All About Total Knee Replacement Surgery

A total knee replacement surgery can lead to a dramatically increased quality of life for the patient, since these surgeries usually come after a prolonged period of pain and limited mobility. Patients that previously had been unable to walk to their own bathroom without assistance find that they can almost suddenly, with a very short period of recuperation, resume many of their daily activities unaided.

Some of the most common causes of knee pain are osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and traumatic arthritis. These conditions usually affect older individuals or those who suffer from obesity or overuse their knees chronically. Arthritis is an inflammatory condition that usually results from the body's own immune response. In the case of osteoarthritis though, it occurs when bones become brittle and eventually wear down or become extremely weak and this can lead to easy fractures.

The orthopedist will diagnose you in the office if you are suffering from arthritis of the knee or another ailment which could require knee replacement surgery. Symptoms the doctor will look for are swelling, severe pain, grinding or crunching sounds when the knee is bent and limited mobility. X-rays should reveal deformity of the bone, free floating cartilage or even bone fractures, bone spurs or a lack of cartilage in the joint. These physical deformities and damages are the underlying cause of knee pain symptoms.

Partial knee replacement or total knee replacement surgery will usually be recommended if you are suffering from severe pain, have trouble carrying out daily tasks, have pain while resting, suffer from chronic inflammation and swelling, there is a noticeable deformity of the knee or leg, or you can't straighten your leg. Problems this severe are often chronic and become a real quality-of-life issue.

Most patients who receive a total knee replacement are between the ages of 60 and 80 years old. After knee replacement surgery, patients undergo a period of rehabilitation to strengthen their knee and leg muscles and encourage healing. Many will find that after knee replacement they experience a dramatic reduction in pain and improvement in mobility. This should not be pushed to the limit. Proper rehabilitation and careful management of the new knee will keep a patient walking pain free for many years to come.

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