Do you have a nagging pain in the area around your knee? Is it uncomfortable stretching out your legs? It can be challenging handling your day-to-day activities if you cannot walk for some distance without pain. If you have trouble walking without discomfort, you should probably consider getting a Chevy Chase knee replacement. Here is all you should know when considering getting a knee replacement.
What is a Knee Replacement?
Knee replacement surgery alleviates pain and brings back function in affected knee joints. The operation involves the removal of damaged cartilage and bone tissue from the thigh bone, kneecap, and shinbone and replacing it with a prosthetic joint made up of high-grade plastics, polymers, and metal alloys.
Adults aged 60 and 80 are the most common recipients of knee replacement surgery.
An orthopedic surgeon determines whether you need a knee replacement by assessing the range of your knee’s stability, motion, and strength. The extent of the damage is determined using X-rays.
When is knee replacement needed?
When the joints of your knees are damaged or worn out, reducing how much you can walk about, and you are in pain even when resting, knee surgery is necessary.
Osteoarthritis is the most common reason for knee replacement. Other conditions that may result in knee damage include:
- Gout
- Knee injury
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Conditions that result in unusual bone growth
- Haemophilia
- Death of bone in the joint of the knee due to problems in the blood supply
- Loss of cartilage and pain leading to knee deformity
Who is offered knee replacement surgery
Knee replacement is recommended when treatments such as steroid injections and physiotherapy have not improved mobility or alleviated pain.
Other situations that may necessitate the need for knee replacement include:
- Severe pain in the knee that interferes with your sleep and quality of life
- You cannot have a social life or even work
- Severe pain, stiffness, and swelling in your knee joint, thus hindering mobility
- Difficulty in performing daily tasks such as getting out of a bath or shopping
- custom prosthetics solutions If the situation is getting worse.
Types of Knee Replacement surgeries
Different knee surgeries can be performed depending on the extent of damage in your knee. The main types of knee replacement surgery include:
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Partial Knee Replacement
An outpatient procedure performed under anesthesia is carried out when only a section of the knee is damaged. The cartilage and bone that are damaged are removed from your knee, leaving only healthy tissue.
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Total Knee Replacement
Total knee replacement is an in-patient procedure whereby damaged cartilage, bone, and connective tissues are entirely removed. They are replaced with an artificial joint made of plastics and metal.
The knee joint is the most commonly injured part of the body. Since the knee is an integral part of mobility, these injuries have to be addressed as soon as possible as they may affect your quality of life. If you have any questions concerning knee replacement, check out our website or call our offices in Chevy Chase, MD, to schedule a consultation appointment.