Nordic walking potential for artificial hips
A young person who
got a hip
replacement at age 39 wrote about the experience and the development of
artificial hips.
Main point:
"…the materials in artificial hips have improved enough that doctors are
now confident putting them in younger patients."
The scale of the
operation: "In 2014—the most recent year for which data is
available—370,770 people in the United States got a new hip. That number is
increasing steadily: According to one recent study, by the year 2030, an
estimated 635,000 people will receive a new artificial hip every year in the
U.S."
Problems the
researchers are still working on: "Today, one of the biggest problems with
artificial hips is that they’re easier to dislocate than natural ones. Another
is infection—a human-made hip has no blood flow, so bacteria can accumulate on
it."
Since Nordic walking
enhances the low impact nature of walking, those with artificial joints will
benefit from a greater level of activity.
