As far as follow-up appointments go, this one was routine. My 65-year-old patient had undergone hip replacement surgery two weeks prior, and we discussed her pain level, progress with physical therapy, and eagerness to return to everyday activities. But as she stood up to leave the exam room, I could tell there was something left unsaid. She stepped out the door then stopped, turned around, and leaned in close to whisper, “When is it safe to have sex again?”
Pain during sex is rarely mentioned as an indication for hip replacement surgery. But for millions of seniors, osteoarthritis in the hip causes discomfort during sex and becomes an obstacle to intimacy. Numerous studies have demonstrated that patients with hip arthritis have lower levels of sexual satisfaction, with 19 percent of patients considering their sexual difficulties to be “severe to extreme” and 7 percent of patients citing hip pain as the cause of tension or unhappiness in their relationships.
This is especially prevalent among patients who suffer from femoroacetabular impingement (FAI), which is a condition that is increasingly recognized as a precursor to hip osteoarthritis. Patients who suffer from FAI have difficulty with deep hip flexion, causing discomfort during sexual intercourse.
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