Knee replacement surgery is a procedure in which your knee joint is replaced with an artificial joint. This procedure may be recommended when your knee has become damaged, diseased or worn, usually through arthritis. Other options will be explored before surgery is considered but sometimes it’s the only solution.
Although there are more than 70,000 knee replacements carried out around the UK every year, it’s still something that a lot of people don’t really know much about. This is why we want to shed a little bit of light onto the subject.
There Are Two Types of Knee Replacement Surgery
There are two different types of knee replacement surgery; total knee replacement and partial knee replacement. Total knee replacement is carried out when the knee is most damaged and involves replacing both sides of the knee joint. Partial knee replacement, as the name suggests, is when only one side of the knee joint is replaced. This is often a much shorter operation that requires little hospital stay.
Recommended for Older People
Although joint replacement surgery may be considered for a person of any age, it’s typically reserved for older people. In fact, most people who have replacement surgery tend to be over 65 years old. This is because their bodies are less likely to correct themselves from conditions such as arthritis. Surgery in younger people is also avoided because there are studies to show that the earlier you get the surgery, the more likely it is that you’ll need further surgery later on.
Trauma to the Knee May Be a Cause
In general, knee replacement surgery is carried out because of damage to the knee left by osteoarthritis – a condition which causes the bones to rub together. This causes pain, stiffness and swelling of the joints. There are fewer cases of people having the surgery because of injuries to the knee – a blow to the knee is often treated by orthopaedics. However, it could still be the reason behind problems that can arise years after injuring your knee. The joint begins to deteriorate due to the ligament no longer working properly – the knee is no longer being supported as it should be. This could lead to needing joint replacement surgery.
You Could Experience Dramatic Improvement
Most people who have undergone knee replacement surgery will be expected to stay in hospital for anything between 2-6 days. This is the time in which patients will be encouraged to get the joint moving as soon as possible – with most people moving again the day after. A lot of people will experience a dramatic improvement after one month, and most will be walking unassisted after 6 weeks. Once you have regained strength in the muscles, there is no reason why you can’t resume most daily activities. 
If you’re looking for a joint replacement surgeon in London to make a consultation with, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us here at Joint Replacement Surgery.
Miss Samantha Z. Tross is an experienced consultant with years of experience in successfully carrying out joint replacement surgeries. She’ll be happy to sit down with you to discuss your options.
For more information please don’t hesitate to contact us. You can give us a call on 07943 947 639 and we will be happy to help. You can also find us over on Facebook and Twitter too.
