Consultant warns young people of prospect of hip replacements

An orthopaedic consultant has warned that there could be an increase in the number of younger people needing hip replacements in the future.

Patrick Carton, from Whitfield Clinic in Waterford, says that children who participate in intensive sports training sessions may be at risk of severe joint pain or need a hip replacement later in life.

He is advising children suffering with joint stiffness to seek medical help.

"We've got to increase awareness among the sporting bodies that this may be a small but potential problem going forward, and there's lots of different ways we can introduce techniques, rest breaks, at different intensities of sports to possibly limit them," he said.