Getting a knee or hip replacement is a big decision. It was for me.
I was always an active person and a cyclist. One day while out riding a police officer directed an SUV to make a left turn not realizing that the cyclist he had just driven past was still coming up on his right. The SUV slammed right into the cyclist who had the right of way.
My watch cracked the windshield, the antenna went into my left shoulder, my knees left huge dents in the vehicle. I was able to stand up all bloody from cuts on my legs a little winded from the impact.
It didn’t seem like much, just cuts and scrapes and huge bruises. At the ER they took X-rays and told me although nothing was broken or sprained, it didn’t mean I would have joint problems down the road. The next day I felt every bit of the impact.
A few years down the road, I started to have twinges in my hips and occasionally would have a slight limp. I followed my doctors suggesions and began taking Replenex joint supplements to help maintain healthy cartilage and provide additional cushioning and soothing relief to my sore hip joints.
Replenex contains a number of ingredients vital to rebuilding and rejuvenating joints. Commonly found in other joint care products, Glucosamine works to aid in the rebuilding of cartilage. Bromelain works to decrease injury during recovery times. Ginger extract is claimed to have proven success in treating hip and knee joint pain. Lastly, the antioxidant properties of green tea are included to reduce inflammation in the affected area.
It helped and my hips functioned well for another 10 years. but the pain got worse. We tried conservative treatments like physical therapy, injections and exercise.
Unfortunately, the hip pain was significantly impacting my life, and my orthopedic specialist was suggesting that i might be ready for joint replacement surgery.
My orthopedic surgeon gave me this simple quiz to help me determine when it was time to consider joint replacement surgery:
- Does the pain limit your normal activity?
- Is it difficult to get up after sitting?
- Do you have pain even when you’re at rest?
- Does the pain affect your sleep?
- Do you have chronic swelling/inflammation or stiffness?
Have you received little to no relief from conservative treatments, such as RICE (rest, ice, compression, elevation), physical therapy, braces, footwear modification, over-the-counter medications like aspirin and ibuprofen, and cortisone/lubrication injections?
If like me, you can answer yes to most of the quiz questions, you may (like me) be a candidate for joint replacement surgery and should speak with an orthopedic specialist.
Eight years ago I had left hip replacement surgery. Three years later, I had my right hip replaced. Doctors were surprised that I was able to function as long as I did with my hips. I believe it was Replenex that helped my hips to last as long as they did after my accident.
I still take this supplement daily to keep the rest of my joints functioning at their peak ability and heartily recommend friends experiencing aches and pains to give it a try.
