Total Joint Replacement
Many people experience chronic joint pain brought on by inflammation, a fracture or other musculoskeletal disorders that involve bones, cartilage, ligaments, tendons, muscles and nerves.
Some of the more common causes of chronic joint pain include:
- Osteoarthritis, caused by normal wear and tear on joints during the aging process
- Excess body weight which can cause stress on joints and wear away the joint lining and cartilage
- Injury or trauma from a fall or accident
- Severe infections that attack the joints
Summa Health’s board-certified orthopedic specialists provide extensive, customized treatment options, including nonsurgical and surgical approaches, to total joint patients. We follow best practice guidelines using conservative management and recommend noninvasive first-line treatments.
When It’s Time to Consider Total Joint Replacement
Many people with joint pain wait too long before consulting an orthopedic specialist. It is time to consider total joint replacement if:
- You have tried less invasive ways to treat your symptoms (i.e., injections, medication or physical therapy and are not seeing improvement )
- You find yourself giving up the things you enjoy doing
- It hurts to cross your legs
- If your knee pain is intolerable when walking up or down stairs
It is crucial to have surgery before the knee stiffens or the hip weakens. Moreover, the earlier you talk with a Summa Health orthopedic specialist, the more treatment options will be available to you and the faster recovery can occur.
Total Joint Replacement Surgery
The recently opened Summa Health Joint Replacement Center of Excellence, located at the Summa Health System – Barberton Campus, delivers comprehensive compassionate surgical care to total joint replacement patients. With a mission to help eliminate pain and restore function to joints, it offers the latest in robotic surgery and innovative procedures, such as digital hip navigation and minimally invasive anterior hip replacement surgery.
The Summa Health Joint Replacement Center of Excellence also provides total knee replacement and total hip replacement patients with a dedicated orthopedic nurse navigator to help guide them along the patient care journey, as well as informative pre-surgery classes through the Joint Effort Academy.
Summa Health Joint Replacement Center of Excellence
Total Joint Replacement Recovery
Physical therapy is a critical part of recovery. At Summa, physical therapy begins the day of surgery and continues during the course of your hospital stay. Some patients may need additional outpatient physical therapy after they leave the hospital. The goal is for patients to return to a life without pain or discomfort.
Pain relief after total joint replacement surgery is also an important part of the recovery process. When not in pain, you are more likely to experience a comfortable recovery and faster return to everyday activities. The Pain Ball Pain Relief System consists of a small disposable pump that continuously delivers a local anesthetic medication to block the pain in the area of your procedure. With it, you may need less narcotics and have better pain relief than with narcotics alone.
Are you ready to regain the freedom to participate in the activities you most enjoy?