For many older adults, hip surgery is a necessary evil. While none of us wants to go through the difficult rehabilitation process that follows hip-replacement surgery, the alternative is worse by far. So, for the sake of our mobility and future pain-free life, we put our hips in our doctor’s hands and hope for the best.

If anything, the procedure is becoming more common, not less. According to WebMD, the number of hip-replacement surgeries being performed has increased significantly over the last few years. Specifically, in 2000, 138,700 procedures were performed. This increased to 310,800 by 2010.

The good news is that, recently, some doctors have started to use a new procedure, called subchondroplasty, which is less invasive and easier to recover from.

What is Subchondroplasty?

This new procedure involves injecting a cement like material, Bone Substitute Material (BSM), which strengthens the damaged hip.

Over time, the material is reabsorbed by the body and replaced with healthy bone.

So, who is the procedure best for? According to Dr. Robert J. Daley, “Patients diagnosed with BMLs (Bone marrow lesions) as the primary source of pain in the knee may benefit from the procedure. However, subchondroplasty is contraindicated in patients with BMI more than 40 or those with severe malalignment of the knee joint.”

Of course, no procedure is risk free, but, when everything goes well, patients are often said to recover much faster with this procedure than with traditional hip-replacement surgery.

Since I am not a medical professional – and each and every one of us has a unique body and medical history – it always makes sense to talk to your own doctor before making any medical conditions.

To be clear, I am in no way vouching for or recommending this procedure. Instead, I simply want to give you one more thing to discuss with your own doctor.

Still, if the procedure performs as promised, it sounds like an interesting option or many older adults.

Have you or anyone that you know gone through hip-replacement surgery? Have you heard of Subchondroplasty before? What have you heard? Let’s have a chat!