Practical reading from Professor Paul Lee and the Lincolnshire Hip Clinic team on hip replacement, recovery, surgical technique and what to expect from your £17,800 fully inclusive package.
SPAIRE hip replacement preserves the obturator internus tendon, creating a mechanical 'strap effect' against femoral head displacement and maintaining proprioceptive feedback — benefits most marked in patients with low BMI, those under 65, and women.
In standard posterior hip replacement, surgeons sever the tendons that stabilise the hip and transmit positional sense; the joint remains mechanically and neurologically vulnerable during the 90-day healing window that follows. SPAIRE and SuperPATH preserve these restraints from day one, eliminating the need for strict post-operative movement restrictions.
Dividing soft-tissue tendons during traditional hip replacement kept patients hospitalised for 3-5 days. The SPAIRE technique preserves these tendons instead, enabling same-day or next-day discharge when paired with multimodal anaesthesia and rapid-recovery protocols.
One in four hip replacement patients develop Trendelenburg gait well after initial healing. The condition stems from two concurrent muscle failures — reduced eccentric abductor control and impaired concentric hip extensor power — both of which must be addressed through parallel rehabilitation.
Anterior hip replacement preserves the posterior capsule and external rotators, reducing gluteus minimus damage from 66 per cent to 37 per cent and allowing normal sitting, toilet use, and leg crossing from day one.
SPAIRE, a posterolateral approach to hip hemiarthroplasty that preserves the piriformis and internus tendons, achieves comparable dislocation rates to the direct lateral technique whilst enabling faster mobilisation in older patients recovering from femoral neck fracture.
Hip flexor strength exceeding grade 3 is the only modifiable factor predicting unaided walking after hip replacement; readiness depends on measurable criteria—strength, balance, gait symmetry—not on calendar milestones.
A 2024 trial found hip replacement improved function by 15.9 points on the Oxford Hip Score versus 4.5 points for exercise in severe osteoarthritis; 21 per cent of patients assigned to conservative care eventually crossed over to surgery.
SPAIRE preserves the gluteus medius and minimus in hip replacement; the lateral approach divides them, causing abductor insufficiency and protracted gait impairment.
Lincolnshire Hip Clinic
Led by Professor Paul Lee
Start with a free, non-medical discovery call with our team. We will explain the £17,800 fully inclusive package, the included luxury car service to London, and unlimited local post-op physiotherapy. No GP referral needed. No pressure to proceed.
What’s included
