Demand for Knee and Hip Replacements Push New Surgery Options

People are getting knee and hip replacement surgeries at a younger and younger age, creating a trend that is pushing alternative orthopedic surgery options. A study put out by the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons supports this claim suggesting that the number of people under-65 will surpass the number of seniors getting join-replacement surgery in the years to come.

It seems as though in recent years (the past several decades anyway) people are putting their bodies through more physically demanding exercises and sports, resulting in more joint trauma. The half-mile road running race (13.1 miles) is now the race of choice - replacing the 5K, and triathlons and marathons are gaining in popularity year-over-year.

Sports like football are becoming faster, and being played by larger and larger athletes. I remember the day when a 250 pound lineman was considered large. Now this same position is dominated by 350-plus pound giants resulting in a larger number of joint injuries and overwhelming wear-and-tear. Sports like golf are becoming popular with an older age group, and thus the need to overcome joint pain to enjoy sport and life are becoming more and more popular and in demand.

While demand for knee and hip replacement surgery among 45-54 year olds is expected to increase, the implications of this demand from a financial perspective is daunting. Today, join replacements typically last 10-15 years - which may be okay for someone 65+, but for someone younger, this is a financial problem. Knee and joint replacement surgeries are not fully covered by most insurance plans and the large price tag can be overwhelming.

Health tourism for knee and hip replacement surgeries may be just the answer. Destinations like New Zealand offer orthopedic surgery options in a first-world environment similar, and often more advanced, than the U.S. With state-of-the-art medical facilities for both surgery and post-surgery rehabilitation, highly trained (often in the U.S.) doctors and staff, and a price tag than can be as much as 80% lower than in the U.S. (and include travel costs), it's time to seriously consider a destination like New Zealand a prime option for medical and health tourism.

With joint injuries on the rise among younger people and an aging population on the rise, demand orthopedic surgeries like knee replacement surgery or hip replacement surgery is on the rise. With costs for these procedures also on the rise in the U.S., it's time to consider a health tourism destination like New Zealand for your orthopedic surgery options.