Federal statistics show that the number of hip replacements in adults between the ages of 45 and 54 has tripled over a 10-year period. What’s behind the rise?

The New York Post spoke to Roy I. Davidovitch, MD, the Julia Koch Associate Professor of Orthopedic Surgery and director of NYU Langone’s Hip Center, who explained reasons for this increase are that today’s implants are more durable, and active patients don’t want to put up with pain and delay surgery until they’re older. People who engage in high-impact sports like tennis or running, or even yoga, might stress the joint and wear down cartilage if a person is predisposed to hip arthritis.

“We used to push hip replacements on very elderly, sedentary patients because we didn’t want them to be active on it and wear it down,” says Dr. Davidovitch. But now, he says, “It’s not acceptable to say ‘We’re going to delay a hip replacement until you’re old enough.’”

Read more from The New York Post.