Some Frequently Asked Questions About Knee Replacement
What Should I Expect With Knee Replacement?
When you have your knee replaced, it will mean that you are having damaged and arthritic parts of your knee taken out and artificial or prosthetic joints put in their place.
Your new, efficient, artificial prosthetic joint will perform just like a young, healthy, undamaged, natural joint. You will be able to enjoy physical activities without fear of pain.
Does my knee joint have to be in really bad shape before I begin thinking about having it replaced?
You are the only person who can make this decision. Once you have an evaluation by an orthopedist, you will just need to consider the procedure and the effect it will make on your life, and decide for yourself.
If you are having knee pain every day, you may respond by resting your knees. When you do this, the muscles around the knee become weaker. That means that you will have more knee pain.
If you have tried other options like physical therapy and medication, without relief, it may be time for you to consider joint replacement.
Click here to learn more about surgery for torn ACL.
MIS – Minimally Invasive Knee Joint Replacement
When you have MIS, specialized techniques will be used. These techniques let the doctor do major surgery without making any large incisions. That is why this procedure is called minimally invasive. There is less trauma to the soft tissues because a much smaller incision is made.
This is a tremendous improvement over traditional knee replacement surgery in many ways. MIS can mean a very short hospital stay, a speedy recovery, and very little, if any scarring. However, MIS is not the answer for everyone.
Your orthopedist is the only one who can really tell you if MIS is the right procedure for you.
What are the risks of MIS?
Of course, MIS is a major operation, and there are always risks involved with any surgery.
Happily, the complications that may arise with MIS are fairly easy to avoid and/or deal with.
As for driving and working, how long must I wait to return to my regular daily activities?
This is an individual decision that you will make with your orthopedist. Follow your physician’s orders and your surgeons advice. The exact time varies from person to person.
Click here to learn more about knee arthroscopy.
