It may be worth asking for an orthopaedic opinion when hip pain or stiffness is starting to interfere with normal life and treatment such as physiotherapy, medication or activity changes is no longer giving you enough relief.

You might notice that walking is getting harder, your hip wakes you at night, getting in and out of the car has become uncomfortable, or putting on your shoes and socks is becoming a daily frustration.

Seeing an orthopaedic surgeon does not mean you will automatically be advised to have a hip replacement.

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Yes. Hip arthritis does not automatically mean hip replacement.

Treatment may include physiotherapy, strengthening, activity changes, pain medication or other measures discussed with your treating team.

Surgery usually enters the conversation when symptoms and joint damage are having a significant effect on daily life and non-surgical treatment is no longer providing enough relief.

Hip replacement may enter the discussion when significant joint damage is causing persistent pain and loss of movement, and non-surgical treatment is no longer providing enough relief.

The decision is not based on an X-ray alone. Dr Kitchen will also consider how much your hip affects your walking, sleep, work, exercise, independence, and the activities that matter to you.

A total hip replacement replaces the worn or damaged surfaces of the hip joint with prosthetic components to create a new joint surface.

Dr Kitchen performs hip replacements using Direct Anterior and Posterior approaches and also uses Mako robotic-assisted technology for selected hip replacement procedures.

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The Direct Anterior Approach reaches the hip joint from the front of the body.

During this procedure, the surgeon works between natural muscle planes rather than detaching the major hip muscles in the same way as other approaches. This is why the technique is commonly described as a muscle-sparing approach.

The Direct Anterior Approach is not used for every hip replacement. Dr Kitchen will assess your anatomy, joint condition, previous surgery, and the required procedure before discussing which surgical approach may suit your hip.

No. Anterior hip replacement describes the surgical approach used to reach the joint.

Robotic-assisted hip replacement describes technology used to help plan and guide parts of the procedure.

A patient can have an anterior hip replacement with robotic assistance in selected circumstances. They describe two different parts of the operation.

Mako SmartRobotics™ is a technology used by Dr Kitchen for selected hip and knee replacement procedures. It supports 3D planning and provides information to help guide implant positioning during surgery.

The robot does not perform the operation independently. Dr Kitchen remains responsible for and in control of the procedure.

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Revision hip replacement is further surgery on a hip that has previously been replaced.

Assessment may be required if an existing implant develops problems such as wear, loosening, instability, fracture, infection or another issue around the joint.

Revision procedures can be more involved than a first hip replacement because the anatomy and bone around the previous implant may have changed. Dr Kitchen's practice includes revision joint replacement, supported by fellowship experience in complex hip and knee surgery at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital in Stanmore.

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