BOSS ORTHOPAEDICSPatrick Pallitto, M.D.
BOSS ORTHOPAEDICSPatrick Pallitto, M.D.
Article
By Patrick Pallitto, M.D.
There's a lot of outdated or exaggerated information out there about hip and knee replacement. Here are some of the most common myths, and the reality.
Myth
Reality: There's no age cutoff. Candidacy is based on your symptoms and how much pain is limiting your daily life — not your age.
Myth
Reality: Most patients go home the same day or after one night in the hospital, begin walking with assistance just a few hours after surgery, drive again around 2 weeks, and return to higher-level activity like golf or tennis within 6 weeks to 3 months.
Myth
Reality: Getting back to the activities patients love — golf, tennis, pickleball, walking the beach — is one of the main goals of joint replacement, not something patients have to give up.
Myth
Reality: Dr. Pallitto performs the surgery. Robotic assistance (MAKO and VELYS for knee replacement) is a tool he uses to plan and execute a more personalized procedure — it doesn't operate independently.
Good to Know
Not necessarily — nonsurgical treatment is always considered first, but once pain is significantly limiting your daily life and other treatments haven't helped, surgery is a legitimate, often life-changing option rather than a last-ditch measure.
Today's implants are built to last, and for most patients a hip or knee replacement should last the rest of their life. Longevity depends on implant type, activity level, and individual factors.