Dr. Christensen explains why there is a joint replacement surgeon shortage.
Dr. Christensen:
I think they are probably two-fold. One of them I think is the growing number of obese people in this country, but probably more importantly is the aging of the baby boomers. You know, they have affected so many things over the past 50 years, and now as they are continuing to gray, these people are wanting to remain active and remain functional and participate in their family’s lives. And they are unwilling to be limited, and so they want to sign up for these operations that have been demonstrated to improve quality of life.
I think thirdly there’s an impact. Patients are getting increasingly educated that when you develop knee arthritis or hip arthritis, you don’t have to, you know, get a cane, sit in a wheelchair, be limited when your family goes on vacation. There’s an alternative and people are seeking out those alternatives.
About Dr. Christensen, M.D.:
Dr. Christian Christensen, M.D., is board certified by the American Board of Orthopedic Surgery and is orthopedic surgeon at Lexington Clinic Orthopedics and Sports Medicine in Lexington, Kentucky. He specializes in complex revision and primary hip and knee replacements, minimally invasive joint replacements, joint replacement alternatives, and accelerated rehabilitation following joint replacement.
Visit Dr. Christensen at the Lexington Clinic Orthopedics-Sport Medicine Center