A surgical solution can keep you active and pain-free
WE
love healthy hip
joints—their uid, pain-
free movement. So when
aching, degenerative
arthritis limits our ability
to move comfortably and
remain active, we start
looking at ways to decrease
pain and restore function.
Total hip joint replacement
is a surgical option when
initial approaches for managing
progressive arthritis have failed.
Orthopedic surgeon Ben Olson,
DO, of the Regional Ortho Clinic,
says some of the conservative
management options he advises
his patients to try before exploring
any joint replacement surgery
include weight loss, activity
restriction, physical therapy,
bracing, medications or injections.
For those patients for whom initial
conservative measures have not
worked, however, arthroplasty can
be an excellent option to restore
function and decrease pain, he says.
If you are now considering hip joint
replacement, consider the less
invasive bene ts of Dr. Olson’s
preferred surgical method:
anterior-approach hip
arthroplasty.
A better approach
e anterior (or
front) approach to hip
joint replacement, Dr.
Olson says, has multiple
postsurgery bene ts
for the patient over the
traditional posterior
(back) or lateral (side) approaches.
Dr. Olson explains that the
physiology of accessing the hip
joint from the front allows him
to work between the muscles and
tendons, rather than having to
surgically detach them and then
reattach them, as is done with
posterior or lateral approaches.
“ is muscle-sparing approach
allows for an earlier recovery
with improved mobility and pain
control in comparison to traditional
approaches,” says Dr. Olson. “In
addition, there is less risk for joint
dislocation postsurgery.”
With the anterior approach,
the postsurgery recovery time is
also shorter. Dr. Olson’s patients
are able to resume their daily
routines more quickly.
“Our goal is early ambulation,”
Dr. Olson says. “Patients are up
walking and working with a physical
therapist the day of surgery.” is not
only builds the patient’s con dence
but also decreases potential for blood
clotting.
Orthopedic
Surgeon
Ben Olson, DO
—Continued on page 2
G R A N D E
R O N D E
H O S P I TA L
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A JOURNAL DEVOTED TO HEALTHFUL L I V I NG
WI NTER 2014
Happy hips
Whether it’s through the golf tournament or a will or trust, there are plenty of
ways to invest in health care in our region.
See page 3.