All joints in the body endure exceptional amounts of stress. The knee and hip joints, the latter of which is the largest joint in the body, are used for nearly every activity you perform in your daily life. It doesn't take a serious injury for one of these joints to wear down. Several factors can contribute, from a very active lifestyle to your genetics to your weight. In most cases, doctors take the most conservative approach possible when dealing with indications of joint degradation. You may start to wonder about the benefits of joint replacement if you don't receive much relief from medication and activity modifications.
Some of the signs that it's to your advantage to consider joint replacement include:
You have chronic or recurring pain around the joint
You experience activity-related pain and stiffness
You have difficulty exercising or completing certain movements
You're kept awake or woken up by pain around the joint
These are just a few of a more exhaustive list of signs that joint replacement may be a good decision. To some degree, the choice is up to you. However, it's important to keep in mind that the more degradation that's occurred in the joint, the more complex your surgery and recovery may be.