Rebellious baby boomers, chasing thrills from surfing, rock climbing, snowboarding and riding motorbikes, are driving a surge in hip and knee replacement surgery. The generation of non-conformists are resisting the physical constraints of advancing age and refusing to give up the youthful pursuits of a rock 'n' roll lifestyle.
Many want to celebrate their new joint replacements by going bungy jumping, according to worried doctors who try to steer them towards gentler alternatives.
Latest figures from the National Joint Replacement Registry show the number of joint replacement operations has doubled in the past nine years to more than 64,000, including more than 33,000 knee replacements and 30,500 hip replacements.
Experts attribute most of the blow-out to baby boomers, who are aged from mid-40s to mid-60s, but feel more like adolescents.
Dr John North, president of the Australian Orthopaedic Association, said the ever-optimistic generation believe they will become "bionic" after surgery. "The problem is that the baby boomers don't want to give up anything," he said. "Wear and tear is a fact of life -- most people are driven to have knee and hip replacements by pain. "Surfing isn't too bad, but football and motorbike crashes are terrible."
Rehab doctors at the Mater Hospital in Sydney recommend that older joint patients should choose lower-impact sports such as swimming and gym work.
By Clair Weaver
© Herald and Weekly Times.
Copyright © 2000 Australian Orthopaedic Association.
