Can you play sport after a total hip replacement?

Many patients we operate on nowadays needing a hip replacement are perhaps younger than in previous decades. Consequently their levels of activity remain high and in many instances their disability caused by their hip pain is stopping them continuing sports they enjoy. A concern after hip replacement is therefore whether these activities are still possible or advisable. A concern with some of the older materials used for hip replacement was that the hip would wear out more quickly thereby leading to the need for a re-do hip replacement. It is certainly  a big ask of a joint replacement to keep on working normally year after year. After all, it is a mechanical part and there is not much around your home or in your car that you would not expect to replace with time when it wears out! The hip joint has to withstand many times body weight depending on the activity.

At the present time there is no real evidence that total hip replacements wear out more quickly with sport and exercise. The information is difficult to decipher in the literature because the results of total hip replacement in patients under the age of 50 (and who are more likely to be sporty and active) are worse than in older age groups in terms of time to revision. Most studies, however, concern hip replacements using older materials in particular cobalt chrome as the metal ball and polyethylene as the liner of the socket. The problem has always been with the polyethylene  wearing out and causing a lot of problems in terms of implant loosening and damage to surrounding bone.

With newer materials, in particular with a ceramic on ceramic articulation which I tend to favour, the wear rate is incredibly low. We are also able to use larger ball head sizes which improve stability and don’t compromise the wear properties of the joint.  For these reasons I have been perfectly happy for patients to continue sports and exercise. The main issues arise with contact sports where the individual is not in so much control of what happens to them and that is likely to constitute a risk. Sports such as running, biking, swimming, skiing, tennis etc don’t seem to be a problem.

Clearly it is a shock to many people when they find out that their hip has become so damaged that they need a hip replacement, but there is some consolation in that the operation does allow a return to an active and sporty lifestyle.