Hip replacement is one of the most successful operations in modern medicine. For the right patient, it can dramatically reduce pain, restore mobility, and improve quality of life.
The most common questions I hear aren't whether hip replacement works — they're about how it's performed, which approach is best, and what recovery is really like. This page answers those questions using the same evidence-based discussions I have with patients in clinic every day.
The decision to have hip replacement should never be based solely on an X-ray.
Instead, I focus on three questions:
Many patients tell me they have stopped walking for exercise, traveling, golfing, sleeping comfortably, or even putting on their shoes and socks.
When pain begins limiting the life you want to live despite conservative treatment, hip replacement becomes one of the most reliable operations we perform.
The goal is not perfection.
The goal is to help you return to the activities that matter most.
Don't wait until you're miserable. The best time for surgery is when arthritis is consistently limiting your quality of life.
There are several excellent ways to perform a hip replacement.
The Direct Anterior Approach is one of them.
Rather than cutting through major muscle groups, the anterior approach uses a natural interval between muscles to reach the hip joint.
This does not mean there is no muscle injury. Muscles still need to be stretched and retracted during surgery, and smaller soft tissues are affected.
However, no major hip muscles are routinely detached from bone and then repaired at the end of the operation.
For many patients, this contributes to:
Like every surgical technique, it also has unique technical challenges and requires specialized training and experience.
Every approach creates a different path to the same destination — a well-positioned hip replacement.
Patients often ask me which approach is "the best."
The honest answer is: it depends.
Research consistently shows that patients generally have similar pain relief, function, and implant survival one year after surgery regardless of the surgical approach.
The biggest differences occur during the early recovery period.
The anterior approach often allows:
Posterior and lateral approaches also have excellent long-term results when performed well.
The most important factor is not simply the incision location.
The most important factor is a well-performed operation by an experienced surgeon.
Choose the surgeon first. The approach comes second.
After fellowship training focused on hip replacement, I chose to build my practice around the Direct Anterior Approach.
I like it because many patients experience:
Just as importantly, I enjoy performing the operation and have dedicated my practice to continually refining the technique.
That said, the anterior approach is not appropriate for every patient.
Certain fractures, complex revision surgeries, severe deformities, or other unique situations may require a different approach.
My recommendation is always based on what is safest and most likely to provide the best outcome for the individual patient.
The best operation is the one that fits the patient — not the surgeon's preference alone.
The HANA table allows the surgical team to safely position and move the leg throughout the operation.
This improved positioning can:
The HANA table is simply a tool.
It does not perform the surgery.
Like every piece of technology in the operating room, its value depends on how it is used.
Technology supports the surgeon. It never replaces surgical judgment.
Leg length is one of the most common concerns patients have before surgery.
During surgery, we carefully evaluate:
Sometimes making the legs feel exactly equal would create an unstable hip.
In those situations, stability always takes priority.
Fortunately, many patients who initially feel a small difference notice that sensation gradually disappears as muscles recover and the body adjusts.
True major leg-length differences after modern hip replacement are uncommon.
A stable hip is more important than chasing absolute perfection in leg length.
During surgery:
Although commonly called a "hip replacement," much of your own bone and nearly all of your muscles remain your own.
The goal is to replace only the damaged joint surfaces.
We're replacing worn-out bearings — not your entire leg.
Potential risks include:
Fortunately, serious complications are uncommon.
Before surgery we carefully optimize your health and discuss ways to reduce these risks.
Understanding risk isn't about creating fear. It's about making informed decisions.
One of my favorite follow-up visits is when a patient tells me, "I don't even think about my hip anymore."
That doesn't mean it becomes identical to the hip you had at age eighteen.
Rather, it means the arthritis no longer dominates your daily life.
The goal isn't to create a perfect hip.
The goal is to remove arthritis from the center of your attention.
The best hip replacement is the one you forget you have.
Every hip is different. If hip pain is limiting your life, schedule an appointment to discuss your symptoms and treatment options with Dr. Jadye Kee.