It is not necessary to be on the bed for three months after undergoing joint replacement, it is ideal for patients to walk just 24 hours after the procedure, said Aayush Hospitals Joint Replacement Surgeon P. Sivaiah.
Speaking at observance of the World Bone and Joint Day conducted by The Hindu in association with Aayush Hospitals, Dr. Sivaiah told members of the ALC Walkers Association that people being kept in bed for three months after a procedure was ‘old orthopaedics’.
“We see people with their leg in cast hanging from a rope in the movies but all that has changed. The longer a patient remains in bed more problems crop up,” Dr. Sivaiah said.
Patients were encouraged to move with the help of physiotherapy in the new orthopaedics. In three months, the patients were often fit enough to go about life normally, he said.
Talking about myths and facts about joint replacement, Dr. Sivaiah said that three factors were taken into consideration before going for joint replacement after exhausting all other alternatives. Those were unbearable pain, the using of pain killers despite all the harmful side-effects and sleep disturbances. These three factors were indications that a patient should go for joint replacement, he said.
Besides the myth about staying bed-ridden for prolonged periods another one was that the patient could not climb steps after undergoing joint replacement. “We make them climb steps on the fourth day,” Dr. Sivaiah said.
Another myth was that 60 years was too old for such a big procedure.
But it was at that age people needed the full use of their limbs so that they do not become burdens on others, he said.
“Earlier their were joint families and there was always some one at home to help but with nuclear families joint replacement was becoming the only viable solution available, Dr. Sivaiah said.
Another joint replacement surgeon from Aayush T. Balaji explained the importance of taking care of the joints and various diseases that caused their deterioration.
A few patients who underwent knee and hip replacement procedures shared their experiences with the audience. The doctors said that the best way to keep ones’ bones and joints healthy was to live an active life with good exercise. Walkers’ association vice-president M.A. Naidu spoke.
