A Joint Replacement is a surgical procedure that replaces a person's own joint with a prosthesis, or artificial joint. It is performed by an orthopedic surgeon. Joint replacements are often necessary in injured or arthritic joints.

Reasons for Joint Replacements :
Joint replacements relieve pain in damaged or arthritis joints. They also increase the range of motion available in joints. Initially exercise, strengthening, and stretching techniques are performed to decrease joint pain and increase joint range of motion. However, if significant relief of pain and disability is not achieved, a joint replacement is an important consideration to improve function of life.

Type of Joint Replacement:
Shoulders, hips, and knees are the most common sites of joint replacements. In these joints, a metal prosthesis is used to create an artifical joint that will function like the original joint.

Joint Replacement Recovery:
Physical therapy will play an important role in recovering from a joint replacement. Strengthening and stretching the new joint are important initial treatments. Also, learning to walk and climb stairs with a cane or walker initially is of importance when healing from a knee or hip replacement. With time, the new joint will feel better than it did prior to the surgery.

Joint Replacement Surgery
Joint replacement surgery involves replacing a destroyed joint with an artificial joint. In knee or hip replacement surgery, the artificial joint is made out of metal and plastic. In the case of joint replacement in the hand, the new joint is most commonly composed of silicone rubber or the patient's own tissues such as a portion of tendon.

Joint replacement surgery, also known as arthroplasty, is very common. Each year, orthopedic surgeons perform thousands of joint replacement surgeries, most of these procedures are performed on the large weight-bearing joints such as the hips and knees. Joint replacement surgery in the hand is typically used in treating severe arthritis that involves the small joints of the hand.

The hips and knees receive continuous stress from walking, running, sporting activity, or injury and are more commonly affected by the wearing of cartilage (degenerative arthritis) than the hand joints. However, the joints of the hand do experience stress in everyday use, and because the hand joints are smaller, these stresses are concentrated over a smaller surface area. The high ratio of stress to surface area can cause the smooth joint cartilage to wear over the years. As the cartilage degenerates, the underlying bone becomes exposed. When the deteriorated joint moves, bone rubs upon bone causing pain, swelling, limiting motion, and frequently causing a grinding or popping sensation. Furthermore, forms of arthritis that are caused by inflammation of the tissues lining the joint frequently affect the small joints of the hands and wrists to cause joint destruction. Examples include rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis.

Patient and Joint Replacement Surgery
Joint replacement surgery is removing a damaged joint and putting in a new one. A joint is where two or more bones come together, like the knee, hip, and shoulder. The surgery is usually done by a doctor called an orthopaedic (or-tho-PEE-dik) surgeon. Sometimes, the surgeon will not remove the whole joint, but will only replace or fix the damaged parts

The doctor may suggest a joint replacement to improve how you live. Replacing a joint can help you relieve pain and move and feel better. Joints that can be replaced include the shoulders, fingers, ankles, and elbows. Hips and knees are replaced most often.