Page 46 - BusinessWest April 14, 2021

The Next Step
EA
ful arthritis and need some kind of attention. When a patient suffers from especially severe
joint pain, doctors usually begin treatment by recommending physical therapy, as well as pain medications or an assistive device such as a cane or a walker. When these non-operative approach-
“
mobilizing patients
early promotes faster
recovery, less pain, and
fewer complications.” DR. BEN SNYDER
ffective Rehab Boosts Joint-replacement Outcomes
By Mark Morris
s we age, it’s not unusual for our joints to become worn down from decades of use. For most people, their knees, hips, or shoulders will develop pain-
we recommend joint-replacement surgery,” said Dr. Ben Snyder, an orthopedic surgeon at Cooley Dick- inson Health Care.
Nearly 1 million Americans undergo joint-replacement surgery every year, with around 600,000 for knees and 300,000 for hips. Accord- ing to Snyder, this safe and effective surgery is proliferating because, as people age, they want to remain
active through their later years.
In the past, surgeries
were often held off until
patients were in their
70s because older-model replacement joints
would not hold up for
more than 10 or 15 years.
“But improvements in joint-replacement techniques and technology have increased the lon- gevity of joint-replacement surgery,” Snyder said. “Because of that, we’ve
We find that
es work, they can provide relief and delay an eventual surgery.
However, “if the pain, function, and quality of life do not improve for the patient, that’s when
seen a big increase in patients who are 55 to 65 years old.”
A key to success for joint-replacement surgery involves getting patients out of bed and walking
Jack Jury says today’s joint-replacement patients experience less pain and a shorter rehab than in the past.
on the same day of surgery, Snyder noted. “We find that mobilizing patients early promotes fast- er recovery, less pain, and fewer complications.”
Andrea Noel-Doubleday, assistant director of Rehabilitation Services at Cooley Dickinson,
schedule a tour
TIME TO GET YOUR GROOVE BACK!
CLEAN | SAFE | HEALTHY
Spring into the season with us! We provide members with both a virtual and in-person fitness experience through our personal training services, state-of-the-art equipment, a variety of group fitness classes, customized health programs and much more.
Complimentary Safe Start appointments are available so that you can see all of the cleaning and safety protocols first-hand.
To schedule a tour, visit:
www.healthtrax.com
46
APRIL 14, 2021
HEALTHCARE
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