Study: Knee, Hip Replacements Benefit Spouses, Too

While patients rely on their loved ones after undergoing a knee or hip replacement, a new study found that this struggle pays off in the end. In the months following the procedure, researchers from the Loyola University School of Medicine in Chicago found the quality of life of the caretaking partner improved significantly. “Patients can have less pain, and couples can do more things together,” Dr. Nicolas Jozefowski explained. 100 spouses of patients completed surveys over the course of two years, and 70% said their quality of life improved following their partners’ hip replacement. About 544,000 hip replacements and 790,000 knee replacements take place each year. (UPI)