An injury to your hip can limit your ability to work and have a big impact on your daily life. If you’ve experienced a hip injury while working for your Georgia employer, then you may need a medical procedure such as an arthroscopic hip surgery to fully recover and return to your previous work duties. It’s important to know the basics of arthroscopic hip surgery, the safety of this type of procedure, and how a hip surgery can fit into your life.
Your injury and the appropriate treatment will be unique to your situation. However, with any workplace injury it’s important to build a strong case to make sure you can get the benefits that you deserve from your Georgia employer. This means that for best results, you’ll need to make a clear connection between your injury and your work history.
Working with your employer and the workers’ compensation system can be very challenging. With the help of one of our expert workers’ compensation attorneys at Gearhart Law, you can build the strongest case possible and get the compensation that you deserve for your injury.
What is Arthroscopic Hip Surgery
Arthroscopic hip surgery is a minimally invasive procedure used to diagnose and treat conditions affecting the hip joint. It involves inserting a small camera and instruments through small incisions in the skin around the affected area. The surgeon views a magnified image of the joint on a monitor during the procedure, allowing them to make an accurate diagnosis and, if necessary, remove or repair tissue within the joint. As no large incisions are required, patients can experience faster recovery times than when undergoing traditional open hip surgery.
The main difference between arthroscopic hip surgery and a hip replacement is the degree of invasiveness. A total hip replacement involves exposing the entire joint and replacing it with an artificial one, while arthroscopic hip surgery only requires small incisions to access the affected area. The risk of infection, nerve damage, and other complications are lower with arthroscopic hip surgery, and it is generally recommended over open hip surgery for many conditions.
The amount of time it takes to recover from arthroscopic hip surgery will depend on the type and severity of the condition being treated. Generally, recovery can take several weeks or months. This means that while you may be able to stand and walk comfortably shortly after an arthroscopic procedure, you will still need adequate time to fully return to strenuous activities and heavy lifting that may be part of your work duties
What is Arthroscopic Hip Surgery Used For?
Arthroscopic hip procedures are commonly used to treat a range of conditions affecting the hip joint including labral tears, femoroacetabular impingement, and loose bodies.
Labral tears are tears in the cartilage that helps cushion and stabilize your hip joint. These tears can occur slowly over time with repetitive stress, or suddenly during a slip or heavy lift at work that overloads the cartilage. The labrum of the hip has limited blood supply and will not heal well on its own, which makes arthroscopic surgery a popular treatment option for this injury.
Femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) is a condition where the bones of the hip joint do not fit together properly, resulting in friction and pain. Similar to labral injuries, this can happen slowly over time or as an injury response to an accident at work. Arthroscopic hip surgery is often used to reshape the bones of the hip and smooth over rough patches to limit friction and compression of the hip joint.
Loose bodies are fragments of cartilage or bone that have separated from the joint surface within the hip, often causing pain or movement limitations. Loose bodies can occur for a number of reasons, but typically must be removed surgically as the body may not be able to break down the loose bodies naturally.
In many cases, arthroscopic hip surgery is also an effective way to visualize and diagnose injuries in the hip that are difficult to correctly identify with other methods. In fact, it is fairly common for an orthopedic surgeon to identify and repair a hip injury within the same procedure.
Is Arthroscopic Hip Surgery Safe?
In many cases, arthroscopic hip surgery is considered to be a safe procedure that is far less invasive compared to an open hip surgery such as total hip replacement. However, as with any medical procedure there are risks that need to be considered carefully such as infection, blood clotting issues, or nerve damage. Be sure to discuss all potential risks and benefits associated with arthroscopic hip surgery with your doctor before proceeding.
The most common side effects following arthroscopic hip surgery include swelling, soreness, and stiffness in the hip joint. To help reduce these symptoms and protect your joint during initial healing, you may be recommended to use a walker or crutches for some time after your procedure. Because arthroscopic hip surgery does not involve cutting through muscle or joint tissue, there are typically fewer precautions when compared to more invasive procedures such as hip replacement or resurfacing.
Will I Need Other Treatments?
Your success with arthroscopic hip surgery may heavily depend on the treatments that you receive before and after your procedure. In addition to the procedure itself, you may need physical therapy and targeted lifestyle changes as part of your recovery plan.
Physical therapy can help improve mobility, reduce discomfort, and strengthen the muscles surrounding your hip joint. Depending on your specific needs, physical therapy may include range of motion exercises, strength training, balance drills, and other activities related to your specific work duties. In many cases, your physical therapist will also teach you strategies to help limit stress on your hip during your daily activities and work.
Making changes to your lifestyle can also help in a successful recovery after arthroscopic hip surgery. For example, eating a balanced diet rich in nutrients and avoiding smoking can be important to accelerate your body’s natural healing process and limit complications after surgery. Additionally, losing excess weight and avoiding activities that create excessive stress on the hip joint can help facilitate a faster recovery and safe return to work.
In order to get the coverage you need for treatments such as an arthroscopic hip surgery, you need legal help from a firm that specializes in workers’ compensation law.
Contact an Atlanta Injury Attorney
If you’re dealing with a work injury and need legal advice, contact the best workers’ compensation attorney in Georgia. Beth Gearhart listens to her clients and cares about their needs. Beth is available every day to discuss your case and review all of your options. She is dedicated to positive outcomes and only gets paid if you receive a settlement. You do not need to pay anything up front to discuss your case and explore your options.
