Hip Pain Relief in Butler, PA
Hip Replacement That Gets You Back on Your Feet
If hip pain has started limiting how you walk, sleep, exercise, or get through your day, and nonsurgical treatment is no longer providing enough relief, total hip replacement may be worth considering.
Dr. Anthony Mustovich is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon who performs total hip replacement for patients with advanced arthritis and other conditions that have significantly damaged the hip joint. His goal is straightforward: relieve pain, restore function, and help you return to the activities that matter to you.
Modern hip replacement allows many patients to begin walking within hours of surgery, and appropriately selected patients may be able to return home the same day. The decision to proceed with surgery, and the plan for your recovery, is individualized based on your symptoms, examination, imaging, overall health, and goals.
Request an appointment below to find out what's causing your hip pain and whether hip replacement is the right next step.
Finding Out If It's Time
Are You a Candidate for Hip Replacement?
Hip replacement usually becomes worth considering when arthritis or other joint damage is causing persistent pain, stiffness, or loss of function that is interfering with your quality of life and nonsurgical treatment is no longer providing acceptable relief.
That can look different from one patient to another. You may have difficulty walking longer distances, putting on shoes and socks, getting in and out of a car, exercising, or sleeping comfortably. For some patients, the biggest issue is pain. For others, it's realizing how many activities they've gradually stopped doing because of their hip.
Not all hip pain comes from arthritis, and an abnormality on an X-ray or MRI doesn't automatically mean you need a hip replacement. Dr. Mustovich will evaluate your symptoms, examination, imaging, overall health, and previous treatment to determine what's actually causing your pain and whether continued nonsurgical treatment or hip replacement makes the most sense.
What Actually Happens on Surgery Day
What to Expect From Consultation to Recovery
Your Consultation and Planning
Before surgery is scheduled, Dr. Mustovich reviews your symptoms, examination, imaging, health history, and previous treatment to make sure hip replacement is the right next step. If surgery is appropriate, he'll explain what the procedure involves, discuss anesthesia and pain management, and walk you through what to expect during recovery.
This is also when you'll discuss whether returning home the same day is appropriate or whether an overnight hospital stay may make more sense based on your health, home support, and individual circumstances.
The Surgery Itself
During total hip replacement, the damaged ball and socket surfaces of the hip joint are replaced with artificial components designed to restore smooth movement and function. The worn femoral head is removed and replaced with a new ball and stem, while the damaged surface of the hip socket is prepared and fitted with a new cup and bearing surface.
The components are selected and positioned based on your anatomy, with the goal of creating a stable, well-functioning hip while restoring appropriate leg length and joint mechanics.
Same-Day Discharge
Patients are encouraged to get up and begin walking within hours of hip replacement with the help of the therapy team. For appropriately selected patients who are medically stable, comfortable, and able to safely walk and complete the necessary therapy goals, returning home the same day is often an option.
Same-day discharge isn't required. Some patients are more comfortable staying overnight because of their age, medical needs, home support, travel distance, or personal preference. Dr. Mustovich individualizes the discharge plan based on what is safest and most appropriate for each patient.
Healing After Hip Replacement
What Recovery Looks Like
Recovery begins almost immediately after hip replacement. Most patients are up and walking with assistance within hours of surgery and gradually transition from a walker or other assistive device as their strength, balance, and confidence improve. Physical therapy and home exercises focus on walking, mobility, strength, and safely returning to everyday activities.
Many patients notice substantial improvement during the first several weeks, but recovery continues well beyond that early period. Returning to work depends on the demands of your job, with desk-based work generally possible sooner than work that requires prolonged standing, lifting, climbing, or other physical activity.
Driving also depends on your individual recovery, which hip was replaced, and your ability to safely control the vehicle. You should no longer be taking medications that impair driving and should be able to react quickly and confidently before getting back behind the wheel.
Walking and other low-impact activities are encouraged as recovery progresses, with more demanding activities added gradually. Although most patients return to many everyday activities within the first several weeks, strength, endurance, balance, and overall function can continue improving for months after hip replacement.
Being Honest About the Risks
Understanding the Risks of Hip Replacement
Every surgery carries risk, and total hip replacement is no exception. Potential complications include infection, blood clots, wound-healing problems, nerve or blood vessel injury, fracture, and complications related to anesthesia. However, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, serious complications such as joint infection occur in fewer than 2% of hip replacement patients, and major medical complications like heart attack or stroke are even less common.
Risks specific to hip replacement can also include dislocation, differences in leg length, implant loosening or wear, and instability or other implant-related problems that may occasionally require additional surgery. Although most patients undergo hip replacement without a major complication, individual risk can vary based on age, overall health, anatomy, and other medical conditions.
Modern surgical techniques, medications to reduce the risk of blood clots, and early mobilization are all part of reducing these risks, but they cannot eliminate them entirely. Dr. Mustovich will review your individual risk factors, expected benefits, and alternatives before surgery so you can make an informed decision about your treatment.
What to Know About Coverage
Understanding the Cost of Hip Replacement
cost of total hip replacement depends on your insurance plan, network participation, deductible, and other coverage requirements. Returning home the same day or staying overnight is part of your individual care and discharge plan rather than a different type of hip replacement procedure.
Most insurance plans, including Medicare, provide coverage for total hip replacement when the procedure is medically necessary and applicable plan requirements are met. Your individual out-of-pocket cost will depend on your specific benefits and coverage.
If you have questions about your insurance coverage or expected costs, pleasecontact our office before surgery. You can also visit our insurance page for information about plans accepted through West Virginia University.
A Track Record You Can Verify
Results Patients Can Count On
Hip replacement has one of the best safety and success track records in orthopedic surgery. According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, the vast majority of patients experience significant pain relief and improved mobility after surgery, with serious complications occurring in fewer than 2% of cases. Dr. Mustovich brings that same standard of care to every hip replacement he performs, whether it's a traditional, robotic-assisted, or same-day procedure.
His patients have left him over 50 five-star reviews to date, many from people treated right here in Butler for knee, hip, and shoulder conditions. That track record is built on the same approach across every procedure: an honest recommendation based on your specific hip, not a one-size-fits-all surgical plan. If you've been putting off a hip replacement because of what you've heard about recovery, robotic-assisted and same-day approaches have changed that conversation for a lot of patients, though your own experience depends on your specific case.
What Our Patients Say
“Dr Mustovich is knowledgeable and felt he took time with me. Did not feel in a hurry. I am now 6 months out from surgery and could not be more pleased. I traveled 3 hours to see him and went away encouraged by my time with him. He took X-Rays . Checked out my knee. Explain all was good then sat. listened well to my questions and answered them. He seemed as pleased as I am to hear my success stories. Picture taken day two days after surgery in hospital.”
The Surgeon Behind Your Care
Dr. Anthony Mustovich, Board-Certified Orthopedic Surgeon
Dr. Anthony Mustovich is board certified by the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery and a Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. His background includes more than a decade of service in the U.S. Army Medical Corps, where he treated an active, high-demand population.
Today, joint replacement is a major part of Dr. Mustovich's practice. His approach to hip replacement combines proven surgical principles with individualized decision-making, from determining whether surgery is truly the right next step to planning the procedure and guiding patients through recovery.
For Dr. Mustovich, a successful hip replacement isn't simply about replacing an arthritic joint. It's about understanding what hip pain has taken away from each patient and helping them return to the activities and independence that matter to them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Hip replacement may be worth considering when hip pain and stiffness are significantly interfering with your quality of life and nonsurgical treatment is no longer providing acceptable relief. Common problems include difficulty walking longer distances, putting on shoes and socks, getting in and out of a car, exercising, or sleeping comfortably. There isn't one symptom or X-ray finding that automatically means you need a hip replacement. Dr. Mustovich considers your symptoms, examination, imaging, previous treatment, overall health, and goals together to determine whether surgery is the right next step.
Hip arthritis commonly causes pain in the groin or front of the hip and may also cause pain that travels into the thigh or even the knee. Stiffness and difficulty putting on shoes and socks, getting in and out of a car, or rotating the leg can also point toward the hip joint as the source of the problem. Not all pain around the hip comes from the hip joint itself. Problems involving the lower back, muscles, tendons, or other surrounding structures can cause similar symptoms. Dr. Mustovich uses your history, examination, and imaging to determine where the pain is coming from before recommending treatment.
Most patients are up and walking with assistance within hours of hip replacement and gradually transition away from a walker or other assistive device as their strength, balance, and confidence improve. Many patients return to everyday activities over the first several weeks, although the timeline varies from person to person. Recovery continues for several months as strength, endurance, balance, and overall function improve. Returning to work, driving, exercise, and more demanding activities depends on your individual progress and the specific demands of those activities.
The cost of total hip replacement varies depending on your insurance plan, network participation, deductible, and other coverage requirements. Insurance plans, including Medicare, commonly provide coverage for hip replacement when the procedure is medically necessary, but your individual out-of-pocket cost depends on your specific benefits. Our office can help you understand your coverage and expected costs before surgery. You can also visit our insurance page for information about plans accepted through West Virginia University.
Modern hip replacements are designed to provide many years of pain relief and function, and many implants continue to perform well for 20 years or longer. How long an individual hip replacement lasts can depend on factors such as age, activity level, implant wear, bone quality, and other patient-specific factors. Over time, components can wear, loosen, or develop other problems that occasionally require revision surgery. Dr. Mustovich will discuss implant longevity and what to expect over the long term based on your age, activity level, and individual circumstances.
Request an appointment online or call our office to schedule an evaluation with Dr. Mustovich. He'll review your symptoms, examination, and imaging to determine what's causing your hip pain and whether continued nonsurgical treatment or total hip replacement is the right next step.