What You Should Know About Knee Replacement Surgery
As you grow older, you can expect to join many other people who have medical complaints about knee pain. You'll find that you're plagued with knee osteoarthritis symptoms stemming from degenerative joint disease. So by the time you reach 80 years of age, degenerative joint disease spawns a breakdown of cartilage that protects your knee joints. This activity causes your knee joint bones to rub against each other. The loss of cartilage produces severe joint pain and causes bone deformity. In turn, you also cannot move around at all without pain. The situation worsens, and you ultimately have to undergo knee replacement surgery.
How Knee Replacements Are Performed
Orthopedist surgeons conduct preliminary work on the damaged cartilage. They remove the damaged areas of your femur and tibia bones while also dissecting and removing a minimal amount of underlying bone as a precautionary measure. Now they're ready to replace the removed sections with metal components that now serve as the joint surface. They either press the replacement into the bone or cement it in place.
Resurfacing
Your patella, which is your kneecap, is next cut and resurfaced with a plastic button in cases where the button is needed. Otherwise, your surgeon might go ahead without the button by inserting a plastic spacer between your knee parts. That spacer provides you with a new smooth and gliding surface that fulfills the job your now defunct cartilage did when it was healthy. It is a wonderful technology that will allow you to return to your active lifestyle of walking and other movements without experiencing pain anymore.
Prior Evaluation
Before knee replacement is performed, you'll be evaluated to determine your best option. So the procedure decision depends largely on your medical history. Your general health in addition to the extent of knee pain you've endured are considered as is the depth of physical limitation you experience.
Range Of Motion Testing
You'll undergo a knee range of motion (ROM) testing that examines stability, alignment and strength, which discerns what movements result in pain. Prior X-rays and other imaging technology are used to determine the extent of deformity and joint damage you have sustained. The series of tests ultimately confirm that you are indeed a good candidate for a knee replacement procedure.
Clarity Of Your Responsibility
You'll be given information so that there will be no misconceptions about what to expect following knee replacement. You must show responsible judgment in not overdoing your activities following surgery. Yes your knee replacement can last for many years, but you must abide by certain guidelines that enable you to sensibly restrict strenuous activities post surgery, and the guidelines will be clearly explained to you.
