Knee replacement: Is it time?

by admin | June 20, 2017 11:09 am

Knee replacement surgeries have now become the norm rather than the exception, especially for the elderly. It improves their quality of life to a great extent and gives hope to seniors who suffer from debilitating pain.

Preparing for a knee replacement

A knee replacement surgery[1] is not taken lightly. A good doctor[2] will exhaust all other options of treatment before considering a replacement surgery. The patient will undergo multiple tests to make sure that the surgery is the best option available to them. The age, weight and medical conditions and history of the patient will be assessed to ascertain that they are a good candidate for a knee replacement surgery.

Delaying a knee replacement surgery could lead to:

• Deformed knee joints
• Loss of function in knee muscles and ligaments
• Difficulty in movement

Procedure

A knee replacement surgery normally takes between 1 to 2 hours. The surgeon[4] will remove damaged cartilage and bone from the knee. Then metal implants will be attached to the ends of the thigh and calf bones. A plastic spacer is inserted between the metal pieces. This helps the new joint move smoothly.

Recovery

It normally takes up to 3 months to recover from a knee replacement surgery. The patient can return to normal activities by about 3 months but it would take around six months to get total strength and endurance back. It also depends on the person’s age, physical condition and any other medical problems that they may have.

Rehabilitation

One of the most important parts of any surgery is rehabilitation[5]. This is more so when it is an orthopedic procedure. The body will get used to the new implant in no time. But the muscles and ligaments will have to learn to work with it. The physiotherapist will give a range of exercise to help push the back to healthy activity levels as soon as possible.
But remember that it is finally up to you to make the effort to get back on your feet again.

 

Kauvery Hospital is globally known for its multidisciplinary services at all its Centers of Excellence, and for its comprehensive, Avant-Grade technology, especially in diagnostics and remedial care in heart diseases, transplantation, vascular and neurosciences medicine. Located in the heart of Trichy (Tennur, Royal Road and Alexandria Road (Cantonment), Chennai, Hosur, Salem, Tirunelveli and Bengaluru, the hospital also renders adult and pediatric trauma care.

Chennai – 044 4000 6000 • Trichy – Cantonment – 0431 4077777 • Trichy – Heartcity – 0431 4003500 • Trichy – Tennur – 0431 4022555 • Hosur – 04344 272727 • Salem – 0427 2677777 • Tirunelveli – 0462 4006000 • Bengaluru – 080 6801 6801

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