompt a call or urgent evaluation, including infection signs, clots, dislocation concerns, and sudden worsening pain.
Choosing A SurgeonHow do I choose a hip replacement surgeon?
Choosing a hip replacement surgeon should include training, procedure focus, volume, communication, recovery planning, hospital or surgery center setting, and trust.
Choosing A SurgeonHow do I choose a knee replacement surgeon?
Choosing a knee replacement surgeon should include experience, alignment philosophy, revision planning, communication, recovery expectations, and trust.
Partial Knee ReplacementHow do surgeons decide between partial and total knee replacement?
The partial-versus-total knee decision depends on where arthritis is located, ligament quality, deformity, stiffness, activity goals, and imaging.
Hip Replacement DurabilityHow long does a hip replacement last?
What patients should know about hip implant longevity, activity, wear, loosening, age, and why follow-up still matters after pain improves.
Knee Replacement DurabilityHow long does a knee replacement last?
How implant wear, loosening, age, activity, body weight, infection, and follow-up affect how long a knee replacement may function.
Anterior Hip ReplacementHow long does anterior hip replacement recovery take?
A realistic recovery timeline for anterior hip replacement, including walking, driving, work, soreness, and milestones to discuss with your surgeon.
Total Knee ReplacementHow long does total knee replacement recovery take?
A realistic overview of knee replacement recovery milestones, including walking, swelling, range of motion, work, sleep, and the long tail of healing.
Hip Replacement RecoveryHow much walking is too much after hip replacement?
Walking is important after hip replacement, but pain, swelling, fatigue, limping, and next-day soreness help determine whether activity is too much.
Knee Replacement RecoveryHow much walking is too much after knee replacement?
After knee replacement, walking should increase gradually while swelling, range of motion, pain, and walking quality are monitored.
Anterior Hip RecoveryHow soon can I drive after anterior hip replacement?
Driving after anterior hip replacement depends on the operated side, pain control, reaction time, medication use, strength, and surgeon instructions.
Knee Replacement RecoveryHow soon can I drive after knee replacement?
Driving after knee replacement depends on side of surgery, braking control, swelling, pain medication, range of motion, and surgeon clearance.
Same-Day Joint ReplacementHow to prepare for same-day joint replacement
A practical preparation checklist for outpatient hip or knee replacement, including home support, medications, therapy, transportation, and warning signs.
Knee Replacement RecoveryIs clicking normal after knee replacement?
Clicking after knee replacement can be benign, but painful clicking, instability, swelling, locking, or new mechanical symptoms should be evaluated.
Joint Replacement RecoveryIs leg swelling normal after joint replacement?
Leg swelling can be normal after hip or knee replacement, but one-sided calf pain, chest symptoms, fever, drainage, or sudden worsening should be addressed promptly.
Knee AlignmentKinematic vs mechanical alignment in knee replacement: what is the difference?
Kinematic and mechanical alignment are different philosophies for positioning knee replacement components and balancing the knee.
Knee Replacement RecoveryKnee replacement red flags after surgery
Symptoms after knee replacement that deserve a call or urgent evaluation, including infection signs, clot symptoms, sudden pain, drainage, and loss of motion.
Knee Replacement OptionsPartial vs total knee replacement: what is the difference?
A patient-friendly comparison of partial and total knee replacement, including arthritis pattern, ligament quality, recovery tradeoffs, and revision risk questions.
Revision Hip ReplacementRevision hip replacement warning signs: when should a replaced hip be checked?
When pain, instability, loosening, infection signs, fracture, or implant wear after hip replacement should prompt specialist evaluation.
Revision Knee ReplacementRevision knee replacement warning signs: when should a replaced knee be checked?
Symptoms that can prompt evaluation after a knee replacement, including pain, swelling, instability, stiffness, infection signs, and changes on imaging.
Same-Day Joint ReplacementSame-day joint replacement: who qualifies?
How surgeons evaluate medical safety, home support, mobility, pain control, and procedure factors before outpatient hip or knee replacement.
Smart Knee PrivacySmart Knee privacy questions to ask before surgery.
Privacy questions to ask before choosing a Smart Knee implant, including what data is collected, who can see it, how it is used, and how it fits follow-up care.
Hip Replacement RecoveryWhat activity restrictions are common after hip replacement?
Hip replacement restrictions depend on surgical approach, implant stability, bone quality, surgeon preference, and the patient's recovery stage.
Revision Knee ReplacementWhat causes instability after knee replacement?
Instability after knee replacement can come from ligament imbalance, component position, wear, loosening, trauma, weakness, or other mechanical issues.
Knee Replacement RecoveryWhat causes pain after knee replacement?
Common and concerning causes of pain after knee replacement, from normal healing to stiffness, infection, loosening, instability, or pain from outside the knee.
Arthritis Decision MakingWhat does bone-on-bone arthritis mean?
Bone-on-bone arthritis means joint cartilage space is severely narrowed on imaging, but surgery decisions still depend on symptoms and function.
Joint Replacement TimingWhat if I am too young for joint replacement?
Younger patients with severe arthritis need a timing discussion that balances quality of life, implant longevity, revision risk, and alternatives.
Revision Hip ReplacementWhat is a revision hip replacement workup?
A revision hip replacement workup looks for loosening, wear, instability, infection, fracture, tendon problems, spine issues, or other pain sources.
Smart Knee TechnologyWhat is a Smart Knee implant?
A patient-friendly explanation of Smart Knee implants, Persona IQ recovery data, candidacy limits, privacy questions, and how the technology fits knee replacement planning.
Kinematic Knee ReplacementWhat is kinematic knee replacement?
A plain-English explanation of kinematic knee alignment, patient-specific planning, and when another alignment strategy may be safer.
Anterior Hip ReplacementWhat is outpatient anterior hip replacement?
Outpatient anterior hip replacement means selected patients go home the same day after anterior hip replacement when safety criteria are met.
Knee Replacement PlanningWhat is patient-specific knee replacement planning?
Patient-specific knee replacement planning connects anatomy, alignment, ligament balance, imaging, activity goals, and implant choices to the surgical plan.
Revision Joint ReplacementWhat is revision joint replacement?
A clear explanation of revision hip or knee replacement, why implants may need another operation, and why diagnosis comes before planning.
Robotic Knee ReplacementWhat is robotic knee replacement?
What robotic assistance can and cannot do in knee replacement, and why planning, surgeon judgment, alignment, and soft-tissue balance still matter.
Hip PainWhat is the difference between hip arthritis and bursitis?
Hip arthritis and bursitis can both cause hip-region pain, but arthritis often affects the joint while bursitis usually causes outer-side hip tenderness.
Same-Day Joint ReplacementWhat makes someone a poor candidate for same-day joint replacement?
Same-day joint replacement may not be appropriate when medical risk, mobility, home support, pain control, or surgical complexity makes overnight monitoring safer.
Hip Replacement ConsultationWhat questions should I ask a hip replacement surgeon?
High-yield questions about diagnosis, approach, implant choice, risks, recovery, same-day discharge, and how surgeon experience fits your case.
Knee Replacement ConsultationWhat questions should I ask a knee replacement surgeon?
Questions to bring to a knee replacement consult about timing, partial vs total, alignment, robotic assistance, risks, recovery, and pain expectations.
Consultation PreparationWhat should I do before a joint replacement consultation?
Before a joint replacement consultation, gather imaging, medication lists, prior treatment history, health issues, goals, and practical recovery questions.
Revision Knee ReplacementWhat tests are done before revision knee replacement?
Revision knee replacement workup may include exam, X-rays, infection labs, aspiration, CT, bone scans, or other tests depending on the suspected cause.
Knee Replacement RecoveryWhen can I climb stairs after knee replacement?
Stair climbing after knee replacement usually begins with a safe step-to pattern and progresses as strength, balance, pain, and knee control improve.
Joint Replacement RecoveryWhen can I fly after joint replacement?
Flying after joint replacement depends on blood clot risk, swelling, wound healing, mobility, trip length, and the surgeon's prevention plan.
Hip Replacement RecoveryWhen can I return to golf after hip replacement?
Returning to golf after hip replacement depends on wound healing, balance, strength, swing mechanics, pain, and surgeon clearance.
Hip Replacement RecoveryWhen can I sleep on my side after hip replacement?
Side sleeping after hip replacement depends on incision comfort, approach-specific precautions, pillow positioning, wound healing, and surgeon instructions.
Total Hip ReplacementWhen is hip replacement worth it?
How to think about hip replacement timing when pain, sleep, walking, imaging, nonsurgical care, and quality of life point toward surgery.
Knee Replacement RecoveryWhen is knee manipulation considered after replacement?
Manipulation after knee replacement may be considered when stiffness remains significant despite appropriate therapy and timing is still favorable.
Total Knee ReplacementWhen is knee replacement worth it?
How surgeons think about knee replacement timing when pain, stiffness, X-rays, nonsurgical care, sleep, and daily function no longer line up.
Partial Knee ReplacementWhen is partial knee replacement better than total knee replacement?
When a partial knee replacement may fit better, and when total knee replacement may be the safer or more predictable choice.
Hip Replacement RecoveryWhy does my hip hurt after hip replacement?
Pain after hip replacement may come from normal healing, overactivity, tendon irritation, back problems, infection, loosening, instability, or other causes that need evaluation.
Knee Replacement RecoveryWhy does my knee feel stiff after knee replacement?
Knee stiffness after replacement can relate to swelling, scar tissue, pain control, preoperative stiffness, therapy progress, implant issues, or infection.
Ready to ask better questions?
A consultation does not mean surgery is automatic. It means a hip or knee specialist will listen, review your symptoms and imaging, and help you understand whether now is the right time.
Schedule a ConsultationThese pages are general education and do not replace an evaluation with your surgeon.