Arthritis or injury can also damage the shoulder joint preventing a person from lifting their arm. In severe cases, the only treatment available is shoulder joint replacement surgery. Patients with bone-on-bone contact from damage or arthritic degeneration are typically good candidates for shoulder replacement surgery, where an artificial ball and socket implant is installed into the shoulder.
Over time, the impact of joint disease, arthritis, or excessive body weight can erode the hip joint. With arthritis, the cushioning cartilage at the end of the femur is worn down, making walking painful as bone rubs against bone. Hip replacement surgery involves the removal of arthritic bone and damaged cartilage, and replacing them with hip implants that are designed to replicate the hip joint.
When the knee becomes diseased or injured, the resulting pain can severely limit your ability to move and work. One common cause is Osteoarthritis, a degenerative condition involving the breakdown of cartilage in the joints. Knee replacement is a surgical procedure in which a arthritic or damaged joint is replaced with an artificial joint called an implant which is designed to move much like a healthy human joint.