When Diabetes Meets Joint Replacement:  A High-Stakes Crossroads 

Diabetes and joint replacement surgery may seem unrelated at first—one affects blood sugar and the other deals with mobility—but as more people in Waterbury are diagnosed with diabetes, doctors are noticing a powerful connection. Diabetes can directly affect how well someone heals after hip or knee replacement surgery. 

This link often surprises patients, but it’s incredibly important. In honor of Diabetes Awareness Month, Inside Orthopedics is opening the door to this conversation—because understanding this connection can help patients prepare better, heal faster, and avoid serious complications. 

Why Diabetes Affects Orthopedic Surgery 

Diabetes affects more than blood sugar. It influences: 

• How well your body heals 
• Circulation 
• Bone strength 
• Immune system 
• Ability to fight infection 

All of these factors matter during and after joint replacement surgery. Because Waterbury has a high number of adults managing diabetes—especially those in their 50s, 60s, and 70s—this information is essential for our community. 

What the Research Shows 

Studies have shown clear differences in joint replacement outcomes for people with diabetes: 

1. Higher Infection Risk: People with diabetes—especially those with high blood sugar around the time of surgery—have a higher chance of developing an infection in their new joint. Even one high reading on the day of surgery can increase the risk. 
2. Greater Chance of Needing a Second Surgery: Because healing can be slower and infections are more common, patients with diabetes are more likely to need revision surgery, meaning a second surgery to fix or replace the first implant. 
3. Blood Sugar Control Truly Matters:Research has shown that. 
   1. Patients with well-controlled diabetes often do just well as people without diabetes. 
   2. Patients with poorly controlled or fluctuating blood sugar have significantly higher risks 
4. Bone Quality and Diabetes Go Hand-in-Hand: Even when bone density looks normal on a scan, diabetes can weaken bone structure. This makes the support around a hip or knee implant less stable. This is where the Waterbury Hospital Bone Health Center becomes extremely important! 

How the Bone Health Center Supports Patients 

Our Bone Health Center works closely with Waterbury Hospital Orthopedics to ensure that patients have the strongest possible foundation going into surgery. The Bone Health Center helps by:

• Checking bone strength and looking for osteoporosis 
• Identifying risks that may delay healing
• Offering guidance on nutrition, vitamin levels, and bone-building treatments
• Coordinating with endocrinology and primary care
• Helping patients create a personalized plan to prepare for joint replacement 

For many patients, this preparation makes all the difference. 

What Patients with Diabetes Can Do:  Action Steps Before Joint Replacement 

If you are living with diabetes and may need a joint replacement, you have the power to lower your risks and improve your outcome. Here are simple, effective steps you can take: 

1. Keep your Blood Sugar in a Healthy Range:  Work with your doctor to get your A1c and daily blood sugars under control. Even a small improvement can lower your surgery risks. 
2. Eat for Healing:  Focus on lean protein, vegetables, whole grains, healthy fats, and calcium-rich foods. Good nutrition improves recovery—especially for patients with diabetes. 
3. Stay Active in Safe Ways:  Gentle exercise like walking, swimming, or physical therapy can improve blood sugar, strengthen muscles around your joints, and boost your immune system. 
4. Stop Smoking:  Smoking and diabetes together dramatically slow healing. Quitting even a few weeks before surgery helps. 
5. Take Care of Your Feet:  For diabetic patients having knee or hip surgery, foot health is extremely important—especially if you have neuropathy. 
6. Follow your Surgical Prep Instructions Carefully 
7. Don’t Be Afraid to Ask Questions 

 A Call to Action for Waterbury 

If you’re living with diabetes in the Greater Waterbury area and considering hip or knee replacement surgery, now is the time to take charge of your health. Talk openly with your orthopedic surgeon and diabetes care team. Ask whether your blood sugar is in a safe range for surgery. Schedule an appointment with the Waterbury Hospital Bone Health Center to understand your bone strength and reduce your risk of complications. 

Small steps—better blood sugar control, stronger bones, healthier habits—can dramatically change your surgical outcome and help you get back to the activities you love. And across our community, we as providers are committed to working together—orthopedics, endocrinology, primary care, nutrition, and bone health specialists—to ensure every patient receives coordinated, whole-person care. 

The better we understand how diabetes and orthopedics are connected, the better we can serve our community and help every patient move confidently toward a healthier future. 

 A Final Thought:  Seeing Joint Replacement Through a New Lens 

Diabetes may begin with blood sugar, but its influence reaches every part of the body—including your bones, joints, and healing. A successful joint replacement is not just about a skilled surgeon or a strong implant. It’s about preparing your whole body to heal. 

As we recognize Diabetes Awareness Month, let’s think differently. Let’s see joint replacement not just as a surgery, but as a partnership between you, your diabetes care team, your orthopedic team, and your bone health specialist. When all these pieces come together, patients don’t just get a new joint. They get a new beginning!