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With 2 hip replacements in her 30s, Goa woman still rock-climbing 20 yrs later: Study shows why implants last

Lancet study says 92% of modern hip replacements are likely to last at least 25 years

4 min readMar 5, 2026 01:02 PM IST

Authors of the systematic review and meta-analysis used advanced modelling techniques to conclude that 92% of modern hip replacements are likely to last at least 25 years. (Photo: Freepik)

Forty-nine-year-old Saumya Sood had her first hip replacement when her daughter was nine months old and she was in her mid-30s. “The second one was a year later,” she recalls. Now based in Goa, Sood, who has left the scars of a life-threatening road accident and surgeries behind, runs a café, goes rock-climbing and parasailing. Her implants have held good over the years.

A road accident in Delhi had left her with avascular necrosis (AVN) of both femurs, meaning her bone tissue was dying because of a lack of blood supply. Initially the pain was mild, but it gradually worsened. Physiotherapy helped briefly but by the time she had her daughter, she could no longer walk properly or get off the bed instantaneously because her joints would often lock. This prompted her to opt for hip replacement.

Dr Rajeev Joshi, senior hip and knee replacement surgeon at Sancheti Hospital, Pune, performed the bilateral hip replacements, first in 2009 and then in 2010. Tracking Sood’s progress, he assures her that the implants are functioning well nearly two decades later. “The longevity of hip replacements has improved significantly in recent years. This progress is directly linked to advances in manufacturing techniques and the development of more durable bearing surfaces used in hip joint replacements,” he says. His observations align with the findings of a new study published in The Lancet, which shows that modern hip replacements are good to last at least 25 years.

What a study says about implants

Authors of the systematic review and meta-analysis used advanced modelling techniques to conclude that 92% of modern hip replacements are likely to last at least 25 years. This marks a significant improvement compared to earlier studies on older hip replacement technologies, which indicated that approximately 58% of such implants could reach the 25-year mark. Clearly, advancements in the materials used for hip replacements over the past two decades have reduced wear and tear and improved their longevity. These include highly cross-linked polyethylene, ceramics and titanium. Modern implants are also designed to better integrate with natural bone, improving stability.

Understanding how long a hip replacement might last is important for patients, surgeons, and healthcare institutions for planning and resource allocation.

The current study included data from eight national joint registries, covering nearly 1.9 million hip replacements, along with clinical studies involving more than 5,000 patients. Veronica Pentland from Queen’s School of Medicine, Kingston, Ontario, Canada, and one of the study’s joint authors, says further modelling had shown how 91% of implants could continue functioning for at least 30 years,

How to ‘make the implant walk’

For hospitals and health services, the findings are just reassurance. They mean fewer people requiring revision surgeries, allowing specialist teams to focus on complex cases.

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However, the authors highlight that while the results are reassuring at the population level, they do not necessarily predict how long a hip replacement will last for each individual. Factors such as a person’s age, overall health, bone quality and the surgical technique used can all affect outcomes. But most important is working on bone health, something that Sood has focussed on. That helped her become more physically strong than she has ever been.

Dr Joshi emphasises that it is important to remember that bone is living tissue. “It remains strong only when it is regularly exercised. Lack of physical activity is a major cause of bone weakening, which can affect the implant. The less we walk, the greater the muscle imbalance and weakness, leading to instability, falls, fractures, and potential loosening of the implant. We must also understand that implants do not make us walk; we make the implant walk. A joint replacement simply substitutes the damaged bearing surface. It is our muscle strength and regular movement that allow it to function well,” he says.

Anuradha Mascarenhas

Anuradha Mascarenhas is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. With a career spanning three decades, she is one of the most respected voices in Indian journalism regarding healthcare, science and environment and research developments. She also takes a keen interest in covering women's issues . Professional Background Education: A gold medalist in Communication and Journalism from Savitribai Phule Pune University and a Master’s degree in Literature. Author: She authored the biography At The Wheel Of Research, which chronicles the life and work of Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, the former Chief Scientist at the WHO. Key Focus: She combines scientific accuracy with storytelling, translating complex medical research into compelling public and human-interest narratives. Awards and Recognition Anuradha has won several awards including the Press Council of India's national award for excellence in journalism under the gender based reporting category in 2019 and the Laadli Media award (gender sensitivity -2024). A recipient of the Lokmat journalism award (gender category-2022), she was also shortlisted for the RedInk awards for excellence in journalism-2021. Her debut book At The Wheel Of Research, an exclusive biography of Dr Soumya Swaminathan the inaugural chief scientist of World Health Organisation was also nominated in the Popular Choice Category of JK Paper AUTHER awards. She has also secured competitive fellowships including the Laadli Media Fellowship (2022), the Survivors Against TB – New Research in TB Media Fellowship (2023) and is part of the prestigious 2025 India Cohort of the WomenLift Health Leadership Journey.” Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) 1. Cancer & Specialized Medical Care "Tata Memorial finds way to kill drug-resistant cancer cells" (Nov 26, 2025): Reporting on a breakthrough for triple-negative breast cancer, one of the most aggressive forms of the disease. Discipline, diet and purpose; How a 97-year-old professor defies ageing'' (Nov 15, 2025) Report about Prof Gururaj Mutalik, the first Head of Department at Pune's B J Government Medical College who at 97 credits his longevity to healthy habits and a strong sense of purpose. 2. Environmental Health (The "Breathless Pune" Series) Long-term exposure even to 'moderate' air leads to chronic heart, lung, kidney issues" (Nov 26, 2025): Part of an investigative series highlighting that even "safe" pollution levels are damaging to vital organs. "For every 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5 level, there was 6-8% jump in medicine sales" (Nov 23, 2025): Using commercial data to prove the direct link between air quality and respiratory illnesses in Pune. 3. Lifestyle & Wellness News "They didn't let cancer, diabetes and heart disease stop them from travelling" (Dec 22, 2025): A collaborative piece featuring survivors who share practical tips for traveling with chronic conditions. At 17, his BP shot up to 200/120 mmHG; Lancet study flags why child and teen hypertension doubled between 2000 and 2020'' (Nov 12,2025)--A report that focusses on 17-year-old-boy's hypertensive crisis and reflects the rising global trend of high blood pressure among children and adolescents. 4. Scientific Recognition & Infrastructure For promoting sci-comm, gender diversity: IUCAA woman prof highlighted in Nature" (Nov 25, 2025): Covering the global recognition of Indian women scientists in gender studies and physics. Pune researchers find a spiral galaxy like the Milky Way from early universe'' (December 3, 2025)- A report on how Indian researchers discovered a massive galaxy that existed when the universe was just 1.5 billion years old , one of the earliest to have been observed so far. Signature Beat: Health, Science & Women in Leadership Anuradha is known for her COVID-19 reportage, where she was one of the first journalists to provide detailed insights into the Covishield and Covaxin trials. She has a dedicated interest in gender diversity in health and science, often profiling women researchers who are breaking the "leaky pipeline" in STEM fields. Her writing style is scrupulous, often featuring interviews with top-tier scientists and health experts from various institutions. ... Read More

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