Knee Replacement Physio: When Do You Need It
If you had knee surgery, knee replacement physio is what you need the most.
People undergo knee replacement surgeries if they have been experiencing immense pain. This pain also results in limitations to knee movements which causes inconvenience.
Knee replacement surgeries are especially for those who are suffering from advanced arthritis.
After you go through your knee replacement surgery, its extremely essential to follow proper knee replacement physio to achieve a good functional level.
What Are The Possible Risks And Complications Of Knee Replacement Surgery
Knee replacement surgery is generally considered safe and effective. However, complications can include:
- blood clots in the leg veins
- implant problems
- injury to your nerves or blood vessels during surgery
If the knee becomes red or swollen, your pain gets worse or you become short of breath, go straight back to the hospital emergency department. These could be signs of a blood clot in your leg or your lungs.
Looking For Alternatives To Total Knee Replacements
We’re also funding research which is investigating alternative approaches to total knee replacement. For example, total knee replacement is not recommended for many young people. This study aims to develop a new method called ToKa®, which uses images of the patient’s joint and specially designed software to design a patient specific implant that will be made via 3D printing. If successful, this technique could prevent osteoarthritis patients from needing total joint replacement.
Read Also: Is Ice Good For Knee Pain
Benefits Of Minimally Invasive Robot
In a minimally invasive knee replacement procedure, an incision of about four to six inches is made to allow for insertion of the knee replacement. This results in minimal damage to surrounding muscles and tendons around the knee. Compared to conventional surgery with a larger incision, benefits of minimally invasive surgery include the following:
- Less discomfort, swelling and blood loss
- Shorter hospitalization and rehabilitation
- Ability to return to activities sooner
Minimally invasive knee replacement surgery is not suitable for all patients. Your doctor will conduct a thorough evaluation and consider several factors before determining if the procedure is an option for you.
If knee pain is controlling your life and limiting your activities, make an appointment with a DMC orthopedic specialist to discuss your options. We specialize in surgical and nonsurgical solutions for joint pain. To learn more about your options for treating knee pain click here or call to make an appointment with a DMC orthopedic specialist.
Articles On Knee Osteoarthritis
Knee osteoarthritis can affect your every move: walking, climbing stairs, even sitting or lying down. Surgery can help bring relief, but doctors almost always advise trying other treatment options first. These include:
Medications you take by mouth. Over-the-counter options include acetaminophen as well as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen or naproxen . NSAIDs fight inflammation. Stronger NSAIDs are available by prescription.
Creams or ointments you rub onto the skin. Different forms are sold over the counter. You can get stronger versions with a prescription.
Medications injected into the joint. Corticosteroid injections, also called cortisone shots, fight inflammation and can offer fast pain relief that may last up to several months. Injections of hyaluronic acid boost the natural joint fluid that keeps knees moving smoothly. They may take up to a couple of months to have their full effect but can last up to 6 months or more.
Exercise and physical therapy. Exercise strengthens the muscles that support your knee. Physical therapy also helps. A physical therapist can design the program for you and see if you need supportive braces, splints, or canes. If you need to lose weight, diet and exercise can help you shed some pounds and take some of the pressure off your knees.
Recommended Reading: Scars From Arthroscopic Knee Surgery
Heres 12 Things Youll Need Around The House Once You Return Home After A Total Knee Replacement Surgery
These items should be purchased beforehand.
Even the most prepared-thinking person may not consider the usefulness of some of these items.
My father has had three total knee replacements , so I definitely know all the things that should already be in the home, once the patient returns.
The new knee will not be able to bend well. Hopping and balancing on the good leg is not an option because:
1) If a persons knee was bad enough to require knee replacement surgery, the odds are pretty strong that the other knee is also degenerated.
2) Even if the other leg IS good enough to hop on, this is not advised because it will interfere with recovery.
The person must use both legs as he normally would, so that the new knee is properly introduced to normal movement.
Recommended Reading: How Long After Knee Replacement Can You Fly
When Is It Recommended
The most common reason for a knee replacement is osteoarthritis. Knee replacements are usually considered as a last option to treat persistent severe knee pain or disability after other options have been tried or considered. For a person with arthritis, these other options may include:
- non-impact exercise
Most people who have a knee replacement are over 60 years of age. If you have the operation when you’re under 50, you may need another knee replacement in later life.
Read Also: Why My Knee Hurts When I Bend It
How Soon Will I Be Up And About
The staff will help you to get up and walk about as quickly as possible. If you have had minimally invasive surgery or are on an enhanced recovery programme, you may be able to walk on the same day as your operation. Generally, you will be helped to stand within 12-24 hours after your operation.
Walking with a frame or crutches is encouraged. Most people are able to walk independently with sticks after about a week but this can vary depending on the individual.
During your stay in hospital, a physiotherapist will teach you exercises to help strengthen your knee. You can usually begin these the day after your operation. It is important to follow the physiotherapist’s advice to avoid complications or dislocation of your new joint.
It is normal to experience initial discomfort while walking and exercising, and your legs and feet may be swollen.
You may be put on a passive motion machine to restore movement in your knee and leg. This support will slowly move your knee while you are in bed. It helps to decrease swelling by keeping your leg raised and helps improve your circulation.
Pain Even When Resting And That Disturbs Sleep At Night
According to knee replacement specialists, knee pain while at rest that is not responding to other treatments is the right time for the replacement surgery. Also, many activities during the day contribute to the pain you feel in your knees at night which can be quite debilitating and needs immediate attention.
Don’t Miss: Side Of Inner Knee Pain
Additional Knee Replacement Costs
Some additions to your living space can be made to ensure your comfort during recovery. These include toilet seat risers, safety bars, a shower bench, and even a modified first-floor living area to eliminate the need for stairs. You may be able to find affordable options on second-hand marketplaces such as Mercari and Ebay, or find discounts through cash-back apps such as Ibotta.
For patients with insurance, physical therapy costs are often covered. Usually patients will have to complete several weeks of physical therapy sessions following a knee replacement. Its always advisable to enter this stage of your recovery with an open mind and a positive attitude: after all, your recovery depends on you, and the mobility that you regain is directly related to the effort you put into your rehab.
Finally, depending on your lifestyle, your knee replacement device may need to be replaced later in life. The lifespan of current knee replacements can range from 10 to 15 years, to even longer. Remember to always notify your doctor if you experience uncharacteristic discomfort or limited mobility, as it these may be indicators of a complication with your knee replacement.
Knee replacement complications can include infection , complications from anesthesia , and other issues.
All material on this page is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice. Always consult your physician or pharmacist regarding medications or medical procedures.
Nonsurgical Treatments Are No Longer Effective
If you have arthritis of the knee, youll probably start with more conservative measures such as medications, steroid injections or physical therapy to alleviate your symptoms. But at some point, they may not be enough.
Anti-inflammatories, injections and physical therapy are temporary measures to provide pain relief, but they dont reverse the underlying cause of pain and dont allow cartilage to regenerate, Heckmann says. As time passes, these arthritic conditions tend to progress in severity, rendering these types of treatments less and less effective.
At that point, surgery may be an option.
Read Also: Can You Wait Too Long For Knee Replacement
What Are The Advantages Of Knee Replacement
Long-term, you may still feel some discomfort and have to limit high-impact activity to protect the replacement joint. But knee replacement can relieve a lot of the pain and help you move much better. More than 90% of people who have a total knee replacement still function well 15 years after surgery.
What Is A Total Knee Replacement Exactly
In a knee arthroplasty, your orthopedic surgeon will not give you an entirely new joint.
Rather, the surgeon repairs your existing bone by removing damaged or diseased parts.
Your bones are then resurfaced with contoured metal or plastic implants.
The surgeon presses or cements the new components in place, using spacers to ensure that your bones will glide smoothly over each other just like your “real” knee before it became damaged.
You May Like: Why Does My Knee Hurt When I Stand Up
When Do I Need A Total Knee Replacement
If your knee joint is severely injured or damaged by a disease like arthritis, a total knee replacement may be the answer for you. But how do you know if you’re a candidate and if the time is right?
Because total knee replacement is a major surgery, orthopedists prefer to begin with non-invasive treatment options. For that reason, most patients who undergo knee arthroplasty are at “the end of the line” with non-invasive approaches. They’ve tried everything to improve mobility and reduce pain, but nothing has worked for long.
If you’ve tried a variety of treatments for your knee pain and you’re not seeing results, it may be time to visit an orthopedist to talk about a total knee replacement.
How Long Does A Knee Replacement Last
As for downtime, youre looking at anywhere from six weeks to a few months of recovery and rehabilitation. How long does a knee replacement last, you ask? With regular wear and tear, it should last anywhere from 15 to 20 years. So, if youre younger when you have your first one, you may end up back in for a second surgery to replace the first replacement.
Again, this is an average it may be different for you depending on your body weight, the amount of exercise you get, and how gentle you are with yours. Most surgeons will tell you that youll need to steer clear from rigorous and high-impact activities like running, jumping, and jogging for the rest of your life.
But, you will be able to enjoy activities that are just as fun, including swimming, light hiking and biking, dancing, and golf aka, low-impact exercise.
You May Like: How To Stop Knee Swelling
Youve Had Persistent Knee Pain For Anywhere From 3
General knee pain can happen at any time and to anyone. You could feel pain after walking up several flights of stairs or outdoors playing with your grandkids.
Many people also experience general knee pain due to everyday activities like mowing the lawn, sitting or standing for too long, and even exercising.
In these instances, the pain is usually short-lived you may experience it for a few days, but after that, it disappears and you forget all about it.
So what happens when the pain sticks around for longer than a month?
Experiencing persistent knee pain for anywhere from 3, 4, or even 6 months is a big red flag that something more is up. Its also a warning that you may need a total knee replacement.
Experiencing persistent knee pain for anywhere from 3, 4, or even 6 months is a big red flag that something more is up.
Keep reading to see if you have any of the other common symptoms of chronic knee pain.
Or you can skip ahead and take the knee function assessment to figure out if total knee replacement surgery is right for you.
Sign #: Your Knee Pain Keeps You From Everyday Activities Like Walking Or Bending
If after dinner walks are out of the question or gardening your beloved vegetable beds isnt happening because of pain in your knee, its a solid sign the arthritis in your knee is getting the best of you.
Whether youre hesitant to bend down while playing with your dog or youre simply slowing down on the job, knee pain during everyday activities means it might be time for surgery.
You May Like: What Food Is Good For Knee Cartilage
Youve Lost Weight And The Pain Still Persists
Excess weight can be to blame when it comes to knee pain. So, in addition to using the RICE method and anti-inflammatory medications, you may need to lose some weight in order to alleviate a bit of the pressure on your knees.
But lets say youre still experiencing knee pain even though youve successfully dropped a few pounds. Now your weight may not be the only thing to blame.
While losing weight will certainly help the situation, its not enough to fix things if youre dealing with significant pain in your knees and cartilage wear-down.
So if youve lost weight and your pain still persists and youve tried the next pain-relieving options well be discussing it may be time to consider total knee replacement surgery.
Risks Of Knee Replacement Surgery
Knee replacement surgery is a common operation and most people do not have complications. However, as with any operation, there are risks as well as benefits.
Complications are rare but can include:
- stiffness of the knee
- infection of the joint replacement, needing further surgery
- unexpected bleeding into the knee joint
- ligament, artery or nerve damage in the area around the knee joint
- persistent pain in the knee
- a break in the bone around the knee replacement during or after the operation
In some cases, the new knee joint may not be completely stable and further surgery may be needed to correct it.
Recommended Reading: Which Surgery Is Worse Knee Or Shoulder
Signs It May Be Time For A Knee Replacement
When conservative treatments of knee arthritis have not brought relief, the orthopedic knee specialists at University of Maryland Medical Center may recommend knee replacement.
After weighing the risks of knee replacement, patients with the following signs and symptoms may want to consider this surgery.
You can make an appointment by calling or request an appointment online.
Ial Vs Total Knee Replacement Surgery: What You Need To Know
Are you part of the .2%? Each year, thousands of people in the United States have knee replacement surgery about 600,000 to be exact, according to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Robert L. DeMaagd, MD, specialist with the Total Joint Center at Orthopaedic Associates of Michigan, sees his fair share. I do close to 300 knee replacements each year, says Dr. DeMaagd. That includes both partial and total replacements.
Who is a candidate for knee replacement? According to Dr. DeMaagd, most knee replacement patients are between 55-75 years old. Typically knee replacement surgery is done for chronic osteoarthritis of the knee joint that has not been successfully treated with non-operative means like medication, bracing, injections, and physical therapy, he explains. Arthritis is an inherited trait, so for most people, its just a genetic wearing out of the joint.
Time to move on Many of these non-operative treatments can be good for mild to moderate arthritis, and you can go for years without joint replacement surgery, Dr. DeMaagd says. But after a while, those measures just dont work. You have to move on to something else. Thats when patients typically contact OAM. If the knee pain and stiffness are affecting a patients quality of life or getting in the way of normal daily activity, the patient is probably a good candidate for a knee replacement, says Dr. DeMaagd.
Read Also: Can Knee Problems Cause Foot Pain
Changes To Your Lifestyle
If pain and mobility in your knees are impacting your daily lifestyle and preventing you from doing the things you usually do, a joint replacement may be needed. If youve had to cut out your usual exercise activities, more conditions may develop. Cutting out regular activity can lead to other health conditions including heart disease, diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, and much more.
Daily activities such as gardening or household chores are also often stopped in the hopes that the pain will go away with rest. Chronic joint pain does not go away solely due to rest. Though it may get better for a time, it will likely resume as soon as your usual activities do. In addition to the health risks from the lifestyle changes, there is also the concern of a decreased quality of life. Stopping the things you enjoy and your routine duties is not a sustainable way to live, physically or mentally.
If youve experienced one or more of these signs, you should consult an orthopedic doctor to discuss your condition and options.