The Joint Replacement Podcast

Your new knee clicks when you walk. Your hip feels sore after a longer-than-usual day. Your joint is still swollen months after surgery.Is this normal healing, or could your joint replacement be failing?In Episode #67 of The Joint Replacement Podcast, orthopedic surgeon Dr. Matthew Sloan explains seven important warning signs after hip and knee replacement and how to distinguish expected recovery symptoms from potential complications.Learn why joint replacements click, how long postoperative swelling and warmth can last, what types of pain are concerning, and which symptoms could suggest infection, implant loosening, fracture, or instability.Dr. Sloan also explains how orthopedic surgeons investigate a painful joint replacement using physical examination, X-rays, inflammatory blood tests, and joint aspiration.Key message: Recovery is rarely a straight line. Understanding the difference between normal tissue healing and a true warning sign can help you recover with more confidence and recognize when to seek medical attention.Subscribe to The Joint Replacement Podcast for practical, evidence-based information about hip and knee arthritis, joint replacement surgery, and recovery.Get the free Strong Joints, Strong Body newsletter:https://matthews-newsletter-05056c.beehiiv.com/subscribeFor educational purposes only. New, severe, or worsening symptoms should be discussed with your surgical team; emergency symptoms require immediate evaluation.

Can you wait too long for a hip or knee replacement? Does surgical approach really matter? And how do you choose the right surgeon?In Episode 66 of The Joint Replacement Podcast, Dr. Matthew Sloan sits down with Dr. Craig Della Valle, Chief of Adult Reconstructive Services at Rush University Medical Center, past president of AAHKS, and current president of the Knee Society.After performing more than 16,000 hip and knee replacements, Dr. Della Valle shares his perspective on what makes joint replacement successful—and which commonly held beliefs deserve to be challenged.Topics include:When arthritis symptoms mean it's time for surgeryWhy delaying knee replacement can compromise range of motionHow hip arthritis can cause knee painWhether anterior hip replacement is actually better than posteriorWhy surgeon experience matters more than implant marketingCemented versus cementless hip and knee replacementsWho should consider partial knee replacementJoint replacement in patients in their 90s or with elevated BMIWhy injections cannot reverse established arthritisThe importance of mental health and surgical preparationWhy measuring surgeon performance is more complicated than it appearsDr. Della Valle also discusses a pivotal moment in his career when randomized research challenged his belief that minimally invasive hip approaches produced better outcomes.An insightful conversation about surgical experience, scientific evidence, and making the right decisions for patients.🎙️ Hosted by Matthew Sloan, MD🌐 www.MatthewSloanMD.comSubscribe to The Joint Replacement Podcast on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.♻️ Repost and comment to join the conversation.🔔 Follow Dr. Matthew Sloan for more.For educational purposes only. Not a substitute for personalized medical advice.

When does an artificial hip finally start feeling like your own?Most surgeons measure hip replacement success through pain relief, implant positioning, and long-term durability. But patients often define success differently: the moment they stop thinking about their hip altogether.In this solo episode, Dr. Matthew Sloan explores the hidden milestones of recovery after robotic total hip replacement — from restoring natural walking patterns and proprioception to regaining confidence, balance, and trust in movement.Discover how arthritis changes the way your brain and muscles work together, why recovery involves more than tissue healing, and how precise restoration of leg length, offset, and hip biomechanics may help support natural function.You'll also learn why your hip may initially feel mechanical, why a limp can persist after pain disappears, and which subtle improvements signal meaningful progress.The goal isn't simply a hip replacement that works. It's a hip replacement you can forget about.Subscribe to The Joint Replacement Podcast for expert conversations and practical education about hip and knee replacement surgery.Hosted by Matthew Sloan, MD.Educational purposes only. Not individualized medical advice.

Can we repair an arthritic knee instead of replacing it?Dr. Marc Pietropaoli, orthopedic sports medicine surgeon, regenerative medicine advocate, and author of Repair Not Replace, believes we can eventually eliminate the need for knee replacements. His goal? Knee replacement free by 2043.In Episode 64, Dr. Matthew Sloan explores this bold vision with Dr. Pietropaoli, examining the science behind PRP, bone marrow aspirate concentrate (BMAC), subchondral bone injections, and other emerging approaches to treating knee osteoarthritis.They discuss whether regenerative medicine can actually reverse arthritis, the importance of bone marrow lesions as a potential source of knee pain, the limitations of current stem cell treatments, and the possibility of delaying or avoiding knee replacement surgery.Dr. Pietropaoli also shares clinical outcome data from his regenerative treatment program, his approach to exercise and whole-body health, and why he believes preventing arthritis may be more important than trying to cure it.Two orthopedic surgeons with different approaches explore one important question: Could the future of knee arthritis treatment be repair rather than replacement?The discussion distinguishes promising treatments and reported clinical experience from therapies supported by rigorous comparative evidence.Learn more: https://victoryinmotion.comSubscribe to The Joint Replacement Podcast for weekly evidence-based discussions about hip and knee health, arthritis treatment, and the future of orthopedic surgery.www.MatthewSloanMD.com/blog

Your hip or knee replacement went perfectly. Your X-rays look great. You're making progress in physical therapy. So why are you still staring at the ceiling at 3 AM?Difficulty sleeping is one of the most common and frustrating surprises after joint replacement surgery, and something patients often aren't adequately prepared for.In Episode 63 of The Joint Replacement Podcast, Dr. Matthew Sloan explains why nighttime pain, stiffness, and sleep disruption occur after hip and knee replacement and shares seven practical strategies to make recovery more comfortable.Learn how to position your leg correctly after knee replacement, why putting a pillow directly behind your knee can be a mistake, when it's safe to sleep on your side after hip replacement, and how to manage nighttime swelling and discomfort.Dr. Sloan also discusses the role of icing and medication timing, what to do when you wake up stiff at 3 AM, whether sleeping in a recliner is okay, and why you shouldn't put so much pressure on yourself to achieve eight uninterrupted hours of sleep.Key takeaway: Poor sleep after joint replacement doesn't automatically mean something is wrong with your implant or recovery. For many patients, sleep improves gradually over several weeks to months.Patient question: How long did it take before you could sleep comfortably after your joint replacement?Follow The Joint Replacement Podcast for practical, evidence-based guidance to help you make informed decisions about hip and knee replacement surgery.🌐 https://matthewsloanmd.comEducational content only. Follow your surgeon's individualized postoperative recommendations.

Is anterior hip replacement really better than posterior hip replacement? Does robotic surgery make a meaningful difference? And why aren't more patients receiving partial knee replacements?Dr. Matthew Sloan welcomes Dr. Charles Lawrie, fellowship-trained hip and knee replacement surgeon at Baptist Health South Florida and President of the Anterior Hip Foundation.Together, they discuss the evidence behind modern hip and knee replacement surgery, including:Why anterior hip replacement has grown in popularity and whether the benefits persist beyond early recoveryThe risks, complications, and learning curve associated with the anterior approachWhy Dr. Lawrie believes robotics may be unnecessary for many anterior hip replacements but essential to his knee replacement practiceThe debate over cemented versus cementless implantsThe potential comeback of hip resurfacing for young, active patientsWhy partial knee replacement may be substantially underutilizedWhether muscle-sparing subvastus knee replacement represents meaningful progress or marketingHow artificial intelligence could change surgical practices and patient communicationDr. Lawrie also shares the three things he would want to know about his own surgeon before undergoing joint replacement.A discussion for patients considering surgery and orthopedic professionals interested in research, surgical innovation, and the future of joint replacement.Hosted by Dr. Matthew Sloan, MD.Learn more at thejointreplacementpodcast.com and matthewsloanmd.com.

When celebrities and professional athletes need joint replacement surgery, what do they look for in a surgeon? Is it advanced technology, surgical experience, personalized attention, or the recovery process?Dr. Matthew Sloan welcomes Beverly Hills orthopedic surgeon Dr. Jason Snibbe, who has performed more than 12,000 surgeries and serves as managing partner of DOCS Health.In this wide-ranging conversation, Dr. Snibbe explains how he built a high-touch orthopedic practice, why he became an early adopter of robotic surgery, and how he approaches the technical controversies surrounding modern hip and knee replacement.They discuss robotic versus conventional knee replacement, cementless fixation, subvastus surgery, functional alignment, patellar resurfacing, direct superior hip replacement, dual mobility implants, partial knee replacement, and the importance of protecting the knee during early recovery.Dr. Snibbe also shares why he left a hospital that refused to purchase a robotic surgical system and how that decision ultimately led to his involvement in building a physician-owned orthopedic hospital designed around the entire patient experience.The conversation also tackles insurance reimbursement, surgeon independence, conservative treatment of arthritis, and why the best surgical decision is sometimes not to operate at all.A central theme: The best joint replacement experience is about more than the surgery itself. It's about trust, precision, communication, and recovery.A compelling conversation for patients considering joint replacement and surgeons interested in the future of orthopedic care.Hosted by Dr. Matthew Sloan.Learn more at MatthewSloanMD.com/blog.

Could better nutrition before surgery mean a smoother recovery afterward?In Episode 60 of The Joint Replacement Podcast, Dr. Matthew Sloan welcomes Dr. Sagar Desai, a Toronto-based orthopedic surgeon specializing in foot and ankle reconstruction and founder of Proven Therapeutics.Together, they explore an often-overlooked part of surgical preparation: nutrition.How much protein should patients eat before hip or knee replacement? Can specialized supplements reduce muscle loss or complications? Should patients really fast from midnight before surgery? And what does the evidence actually show?Dr. Desai discusses the science of immunonutrition, his experience developing a surgical nutrition supplement, and the challenges of translating research into clinical practice.The conversation also explores total ankle replacement versus ankle fusion, the controversy surrounding surgical treatment of Achilles tendon ruptures, minimally invasive bunion surgery, and the unique demands of treating professional athletes.Whether you're preparing for joint replacement, recovering from orthopedic surgery, or simply interested in optimizing surgical outcomes, this episode offers a wide-ranging discussion about preparation, recovery, and modern orthopedic care.Guest: Dr. Sagar DesaiHost: Dr. Matthew SloanLearn more at MatthewSloanMD.comEducational purposes only. Dr. Desai is the founder of Proven Therapeutics. Product-specific benefits have not been independently established in this episode.

Can an orthopedic surgeon design a better hip replacement implant than the major medical device companies?Dr. Kurtis Biggs decided to find out.In Episode 59, Dr. Matthew Sloan interviews Dr. Biggs, a fellowship-trained joint replacement surgeon from Naples, Florida, who developed his own femoral stem, taking it from a hand-drawn sketch at his kitchen counter to FDA clearance and implantation in patients.They discuss why he believed traditional hip implants could be improved, how he designed the Xerxes femoral stem to better accommodate natural hip anatomy, and the challenges of developing and manufacturing an entirely new orthopedic device.Dr. Biggs shares his early experience with approximately 130 implantations, including complications, revisions, and preliminary clinical observations.They also explore how long hip replacements really last, whether cementless or cemented stems are better, the advantages and limitations of anterior hip replacement, and how large medical device manufacturers influence which innovations reach patients.Most importantly, they confront a critical question: What evidence do we actually need before calling a new hip implant better than an established one?An inside look at surgical innovation, medical device development, and the future of hip replacement.Note: The Xerxes femoral stem has received FDA 510(k) clearance, but long-term clinical outcomes and comparative superiority remain unproven.Learn more at MatthewSloanMD.com and subscribe to The Joint Replacement Podcast for weekly conversations about hip and knee replacement.

Are health insurance companies making money by denying patients the medical care they need?Dr. Matthew Sloan welcomes Bryan Khoo, a Stanford graduate and incoming medical student at Washington University whose investigations into healthcare economics and insurance company practices have attracted national attention, including responses from Mark Cuban.They explore why American healthcare continues to become more expensive, how prior authorization decisions are made, why some insurance denials are never appealed, and the growing controversy surrounding Medicare Advantage.Bryan shares his perspectives on artificial intelligence in insurance reviews, post-surgical payment denials, corporate consolidation, physician reimbursement, and the future of independent medical practices.The conversation also examines how insurance company financial incentives may influence patient access to surgery and what reforms could help restore the physician-patient relationship.Who should control medical decisions: doctors or insurance companies?Editorial Disclaimer: Specific insurance company and healthcare business names have been redacted from portions of this interview because Dr. Sloan and The Joint Replacement Podcast have not independently verified the underlying studies, statistics, or allegations discussed. The guest's research findings and opinions are his own and should not be interpreted as independently verified conclusions or established findings of misconduct.Follow Bryan Khoo on LinkedIn and subscribe to The Joint Replacement Podcast for more conversations about healthcare, joint replacement, and medical innovation.