Some say that injury to the hip joint is irreparable and that complete recovery and return to routine activities is impossible. This myth is rooted in our collective knowledge of various hip pathologies, primarily among the elderly population, which deliver a lethal blow to normal movement patterns and dramatically affect quality of life. However, this is true only for the very aged.
Dr. Ratt, head of the Minimally Invasive Orthopedics Unit at Ichilov Medical Center in Tel Aviv, explains that “the hip joint can be repaired and rehabilitated to its previous condition, so that the patient can once again perform all of the activities that comprised his or her daily routine and contributed to his or her quality of life”. Dr. Ratt has been a pioneer in arthroscopic management of the hip in Israel since 2000, and is a world-renowned expert in his field. His motto is “surgery is a last resort”. In Israel, Ratt leads the global trend which asserts that most hip injuries can be repaired to pre-injury conditions via minimally invasive arthroscopy. The procedure can be performed in an day hospitalization setting in which the patient is discharged on the same day, or on the following day at the latest. In most cases, patients can bear weight on their legs a few hours after the procedure and can fully weight bear without the aid of crutches two weeks later. Even Professional athletes who place great stress on their hip joints may return to all activities three months after the procedure.