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Orthopaedics 360

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Orthopaedics 360

360 degrees of Orthopaedic expertise. Our surgeons specialise in all aspects of your care. SHOULDER ELBOW HIP KNEE FOOT ANKLE

Adelaide's choice for Orthopaedic care - Arthritis and Sports Injury Surgeons.

26/05/2026

Something I wish more patients knew before they came to see me: what you do in the weeks before surgery affects your result just as much as what happens in the theatre.

This is what I focus on with every patient before we operate.

NUTRITION

Your body needs protein to rebuild muscle and soft tissue, vitamin C for wound healing, iron to avoid anaemia, and vitamin D for bone health. Many patients arrive nutritionally depleted and do not realise it. A high-protein diet in the 4 to 6 weeks before surgery makes a measurable difference.

WEIGHT

Even a modest reduction in BMI before surgery reduces operative risk, reduces implant stress, and improves functional outcomes. It is not about a number on the scale. It is about giving your body the best possible conditions to heal.

FITNESS AND STRENGTH

Patients who are stronger before surgery recover faster. Simple home exercises, walking, and hydrotherapy in the weeks leading up to the procedure build the muscle reserve that carries you through early rehabilitation.

STOPPING SMOKING

Smoking significantly increases the risk of wound complications, infection, and delayed healing. I ask all patients to stop at least 6 weeks before surgery.

MANAGING MEDICAL CONDITIONS

Blood pressure, blood sugar, and anticoagulation all need to be optimised before we operate. Your GP and I work together on this.

Surgery is a partnership. The outcome belongs to both of us.

drchienwenliew.com.au/learn-hip
drchienwenliew.com.au/learn-knee

23/05/2026

One question I get asked in clinic almost every week: "Is recovering from a hip replacement the same as a knee?"

The short answer is no. Here's what Ive found.:

HIP REPLACEMENT

Hip replacement recovery is generally faster than most patients expect. I perform a direct anterior approach with minimal soft tissue damage, which allows most patients to be up and walking on the day of surgery. Pain is usually well managed with simple medications. Most patients are off their walking aids within 2 weeks and drive within 2-3 weeks. With hips, it's often me holding patients back - stopping them from overdoing it. The bone needs to grow into the implant which takes about 6 weeks for a meaningful attachment so we don't do anything heavy until then.

The early focus is on allowing the swelling to decrease, the internal inflammation to settle, and allowing the bone to grow into the implant. Whilst you won't feel that happening, and everything will feel good, it still takes time and there is nothing patients can really do to speed up the biology of it all.

KNEE REPLACEMENT

Knee replacement takes a little more time and more work. The knee is a more complex joint to rehabilitate. You need to regain range of motion, manage swelling, and retrain the surrounding muscles, all at the same time.

In my practice, I use a kinematic alignment approach for knee replacement. Rather than placing the implant in a fixed mechanical position, I align it to restore the natural anatomy of your knee. This means the joint moves and feels more like your own knee, and patients tend to recover better range of motion compared with conventional techniques.

The key to a good knee outcome is early, consistent physiotherapy. The first 6 weeks are critical. Patients who do the work in that window consistently do better at 3 and 6 months.

WHAT I FOCUS ON FOR BOTH

Regardless of which joint we are replacing, I focus on a few things for every patient:

Getting you ready before surgery. Nutrition matters: protein, iron, and vitamin D all affect how well you heal. Some people find zinc helpful for the wound. I actually really like Creatine and Glutamine for recovery. Optimising any medical conditions beforehand. Making sure you know exactly what to expect, so there are no surprises. Setting a realistic timeframe. Most patients are doing what they want to do by 3 months, but full recovery takes closer to 9.

If you are thinking about either procedure and want to understand your options in more detail, I have dedicated information on both on my website.

Hip replacement: drchienwenliew.com.au/learn-hip
Knee replacement: drchienwenliew.com.au/learn-knee

I am happy to give you an honest assessment of where you are and what makes sense for your situation.

14/05/2026

Wow- what a team at Eastwood! Love this fam. Thanks for making me feel 20, and letting me live out my hoop dreams! Feeling lucky to work and have fun with such legends

20/04/2026

"Am I too young for a knee replacement?"

This is an important conversation — and the answer is more nuanced than a simple yes or no.

The concern is understandable. Knee implants have a finite lifespan, and younger patients may outlive their first replacement, potentially requiring revision surgery later. This is a real factor that should be part of any shared decision-making conversation.

But "too young" is sometimes cited as a reason to delay surgery when the more relevant question is: how significantly is the arthritis affecting this patient's quality of life, and have conservative options been genuinely exhausted?

For patients in their 40s and 50s with severe, bilateral knee arthritis and failed conservative management, continued suffering while waiting for an "appropriate" age is not always in their best interest.

Modern knee implants are highly durable. Australian registry data shows that at 10 years there is 92% survival of inplants in all patients who had their implant under 55yo.

This decision should involve a specialist who knows your case, your goals, and your imaging.

Dr Liew's full guide on this topic is at the link below.

This post contains general educational information only. Please consult your GP or specialist for advice tailored to your situation.

https://drchienwenliew.com.au/blog/am-i-too-young-for-a-hip-or-knee-replacement/

17/04/2026

Dr Liew is going LIVE on a REFRESHED website and NEW instagram account for Dr Chien-Wen Liew. Over the last 10 years, Dr Liew has refined his offering to be exclusive hip and knee replacements. Please join him on things he has learnt, and insights into this via his website (drchienwenliew.com.au), YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/) and instagram (https://www.instagram.com/drliewhipknee). Content will be added regularly so subscribe, stay tuned, and let us know in the comments below what you would like to see.

14/04/2026

"Am I too old for a hip replacement?"

It’s one of the questions I hear most often in clinic — and in many cases, the honest answer is: no.

Age is one consideration among many. What we actually assess before recommending surgery includes overall health and medical fitness, functional limitation and quality of life impact, cognitive function and ability to engage with rehabilitation, and whether conservative options like physiotherapy and pain management have been adequately explored.

Data from the Australian Orthopaedic Association National Joint Replacement Registry consistently shows that patients in their 70s and 80s achieve meaningful improvements in pain and function following total hip arthroplasty, with satisfaction rates that compare well with younger age groups.

If you or a family member has been putting off a conversation about hip replacement because of age concerns, the right first step is a GP referral for a specialist assessment. A proper evaluation will give you much clearer information about what is and isn’t appropriate for your situation.

I’ve written a detailed guide on this topic — you can read it at the link below.

This post contains general educational information only. Please consult your GP or specialist for advice tailored to your situation.

https://drchienwenliew.com.au/blog/am-i-too-old-for-a-hip-or-knee-replacement/

14/01/2026

How lucky are we to work with the absolute best staff at Eastwood Private Hospital!! Even if they make fun of our fishing efforts!

23/12/2025

Our teams met for the recent Eastwood Private Hospital Christmas party. What a night! Big thank you to all of the staff and teams who made 2025 possible. With some of the best surgeons in Adelaide from all the different groups at Eastwood Private, we had a great time looking back in the year together and celebrating the incoming new year!

19/12/2025

MERRY christmas! From all of the team at Orthopaedics 360. Our phones are now closed. Our full team will be back on Monday the 5th of January 2026. (Please note, there are some clinics still running for urgent reviews as organised by your surgeon).

16/12/2025

To all the amazing staff, friends and patients, the team at Eastwood Private and Calvary Adelaide, our new rooms, the GP's and physios and chiropractors who work with us to manage our patients in the best possible way - THANK YOU. Dr Liew's last operating list for 2025 is done! 2 weeks off and then back to it for the new year! When you have an operating team this good, the days are too enjoyable! Orthopaedics 360

Address

Level 2, 204 Greenhill Road, Eastwood (Eastwood Private Hospital)
Adelaide, SA
5063

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 5pm
Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Wednesday	9am - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm
Friday	9am - 5pm

Website

http://www.orthopaedics360.com.au/

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