When the Righteous Brothers crooned "Bring back that lovin' feeling/'Cause it's gone, gone, gone," they probably weren't thinking that a hip or knee replacement was needed to get the mojo working again. But for many people, a new joint provides a new lease on life. More than half who've had the surgery report they're having more sex more often and (not surprisingly) much more fun.
Chronic joint pain before replacement surgery can lead to weight gain, depression, diabetes and reluctance to have sex. In one study of folks who had joint replacements, 67 percent said that before surgery, aches and pains reduced their libido and made sex difficult; 53 percent said it tarnished their sexual self-image.
Post-surgery, however, the bounce back was dramatic: 55 percent of those with new parts reported a boost to their sexual self-image, and 42 percent reported an increase in libido and frequency of sex.
So, to the 285,000 people who get new hips and the 600,000 with new knees every year, our message: Make sure you reclaim or improve on your life post-surgery with these simple steps:
- Maintain a healthy weight for maximum ease of motion. Get yours in line by avoiding the five food felons (most saturated and all trans fats, added sugars and sugar syrups and any grain that isn't 100 percent whole).
- Get fanatical about physical therapy and build muscle strength around the joint. Ask your doc about adding a daily walking program.
- To (re)light your fire, make time for romance. Then let the sparks fly!