A study published Oct. 22 in the Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons found patients with advanced osteoarthritis who had a total joint replacement saw a lower risk of falls.
The study looked at about 500,000 patients who had hip or knee osteoarthritis. Patients were divided into four groups — those who had a hip or knee replacement and those who hadn't.
"We looked at how many people from each group came into a hospital to seek care for their fragility fracture, due to a fall, and found that those who had total joint arthroplasty fell far less than those who did not," Ran Schwarzkopf, MD, lead author of the study said in a report from Rheumatology Network. "From that, we concluded that total joint arthroplasty for patients that have osteoarthritis is protective against future falls."
Those who had a total joint replacement surgery saw a reduced risk of falling compared to those who didn't.
Access the study here. Read the article from Rheumatology Network here.