More adults than ever are needing joint replacements. In the past, an artificial hip or knee would only last about ten to 15 years. But with new technology, they're lasting longer than ever. In this segment of "Aging America," our Katie Gibas tells us what you need to know before going under the knife.

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"As a society, we don't tend to exercise. That's one of the reasons arthritis is exacerbated," said Dale Avers, PT, DPT, PhD, a SUNY Upstate Medical University Associate Professor and director of Post-Professional Doctor of Physical Therapy Program.

And technological advances are making replacements easier than ever.

"We're feeling much more liberal because of the high success rate of the operation of offering to people who have more steps to take or more years to live. We're not as worried they're going to wear it out," said Brett Greenky, the St. Joseph's Hospital Join Replacement Service Co-Director.

Most hip and knee replacements last 50 million steps to put that in perspective, the average 60-year old man walks about one million steps per year, and women typically walk about 20 percent less than a man of the same age.

"The rubbing part of the hip replacement typically has been metal ball against a plastic socket, and in the last decade, engineers have really figured out ways to make the plastic part wear far less quickly. And we've improved the wearability by a ten-fold amount," said Greenky.

Even though new biomedical technologies have made joint replacements last longer, physical therapists remind people that the technology isn't a miracle cure and in order to be successful, it's still going to take a lot of hard work and rehab from patients.

"I frequently tell people the arthritis pain is gone immediately. The first step you take, it's not there. But you've traded that pain for surgical pain. You're muscles are sore and there's an incision. And that takes a month to calm down and about three months to completely go away," said Greenky.

Avers said, "Often times, physicians will say, 'Oh yes, I can fix your pain," and they do. But they don't talk about function, and people expect to be able to do the things they weren't able to do. That takes a lot of strength. So for instance, 60 percent of the strength of the thigh is lost one month after their knee surgery.

Avers added, "Typically, the younger you are, the faster you're going to rehab because you're still fairly active. But you take a 75-year old and it's going to be 50-50 whether or not they get back to a higher level of function. Now, to me that's why you go into surgery: not to get the same level of function, but to a higher level of function and that is not happening statistically. It is concerning me that people can't climb steps faster. In fact they climb steps slower one year after their knee surgery. "

Avers says she's also concerned with older adults choosing surgery because there isn't enough support structurally for patients post-operation.

"The rehab needs to last for a long time, but there isn't payment from the Medicare system to do that. And I don't think there's enough encouragement from the medical community," said Avers.

Physical therapists say surgery should be the last resort.

"We know patients who undergo an exercise program are less likely to need a total knee one year after they have started this total exercise program," said Avers.

Physical therapists urge people with joint pain to take their time to research all the options before choosing to go under the knife.