FAQ
Shoulder Replacement Surgery: Signs, Types and How Reverse Works
Key Takeaways Surgery is usually considered when pain and lost function persist despite non-surgical care, not because a scan shows arthritis. Night pain, trouble dressing or reaching, and fading relief from physiotherapy or injections are worth raising with a doctor. Reverse designs swap the ball and socket so the deltoid can lift the arm when…
See MoreFemoroacetabular Impingement (FAI): Why Your Hip Pinches and What To Do About It
Key Takeaways Hip impingement is an early contact between the ball and socket, so the pinch usually appears in deep bending, long sitting and pivoting. Diagnosis needs symptoms, examination findings and imaging to agree, because cam and pincer shapes are common in people with no pain. Guided strengthening, load changes and movement retraining are the…
See MoreHip Replacement Recovery Week by Week: What Your Physio Wants You to Know
Key Takeaways Early walking, swelling control and steady pain relief matter more in the first week than the distance you cover. Visible milestones cluster between weeks four and 12, when walking aids come away and real strength work begins. Surgical approach, starting strength and home setup shape the timeline more than age does. Progress keeps…
See MoreCan Both Knees Be Replaced at the Same Time? Pros, Cons, and Recovery
Key Takeaways Both knees can be replaced during one operation or as staged procedures, with the most suitable approach depending on your overall health, arthritis severity and personal circumstances. Simultaneous bilateral knee replacement offers one hospital stay and one rehabilitation period but involves a more demanding early recovery because both knees heal at the same…
See MoreBone-on-Bone Knee Arthritis: Does It Always Mean You Need a Knee Replacement?
Key Takeaways A bone-on-bone finding on an X-ray does not automatically mean you need knee replacement, as treatment decisions are based on symptoms, function, and quality of life as well as imaging. Many people continue to benefit from non-surgical care, including physiotherapy, activity modification and other conservative treatments, even with advanced arthritis. When symptoms significantly…
See MoreWhat Is Osteoarthritis and Why Do My Joints Hurt?
Key Takeaways Osteoarthritis affects the whole joint, not just cartilage, and the familiar ’wear and tear’ description is misleading. Scan findings often do not match how much a joint hurts, which is why imaging is not routinely used to diagnose it in Australia. Movement, strength work and weight support sit at the front of the…
See MoreACL Reconstruction Surgery Cost in Australia: Who Pays What
Key Takeaways Medicare Benefits Schedule item 49542 has a schedule fee of $1,577.30, with Medicare paying 75%, or $1,183.00, for admitted private patients. Around 88% of privately insured patients had an out-of-pocket cost, typically near $1,100 and ranging from about $300 to $4,300. Hospital and theatre charges of around $5,500 sit apart from specialist fees…
See MoreWhen to Get a Hip Replacement: Age, Timing and the Signs to Watch
Key Takeaways Hip replacement timing depends on pain, function and daily life far more than on age. Night pain, shrinking walking distance and rising painkiller use are worth raising with your general practitioner (GP). Exercise, load management and weight management may ease symptoms and delay surgery for some people. Scans alone rarely decide it, so…
See MoreKnee Replacement Recovery Week by Week: The Pattern Physios Recognise
Key Takeaways Most people walk with support within hours of surgery, and the first fortnight is about swelling, wound care and gentle bending. Weeks 3 to 6 restore movement and walking confidence, while weeks 6 to 12 rebuild lasting strength. Driving usually resumes from around two weeks after a left knee in an automatic and…
See MoreX-Ray vs MRI Before Knee Replacement: Which Scan Do You Really Need?
Key Takeaways Weight-bearing x-rays are usually the most useful imaging test for assessing knee arthritis and planning knee replacement, as they show the joint under normal load-bearing conditions. MRI is most valuable when soft tissue structures, such as the meniscus, ligaments or cartilage, need further assessment or when symptoms and x-ray findings do not clearly…
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