Every year I see my doctor she wants to X-ray my shoulder replacement. I don’t really want so many X-rays. Are they really necessary?

We still don’t know how well total shoulder replacements hold up over time. X-rays give the doctor an idea if there’s any loosening in the joint. This can be seen before the patient begins to have pain or loss of motion.

It’s not clear yet from studies just how often screening X-rays should be taken. Is every year needed or is every two or three years often enough? Usually finding problems early and treating them saves the patient time, money, and discomfort in the end.