Over the next couple of weeks I will send you by e-mail useful information about what some of the causes of hip pain are, how it can be treated and generally everything you need to know in choosing the right procedure and right surgeon for YOU.

And in the meantime here are some videos for you to watch where I talk about some of the common questions I'm always asked by patients in my clinics. So sit back and enjoy - and if you have any questions then drop me an e-mail at info@thehipsurgeon.com or telephone my super helpful pa Anne Harding on (023 80) 258 402.

Best wishes,

Jeremy Latham MA MCh FRCS(Orth)

Consultant Hip Surgeon

The coronovirus pandemic has meant that private hospitals have turned over their facilities to the NHS. However I am still seeing patients remotely rather than in person via video call or telephone consultations.

So if you have pain from your hip GET IN TOUCH. I will arrange a consultation at your convenience and without delay so that we can start treatment as soon as possible.

Hip injections are done for several reasons, and the commonest reason is when it is not clear what is causing your hip pain. Hip or groin pain can come from other problems such as trouble in the back or a hidden hernia and this is why seeing an expert is so important.

If a hip injection makes the pain go away we can be sure hip arthritis is the cause of your pain and can sensibly plan the most appropriate treatment.

Avoiding slips, trips and falls is always important, but particularly so if you have had a hip replacement. This is because although very strong the implants - and your bones for that matter! - are not indestructible. Falls can result in dislocating the hip joint or breaking the socket or femur and of course these are really best avoided.

In this video I summarise the steps you can take to avoid slips, trips or falls.

Here I want to put your mind at rest and talk about what you can expect at your first clinic appointment.

The most important thing to remember is that the consultation is all about YOU. What your symptoms are and how they are affecting you and your quality of life. I will examine you and make a diagnosis before we will discuss your treatment and the best way to get you well again.

One of the most important things to consider with any illness is who to ask for advice - which surgeon should you go and see? In my view there are a number of things to consider:

• the training of the surgeon
• the experience of the surgeon
• the complication rate
  
• your trust and confidence in the surgeon
  

What is robotic surgery and does it really offer any benefits in hip replacment surgery? The answer is a resounding YES.

Whilst experience and expertise is the most important factor in achieving a good result robot assisted surgery allows even better accuracy in carrying out a hip replacement.

And accuracy is critical for a good result.

Dislocation is an uncommon but serious complication after hip replacement surgery. If it happens it usually does so during the first few weeks after your operation, and I am pleased that this happens very rarely to patients under my care.

But what causes hip dislocation after a hip replacement, and what can you do to help prevent it?

One of the things people always worry about after their hip replacement is how they are going to cope at home after their operation. As always with patients under my care it comes down to two things:

Firstly the efforts me and my team put in to make sure you only leave hospital when you are ready and secondly the advice and support we give you when you return home.

So you've been seen in clinic, I've heard about your symptoms and examined you. An X-ray and maybe a few other tests later and it's clear that arthritis of the hip joint is the problem and you decide to have a hip replacement.

What can you do to get into tip-top shape before your operation? What can you do make sure you recover from surgery and get mobile again as quickly as possible?