Like the commercial goes, “Life comes at you fast.” And life can do damage to the body. Things happen in the normal course of active living: sports injuries, overuse damage and just regular accidents. Then others deal with degenerative diseases like osteoarthritis. The damages can be life-altering.
No matter the cause, sometimes the only answer to reclaiming an old lifestyle is surgery. When the knee reaches the point-of-no-return the only option might be total-knee replacement. This procedure is for only severe cases where everyday activities are becoming difficult to perform due to pain or risk of extensive damage to the joint.
What is Total Knee Replacement?
Total-knee replacement is the surgical procedure where damaged knee joints are replaced by an implant made of plastic and metal pieces developed to function like a natural knee. Variations in the implant have different benefits and risks. All benefits and risks should be discussed with your physician!
Risks include blood clots, some instability, blood vessel injury, stiffness and infection (which could require re-operation).
Who should consider this operation?
Only patients suffering from progressive pain and stiffness in the knee should consider Total-Knee Replacement surgery. Making the decision to have this kind of operation isn’t easy. Patients should ask their doctor about other options.
Average ages for the 600,000 annual patients is 65-70, but younger people have received an implant.
What is post-op life like?
The average life-span of an implant can be 15-20 years, but a patient’s lifestyle and activity is a factor. Post-op care involves physical therapy at the hospital and at home. Your doctor may limit some physical activities like high-impact running and high-demand sports in favor of slower-paced exercises and leisure sports. Swimming is an ideal activity for patients.
Here’s a list of important issues (but not all the issues) to discuss with your doctor:
- How will this surgery affect my daily activity?
- Will I have to give up sports?
- Can I damage the implant by running?
- How do I spot a problem with the implant?
- Can I begin a new sport?
