Hip arthroscopy shortens recovery time

New Haven (WTNH) - If you're a baseball fan, you're probably familiar with arthroscopic hip surgery. The Yankees (Alex Rodriguez), Mets (Carlos Delgado) and Red Sox (Mike Lowell) have all had a player undergo the procedure recently. But hip arthroscopy can benefit anyone at any age -- not just star athletes.

Danbury Hospital has been performing the procedure on patients for the past three years. Dr. Ross Henshaw from the hospital's Orthopedics Department joined us on Good Morning Connecticut to talk about more about this type of surgery.

Dr. Henshaw says one of the big benefits of hip arthroscopy is a quick recovery time. At Danbury Hospital, doctors create two or three small holes about 1 centimeter in length, so there's minimal scarring. The procedure can be done on an outpatient basis and produces a quicker healing time for the patient. Many patients are back up on their feet within one week. That's good news for athletes like Rodriguez, who has hit 7 home runs in the two weeks since his return. Delgado is only expected to miss about 10 weeks of action after his surgery.

Hip arthroscopy is used to correct structural or genetic defects in the hip. It can also be used to repair cartilage damage, labral tears, arthritis and other causes of hip pain. Dr. Henshaw says you should see a doctor if your pain is significantly impacting your daily routine.

If you're concerned about hip injuries, Dr. Henshaw says there are some things you can do to prevent them. The most important is to stretch and warm up before excercising. You should also avoid putting yourself in positions that aggravate or cause pain in your hips. And if your pain lasts longer than a few weeks, you should be examined by an orthopedist.