Community Joins Florida Hospitals to Learn About Hip and Knee Replacements

DEBARY, Fla., June 27, 2017 On June 20, community members joined Florida Hospital DeLand and Florida Hospital Fish Memorial for a free community seminar at the DeBary Golf and Country Club.

Over a healthy lunch, orthopedic surgeon Dr. Nathan Turnbull discussed hip and knee replacements.

To understand osteoarthritis, it is helpful to first look at a normal joint and understand how it works. A joint is the place where the two ends of a bone meet and are covered with a smooth material called cartilage. This cartilage cushions bone and allows joints to move smoothly and without pain, Turnbull said. Time, wear and tear, and genetic factors, as well as trauma or injury, can cause a loss of this cartilage, which results in bone-on-bone arthritis and it can be quite painful.

Turnbull grew up in DeLand, but left the area for about 15 years to obtain his education, attending the University of Florida for his undergraduate degree and the University of Miami for medical school. He completed subspecialty training in hip and knee replacements in Columbus, Ohio, before deciding to return home to West Volusia.

He encourages patients make lifestyle changes, such as weight loss and quitting smoking, to reduce the stress on lower extremity joints and reduce the risks of complications associated with surgery.

Exercise is probably the most beneficial joint protection treatment option, he said during the seminar. It does not aggravate arthritis, as long as it is kept at levels that do not cause pain. It helps strengthen muscular support around the joints and prevents the joints from freezing up. It improves and maintains mobility and helps you lose weight.

When conservative treatment measures fail, surgery may be warranted, he said.

Patients often ask me, Do I need surgery? or How do I know I am ready for surgery? I tell everyone they never surgery this is not heart disease. Its not cancer. Its a quality of life decision, Turnbull said. Usually patients decide to undergo surgery when the pain is severe and it interferes with daily activities or work.

About Florida Hospital Central Florida Division - North Region

A member of Adventist Health System, Florida Hospitals mission is to extend the healing ministry of Christ. Encompassing seven Florida Hospitals in Flagler, Lake and Volusia counties, the Florida Hospital Central Florida Division - North Region is the largest hospital system in the area, with 1,226 beds and more than 7,800 employees. The Florida Hospital Central Florida Division - North Region includes Florida Hospital DeLand in DeLand, Florida Hospital Fish Memorial in Orange City, Florida Hospital Flagler in Palm Coast, Florida Hospital Memorial Medical Center in Daytona Beach, Florida Hospital Oceanside in Ormond Beach, Florida Hospital New Smyrna in New Smyrna Beach, and Florida Hospital Waterman in Tavares.