Ask the Doctor: Hip Replacement Surgery It's not just for old people anymore. Dr. Glenn Landon from Kelsey-Seybold Clinic talked about hip replacement on FOX 26 Morning News. View the Video

1. Hip replacements are only for the elderly. Although most hip replacement patients are over 55 years of age, younger people can definitely benefit. For example, Jimmy Connors, the former top-ranked tennis pro, had a hip replacement at age 53 because of osteoarthritis. Even amateur athletes can be affected by arthritis, particularly if they engaged in contact sports, or sports with frequent running, jumping and high-impact landings.

2. The implants only last 15 years. With new technology and materials, hip replacements can last 20 years or longer. This factor may help younger people decide to have a hip replacement sooner.

3. You’ll have a large, unsightly incision, and it will take months to recover. New minimally invasive surgical techniques require incisions that are only 3-5 inches in length. These techniques can also help people recover far more quickly. For example, Jimmy Connors was walking with no assistance the day after his hip replacement surgery.(see the video at www.jimmysnewhip.com)

4. Unless you have hip “resurfacing,” you’ll never play sports again. While hip resurfacing is a surgical technique that is good choice for younger and more active patients, hip replacements will generally not restrict any activities, including most sports that you could do before the surgery.

5. There is only one way to replace a hip. These days, there are many different options for hip replacement. Only a qualified orthopedic surgeon can tell you if you are a candidate for hip replacement surgery and which kind of surgery is right for you.

Philosophy of Care “The partnership of the patient, surgeon, and healthcare team is the key to rapid recovery and long-term success in joint surgery.” Read Dr. Glenn C. Landon's Online Profile

New surgical techniques and post-operative therapies now offer less pain and quicker recoveries from hip surgery.

In 2002, Dr. Landon performed one of the first minimally invasive hip replacements in Houston.

Today, Dr. Landon is at the forefront of using new generation devices and implants that make total hip replacement a safe and viable alternative.

“A new hip joint can last up to 30 years,” Dr. Landon said. “As more Americans live longer, hip replacement surgery will become the treatment of choice.”

At Kelsey-Seybold Clinic, we understand that our patients are often pressed for time. Offering the broadest selection of services is key to giving patients more time, which they can use to spend with their families. Patients can visit their physician, have labs drawn or diagnostic procedures performed, and get prescriptions filled in one convenient location