Total Knee Replacement
Total Knee replacement
If your knee is severely damaged by arthritis or injury, it may be hard for you to perform simple activities, such as walking or climbing stairs. You may even begin to feel pain while you are sitting or lying down.
If nonsurgical treatments like medications and using walking supports are no longer helpful, you may want to consider total knee replacement surgery. Joint replacement surgery is a safe and effective procedure to relieve pain, correct leg deformity, and help you resume normal activities.Total knee replacement is one of the most successful procedures in all of medicine.
Whether you have just begun exploring treatment options or have already decided to have total knee replacement surgery, this article will help you understand more about this valuable procedure.
Anatomy
The knee is the largest joint in the body and having healthy knees is required to perform most everyday activities.
The knee is made up of:
- The lower end of the femur (thighbone)
- The upper end of the tibia (shinbone)
- The patella (kneecap)
The ends of these three bones are covered with articular cartilage, a smooth substance that protects the bones and enables them to move easily within the joint.
The menisci are located between the femur and tibia. These C-shaped wedges act as shock absorbers that cushion the joint.
Large ligaments hold the femur and tibia together and provide stability. The long thigh muscles give the knee strength.
All remaining surfaces of the knee are covered by a thin lining called the synovial membrane. This membrane releases a fluid that lubricates the cartilage, reducing friction to nearly zero in a healthy knee.
Normally, all of these components work in harmony. But disease or injury can disrupt this harmony, resulting in pain, muscle weakness, and reduced function.
What conditions are treated with Total knee replacement?
A healthcare provider might recommend knee replacement if you have severe symptoms that don’t get better after trying nonsurgical treatments, including:
- Joint pain.
- Stiffness.
- Limited mobility (trouble moving your knee).
- Swelling.
Arthritis is the most common condition that causes people to need knee replacement surgery. Most people who choose to have a knee replacement have osteoarthritis, but some people with rheumatoid arthritis may need one, too.
It’s rare, but a healthcare provider might suggest knee replacement if you’ve experienced a bone fracture in your knee that causes post-traumatic arthritis after you’ve experienced a:
- Car accident.
- Fall.
- Sports injury.
