By Jim Davidson, MD and Katie Fultz, PA-C
Blanchard Valley Orthopedics & Sports Medicine
Often a patient has been diagnosed with severe osteoarthritis of a large joint (hip, knee, shoulder) and among treatment options discussed, joint replacement surgery may be considered. Typically, a joint replacement is reserved for the treatment of severe osteoarthritis when non-surgical treatments are no longer working. A joint replacement is replacing the cartilage ends of two bones where they come together to make a joint with a metal and plastic prosthetic. Once a patient has met with their orthopedic provider and decided a joint replacement is the right treatment option for them, there is preparation that can be done. This preparation is crucial to joint replacement success. Often, some of these things should start to be addressed upon initial diagnosis of the disease.
