If the arthritis pain in your knee has become debilitating, your orthopedic doctor may recommend having a total knee replacement. You may be surprised to learn that knee replacement surgery is exceptionally safe, effective, and usually outpatient – so you can go home later that day.
Today’s joint prosthetics enable people to regain their mobility and accomplish the things they want to do. Let’s talk about how having a total knee replacement can help you get back to a more active lifestyle again, and where you can go here in Naples for outstanding orthopedic treatment.
What Happens in a Total Knee Replacement?
Your orthopedic surgeon will remove the damaged tissues in your knee and replace them with prosthetic materials that are designed to work just like your original knee. In most cases of knee arthroplasty, the surgeon will remove the top of the tibia (shinbone, or large lower-leg bone), the entire patella (kneecap), and the bottom of the femur (thighbone, or upper-leg bone). Replacing these components will drastically reduce or completely eliminate the arthritis pain in your knee when you move it.
After knee surgery, your recovery will begin later that day or the next day with physical therapy. Your physical therapist (PT) will guide you as you gain strength and balance in your new knee, and you will learn how best to do everything again – such as getting in and out of a chair and car, standing, walking, and climbing, and descending stairs.
You will be pleasantly surprised at how wonderful it feels not to have knee pain anymore.
How Does Knee Arthritis Develop?
When the protective cartilage has worn away in your knee joint, this causes bone-on-bone scraping and painful inflammation (arthritis) in your knee. The wear-and-tear of the cartilage usually happens slowly over time, but it can also develop more quickly in young athletes and in people who place a lot of stress on their lower extremities – such as people who are in professions that require a lot of walking and standing.
Symptoms of knee osteoarthritis include:
- Pain
- Stiffness
- Swelling
- Limited range of motion
- Creaking or clicking noises coming from the knee
- Pain which changes with various weather conditions
- Weakness and limited ability to bear weight and walk
- Poor balance and buckling of the knee
Upon confirmation of your diagnosis, your orthopedic doctor may first recommend several minimally invasive measures to reduce your arthritis symptoms, such as steroid injections. However, if the pain and dysfunction persist, the only viable solution to eliminating the pain may be a total knee replacement.
Rest assured that orthopedic surgeons perform this operation very frequently, and they know how to remove the degraded tissues and replace them with a knee that is perfectly comfortable for you.
Expert Orthopedic Knee Surgeon in Naples
Here at the Joint Replacement Institute, we use Smith & Nephew Visionaire and Biomet Signature technology to provide optimum custom-made prosthetics for you. If you have any questions or would like to request a consultation with a knee doctor, contact our friendly staff today by calling us at (239) 261-2663 or by filling out our appointment request form online now. We look forward to helping you get back to the life you love!
