BoneSmart.org Hip Replacement and Knee Replacement Online Forums Create Lifelong Community for Patients

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The BoneSmart.org Hip Replacement and Knee Replacement Online Forums fosters relationships between pre-operative and post-operative patients, and provides insight from experienced moderators.The site has seen dramatic growth in recent years due to the community of support that participants have found in the forum.

The BoneSmart.org Hip Replacement Forum and Knee Replacement Forum first went online in 2005. Two volunteer moderators, both joint replacement patients themselves, and one with over 50 years in the orthopedic nursing field, provide their insight and answer questions about hip replacement surgery and knee replacement surgery.

The primary goal of the community forum is to foster communication between persons who may need joint replacement surgery ("pre-operative" patients) and those who have had one or more of their own joints replaced ("post-operative" patients). The site encourages experienced participants to help "mentor" new patients, and provide a nurturing environment of support and knowledge through the hip and knee replacement forum.

One of the forum moderators, Josephine Fox, writes:

"All together, it's a very friendly, enjoyable and helpful environment for people contemplating joint replacement, seeking information, experiencing problems and thereafter wanting to help others."

"As an extension of my nursing career, I have personally found it a very enjoyable and rewarding experience. I have spent a lifetime being passionate about joint replacement surgery, having worked with the earliest pioneer hip surgeon as far back as 1959! I was delighted to be offered this opportunity now and hope it will continue for some time to come."

The BoneSmart.org forum represents a continuing and increasingly pervasive trend in the availability of medical information and the growing popularity of patient communities on the Web. Patients share their doctor’s recommendations for specific procedures, and the community offers feedback based on their experience. Discussion topics range from joint replacement lifestyles to concerns about prostheses and recovery questions.

The site, which attracts thousands of visitors every day, has become a social network for hip replacement and knee replacement patients and candidates for surgery. The tight-knit group of users offer support and often participate on the forum well after they have recovered from surgery.

About BoneSmart.org

BoneSmart.org is a National Public-Awareness Campaign for Candidates of Hip Replacement Surgery and Knee Replacement Surgery. The BoneSmart® National Consumer Awareness Campaign’s mission is to raise patient awareness of the options available to persons diagnosed as a hip replacement or knee replacement candidates by providing an Internet portal for awareness of the latest advances in joint replacement materials, their longevity and suitability for various applications. With this information the potential patient may be better informed when discussing options with his or her surgeon.