Some Frequently Asked Questions About Knee Replacement
What Is the Process of Knee Replacement Surgery?
When your knee is replaced, worn-out, damaged, and diseased natural parts will be removed and new, efficient, artificial prosthetic joints will be put in their place.
An artificial joint performs exactly like a healthy, real joint. With an artificial joint, you can enjoy all of the physical activities you used to enjoy, and maybe some you couldn't enjoy before. The only difference will be the absence of knee pain.
How bad must my knees be before I can have them replaced?
This is something you will determine with your doctor. After an evaluation by an orthopedist, a consultation and some thought about how a knee replacement will impact your life, you will be ready to make the decision for yourself.
If you are having knee pain every day, you may respond by resting your knees. When you do this, the muscles around the knee become weaker. That means that you will have more knee pain.
If you have tried all the other options, like bracing, physical therapy, and medication, but they have not helped, it may be time for you to consider knee replacement.
Click here to learn more about surgery for torn ACL.
Innovative MIS (Minimally Invasive Knee Joint Replacement)
MIS is a very specialized technique in which a very small incision is made to access the knee structure. When this technique is used, the trauma to the soft tissues is very minor.
MIS knee surgery is a big improvement in total knee replacement for many reasons. For one thing, with MIS, you will have a much shorter hospital stay. Additionally, you will recover more quickly and experience less scarring. Nonetheless, it is important to note that not everyone can use MIS.
Talk MIS over with your orthopedist to determine if you can benefit from this innovative method of knee replacement surgery.
What are the risks of MIS?
Even though, MIS is much less invasive than standard surgery, it is still a major operation.
Any time you have a major surgical procedure performed, there may be complications. However, most of the time, these can be avoided or dealt with successfully.
So, how soon can I go back to my regular schedule? I need to be able to drive and work!
Consulting with your doctor, orthopedist, and surgeon will help you to arrive at an answer to this question. It depends on your physical condition, the demands of your daily life, and the advice of your health care professionals.
Click here to learn more about arthroscopy of the knee.