Knee replacement, also known knee arthroplasty, is an outpatient surgical procedure to repair the affected weight-bearing areas of your knee to ease discomfort and disability. It is often done for osteoarthritis and other knee disorders such as psoriatic and rheumatoid arthritis.
After you have received an orthopedic referral, the surgery is usually scheduled for approximately three hours. The surgeon will assess the severity of the injury and determine what type of procedure is necessary. He may decide that only one or two steps are required or may choose to perform several methods to achieve the results you desire. For example, if you have a partial or complete tear in the ligaments around the patella, you may need to complete knee reconstruction. The surgeon may recommend an arthroplasty procedure if the knee is completely dislocated.
You must take a few days off from work while recovering from the surgery, although the recovery period is short. You will most likely require a chair for support while you recover, and you will probably experience pain and swelling at the site of your operation. Your body will take about six weeks to return to normal following your knee surgery.
Recovery from this procedure can take as little as one week or as long as four weeks. This depends on how severe the injury is. If you are elderly, you may need to use crutches for several weeks.
Your trusted doctor will numb the area with an anesthetic during the surgical technique. Your surgical team will carefully remove the damaged or diseased tissue. Your surgeon will then reattach the new and healthy tissue using stitches. When your stitches are removed, you will need to wear a splint. You will need to use crutches for several weeks after the surgery.
A knee replacement can be extremely painful, but there is no need to suffer through this ordeal. There are many types of braces that you can use to help reduce the pain. A brace for a knee replacement can be worn simultaneously as an orthopedic shoe to help ease the pain and keep the injured area from becoming swollen.
If you have been diagnosed with this condition, there is no need to suffer any more pain. Visit your doctor or physiotherapist for more information and learn about knee replacement. If you want to know more, call the hospital or physician who treated you to get the facts.