Understanding Arthritis Knee Replacement
Knees are one of those parts of the body in which we rely the most upon doing everyday activities and having osteoarthritis means that a simple walk from one room to another could cause a lot of pain. Your favorite activities are restricted by the pain and stiffness in the knees and that could bring only frustration and limitation to your life. If you notice that you don’t have the mobility you use to have and on top of that you experience pain, you should consult the best knee specialist in Singapore and take a look into a joint replacement that can improve your life quality.
Symptoms and Diagnosis
Over the years the cartilage that protects a joint wears off and that leads to osteoarthritis; a degenerative joint disease that damages the cartilage and after it wears down entirely, it results in severe pain due to the rubbing of the bones against each other.
Another form of Osteoarthritis is the posttraumatic one in which the patient had a knee injury in the past. Whether it is caused by a fracture, a meniscal or ligament tear, arthritis could set in after some time.
Knee Arthritis Symptoms:
- soreness and swelling of the joint
- inability to climb stairs
- buckling and locking
- a feeling of cracking and grinding
- restricted range of motion
- pain after long periods of inactivity
Treatment
Your doctor should lay out all the options and together you will decide which one is most suitable for you.
Non-surgical treatment
It is a non-invasive treatment that is normally performed as a first option. Many patients already have good results after these kinds of treatments which include:
- activity limitations and avoiding anything that puts pressure on your knee, such as high-intensity workouts.
- having a healthier diet and losing weight
- pain relievers prescribed by your doctor or over-the-counter drugs
- getting into a physical therapy program
- strengthening your joint and muscles with low-impact exercises
- knee injections with Corticosteroids to reduce inflammation
Joint Replacement Surgery
If symptoms are still present after having tried a non-surgical treatment that could mean you’re suffering from advanced arthritis and knee replacement surgery should be taken into consideration. Patients with beyond repair osteoarthritis could have available for them a total knee replacement.
After your doctor evaluates the stage of your arthritis he or she decides whether you need a partial or a total knee replacement. The surgery is performed by replacing the damaged cartilage with an artificial part in order to resurface the knee affected by arthritis. This procedure ensures you get your mobility back while pain and stiffness caused by the disease melt away.
Recovery
After the surgery things will not go back to normal right away. A full recovery may appear after 6 months or up to 1 year and it depends on each patient. The doctor will create the best recovery plan, including a physical therapy program. Based on the patient’s overall health and ability to heal, they could go back to work activities after 4-6 weeks, to driving in less than 4, and to practicing sports after 4-8 weeks.
