At the UMass Memorial Musculoskeletal Center of Excellence in Worcester, we want to help people lead active lives. If symptoms of arthritis, like joint swelling, pain or stiffness prevent you from enjoying your regular activities, we’re here to help — from an initial evaluation to understand what’s causing your joint pain, through diagnosis, treatment and recovery.
Our treatment team includes top orthopedic surgeons who perform total joint replacement surgery to treat joint pain, and physiatrists who specialize in the medical (non-surgical) treatment of arthritis and other conditions of the joints. We also have an outstanding team of physical and occupational therapists to help you get back on your feet and back to your life as soon as possible.
High Volume = High Quality
The UMass Memorial Arthritis and Joint Replacement Center is a national leader in the treatment of arthritis and joint pain. Our highly trained orthopedic surgeons perform hundreds of total hip replacements and total knee replacements a year with excellent outcomes. And the more a surgeon performs certain procedures and operations, the more skillful he or she becomes at doing them — and the better patients recover. Our patients’ outcomes speak to that.
Most important is how a patient’s activity and physical functioning improve after treatment.
- According to the federal Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), our orthopedics program is one of the best — a model program that is nationally known for quality of care and exceptional patient results. The AHRQ selected us to lead a first-of-its-kind database of total joint replacement patients to assess outcomes and quality of life.
- Our Musculoskeletal Center of Excellence also is designated by Blue Cross and Blue Shield as a Blue Distinction Center for Specialty Care® in total knee replacement and total hip replacement, an honor given to hospitals that have expertise in providing high-quality healthcare.
- Plus, researchers at the UMass Memorial Musculoskeletal Center of Excellence and UMass Medical School have earned national honors and awards for their work in improving functional results in patients who undergo total joint replacement surgery.
Are You a Candidate for Total Hip Replacement or Total Knee Replacement?
You may be a candidate for a total hip replacement or total knee replacement if you experience:
- Gradually increasing hip or knee pain that worsens when you put weight on it
- Joint pain that is severe and gets in the way of daily activities
- Moderate or advanced osteoarthritis (the most common type of arthritis, where cartilage in your joints wears down over time) of the knee or hip
- Previously unsuccessful treatment for joint pain