Knee Replacement Surgery - When Is It Time To Have It?
Knee replacement surgery is typically performed for individuals who have severe osteoarthritis also known as arthritis in the general community. The surgery replaces the joint surfaces of the knee that have been affected by arthritis therefore allowing the individual to walk and move about with less pain and have better function.
In making the decision about knee replacement surgery, a number of factors need to be taken into consideration.
Quality of Life
If your knee arthritis is significantly affecting your quality of life, you should seriously consider having a knee replacement. The inability to get out and about in your later years not only affects your mental health and attitude but it also impacts on the progression or development of other diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure.
Disability
This factor should be considered in conjunction with an individual\'s quality of life. Specific things to consider include: Significant pain at night keeping you awake A lot of difficulty with climbing stairs Walking distance is significantly limited Difficulty with bending your knee to put your shoes and shocks on or cutting toenails
Amount of Pain
In the early stages of arthritis, medications such as simple paracetamol or anti-inflammatories work well in controlling the pain of arthritis.
However, as time progresses, medication may not work as effectively. If the pain of knee arthritis is unrelieved by medication, it may be time to consider having a knee replacement surgery.
The time for knee replacement surgery varies depending upon the individual. The individuals overall health needs to be taken into consideration, the specific symptoms experienced due to the knee arthritis as well as the individuals stage of life.
A good outcome is experienced in around 95% of cases. An individual usually requires rehabilitation after surgery for around 6 weeks in order to improve their muscle strength and to ensure good movement of the knee that has been replaced.