You May Need Knee Replacement Surgery If You Have Any Of These 4 Conditions
The knee joint is a complex and intricate system consisting of bone, cartilage, and muscles. It is one of the largest and most important joints in the human body; it's responsible for stabilizing your upper leg and lower leg. When knee pain arises from knee injuries or knee deterioration, knee replacement surgery can be an option.
Knee replacement surgery is a surgical procedure that replaces worn cartilage and bone with artificial materials. The knee joint gets its range of motion from the meniscus and cartilage, which acts as a cushion and allows smooth movement without pain.
Who Needs Knee Replacement Surgery?
People who need knee replacement surgery are those who suffer from knee injuries, knee problems, or knee degeneration that don't respond to conservative treatment methods, such as physical therapy and medication.
There are four common knee conditions treated by knee replacement surgery:
Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis (OA) OA is the most common reason for knee replacement surgery. It's a degenerative disease that causes knee pain, stiffness, and swelling. The cartilage on the ends of your thighbone (femur), shinbone (tibia), and the knee cap (patella) gradually wear away, leaving the bones in your knee exposed and rubbing together. OA can also damage the knee ligaments, tendons, meniscus, and bone marrow.
Osteoarthritis knee replacement surgery is used to replace knee components in individuals who have severe knee pain due to arthritis. The surgery typically consists of the removal of damaged knee components and replacing them with prosthetic implants.
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease that causes swelling, pain, stiffness, warmth, and redness in your joints. RA also causes bone erosion, which can lead to knee joint damage if left untreated. Fortunately, knee replacement surgery can restore knee function in people with severe knee pain caused by RA.
Trauma
Knee trauma can be caused by several things, including knee fractures. A knee fracture occurs when the knee is exposed to an excessive force that the knee bone breaks. This trauma may also cause other ligaments or tendons in the knee to be damaged. Knee replacement surgery is sometimes used to treat knee fractures, but it is only performed when knee function cannot be improved through other means.
Other Painful Conditions
Many different types of knee problems, including arthritis, cause knee pain and affect your knee's function. These include knee injuries, meniscus tears, loose cartilage particles in the knee joint, deformities, knee ligament injuries, and knee tumors. In knee replacement surgery, your surgeon replaces damaged knee parts with metal and plastic components that work like the original knee to restore knee function.
The Takeaway
Knee replacement is a common surgery that restores the knee's function and reduces knee pain. It may be needed when other treatments, such as knee arthroscopy or physical therapy, aren't relieving knee pain or improving knee function.
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