Cleveland Clinic doctor examining a patient's arm and shoulder.

Joint Replacement Surgery

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Have you been lying awake all night, every night with a constantly cranky knee or aching shoulder? The pain — and lack of sleep — can really take a toll.

Constant joint pain can make getting through your day tough. Even simple tasks like getting out of bed, brushing your hair or walking down the steps can be challenging. And there’s no way you feel like golfing, going for a run or playing in the yard with the kids. You’ve tried different treatments with no relief.

Whether this intolerable pain and stiffness came from an injury or from a condition like arthritis, Cleveland Clinic specialists can help. We offer joint replacement surgery (arthroplasty) to reduce pain, help you move better — and improve your quality of life.

Why Choose Cleveland Clinic for Joint Replacement Surgery?

Personalized care:

Joint replacement surgery is a big decision. That’s why we focus on you and your goals when deciding if it’s best for you. We listen to your concerns and answer your questions, so you know what to expect in the operating room (OR) and beyond.

Specialized knowledge:

Cleveland Clinic providers use the latest joint replacement methods like robotic-assisted surgery to fully or partially rebuild knee, hip, shoulder and other joints. We do thousands of joint replacement surgeries each year.

Skilled collaborative providers:

Our orthopaedic team joins forces with providers from other specialties to craft a personalized treatment plan to deliver the best possible results. We make sure we cover all your needs and keep you at the center of your care. Meet our team.

Comprehensive treatment:

Our specialists help you get ready for joint replacement surgery (prehab) through diet, exercise and physical therapy. We want to be sure you’re in the best possible health before you go into the OR. After surgery, we guide you through extensive rehabilitation to help you get (and stay) on the road to recovery.

Virtual visits:

When you're recovering from surgery, there’s no place like home. So, when you need a quick check-in with your provider, there’s no need to leave the house with virtual visits. You get the same great care online using a smartphone, computer or tablet.

National recognition:

Cleveland Clinic is a trusted healthcare leader. We're recognized in the U.S. and throughout the world for our expertise and care.

Joint Replacement Surgery Consultation at Cleveland Clinic

A lot of things can stress your joints. And it can cause constant joint pain, stiffness and swelling (inflammation). When this happens, it can be painful. And you may find it hard to move that joint (limited mobility), whether it’s your knee, hip, shoulder, wrist, elbow or even a toe or finger.

These symptoms can start from damage (trauma) caused by falls, accidents or conditions like:

What to expect during your consultation

Before we decide if you’ll need surgery, you’ll have a consultation with your orthopaedic provider. This helps our team find out what’s going on with the joint in question. Your provider will want to hear all about what’s been going on. And they’ll ask questions like:

What kind of symptoms have you noticed?
How long have you had these symptoms?
How are these symptoms affecting your life?
What, if any, health conditions do you have?
Have you had any tests before this appointment?

During your evaluation, your provider will do a physical exam. They’ll also check out how well you can move the joint (range of motion). Then they’ll order imaging tests to see what may be causing your joint pain, like:

Our team will use your test results to confirm a diagnosis and decide if surgery is best for you.

Meet Our Joint Replacement Surgery Team

When you come to Cleveland Clinic, you’ll have a personalized care team with providers from the specialties you need, like:

Providers Who Perform Joint Replacement Surgery

Locations

Our healthcare providers see patients at convenient locations throughout Northeast Ohio and Florida.

Getting Ready to Have Joint Replacement Surgery at Cleveland Clinic

Before you even go into the OR, your care team will make sure you’re ready for joint replacement surgery. In the weeks leading up to it, they may recommend physical therapy, exercise or diet programs. Our team may also order some tests to check out your overall health like:

You may also need to stop taking some medications, like blood thinners (anticoagulants), before surgery. Your providers will go over all instructions with you to make sure you're in the best possible shape for your condition.

Having Joint Replacement Surgery at Cleveland Clinic

We may be able to do minimally invasive surgery. This means we make several small cuts (incisions) instead of one large one and use special tools. In some cases, we may even be able to do robotic surgery. Other joint replacements may require open surgery (large incisions).

Depending on the type of surgery you’re having, you may be able to go home the same day (outpatient surgery). Or you may need to stay in the hospital for a few days (inpatient surgery). Your care team will talk with you about what they feel is best for you.

Hip replacement and resurfacing

Hip replacement (hip arthroplasty) can give you better stability and movement when other treatments haven’t worked. We replace all or part of your hip’s damaged ball-and-socket joint with a human-made part called a prosthesis.

Sometimes, your provider may recommend doing hip resurfacing. This procedure uses implants to replace damaged bone and tissue rather than fully replacing your hip.

Knee replacement

Damaged knee joints may require a total knee replacement. If part of your knee is healthy, we may replace only the damaged part of the joint in partial knee replacement surgery.

Shoulder replacement

Shoulder replacement surgery replaces your shoulder's ball and socket joint. The artificial joint has a metal ball and stem that helps your shoulder move more smoothly and more comfortably.

Other joint replacement surgeries

Most people know we can replace hip, knee and shoulder joints. Did you know we can also replace joints in your elbows, ankles, wrists, toes and even fingers? Talk to your provider about your options if you have constant pain in one of these areas.

Taking the Next Step

When you experience constant joint pain and stiffness doing even the simplest tasks, it’s time to get help. There's hope with joint replacement therapy at Cleveland Clinic. Our healthcare providers know what it takes to replace your worn-out joints with a treatment plan that’s designed for you and your goals — whether that’s flying a kite with your grandchild or getting back on the golf course.