The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons estimates that each year, more than 450,000 Americans have their hips replaced—more than the entire population of Cleveland. According to the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, this surgery has been around for just over 50 years, since 1969. Indeed, the surgery has become so common that older adults in America tend to talk about it as more a matter of when than if. Here’s why: As we humans live longer lives, our hips suffer more wear and tear, which can lead to arthritis in the hip joint. Arthritis is swelling and tenderness on the joint, which can cause pain and stiffness and tends to worsen with age, according to the Mayo Clinic. By 2025, experts project that over 650,000 people will have their hips replaced each year, and by 2040, some 1.5 million surgeries will be performed annually, according to a recent article …