Excessive sporting activity may impair long-term success of hip resurfacing

In hip resurfacing the femoral ball in the hip joint is not removed, but instead is trimmed and capped with a smooth metal covering. Young and active patients with arthritis often choose hip resurfacing over total hip replacement to minimize the risk of hip dislocation, and to preserve the bone for a revision surgery should the primary resurfacing fail. However, the long-term effects of sports on a resurfaced hip were unknown.

In new research presented today at the 2012 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS), investigators surveyed 445 patients between one and five years after hip resurfacing. Eurekalert!