Over time, the goal of keeping our bodies mobile, pain-free, and active becomes more critical. Every body part serves a definite purpose, valid with the knees. They are essential to everyday living and enable us to run, bend, walk, drive, sit, etc.
Chronic knee pain can severely impact your overall physical and mental health and daily life. You have consulted with a doctor and tried various methods, but the pain and stiffness are intolerable. In such a scenario, you can go for a knee transplant surgery.
Knee replacement surgery replaces worn-out knee joints or injured parts. The surgery makes the knee work better and helps ease the pain. Damaged cartilage and bone are replaced with plastic and metal parts. Before and after Total knee replacement surgery,
Surgical techniques depend on the knee replacement age of the patient apart from activity level, weight, overall health, knee size and shape. Moreover, with the advancement of technology, knee transplant has an incredible success rate with visible before and after total knee replacement surgery or Life After Total Knee Replacement Surgery results. A surgeon checks your knee’s range of stability, strength, and motion to decide whether a knee transplant suits you—X-rays show the damage’s extent.
After getting the test, the required surgery is performed. Total knee replacement surgery time takes place around 1 to 3 hours. All being said and done, here are the five symptoms you should avoid ignoring and consult an orthopedic surgeon about a knee replacement.
#1: Constant And Severe Pain From 3-6 Months
Knee pain can be perfectly normal after a workout or injury. However, if you are experiencing consistent knee pain, even while doing non-strenuous activities or resting, this is a cause for concern. If the knee pain keeps you from falling asleep or wakes you in the middle of the night, you should see an orthopedic specialist right away.
General knee pain can happen to anyone and at any time. You could feel pain after playing outdoors or walking up several flights of stairs. In such instances, you may experience it for a few days as the pain is usually short-lived.
However, experiencing persistent knee pain for three to six months reminds you that something more is up, and you may need a total knee transplant.
#2: Ineffective Anti-Inflammatory Medications Or Using RICE Method
The usual go-to method when you experience knee pain is anti-inflammatory medications or the RICE method (Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation) for anyone dealing with general knee pain provides quick relief and can help speed up recovery in most cases.
Unfortunately, these methods hardly do anything when it comes to solving chronic knee pain. You still experience pain which is another telltale sign that you are dealing with chronic pain and not dealing with any general knee pain. Further corrective action such as total knee replacement may be required to sustain long-term relief.
#3: Reduced Weight, But Pain Persists
Excess weight is another factor when it comes to knee pain. So, in addition to anti-inflammatory medications and the RICE method, you may need to reduce some weight to alleviate pressure on your knees.
You can shed some weight with constant effort and perseverance, and the issue still persists. Your weight may not be the only thing to blame in such a situation.
While losing weight certainly helps, it’s not enough to fix things if you’re dealing with significant pain in your knees due to cartilage tear-down.
#4: Tried Physical Therapy, Exercising, & Shots With No Relief
It is a standard practice to try exercises and physical therapy and lose weight to reduce knee pain and feel better. Cortisone shots are also an option to deal with chronic knee pain.
The problem lies in the fact that such measures offer short-term relief. The window of short-term relief gets smaller and the pain returns quicker. It’s a sure-shot sign you’re dealing with chronic knee pain that should be addressed.
#5: Unable To Carry Out Normal Daily Activities
This serves as the last nail in the coffin. Whether you have given up working out in the gym, dancing, or reduced the frequency of activities like driving, shopping, gardening, or even day-to-day activities. It is crucial to ensure that you take this on priority, as any delay can have long-term effects, and consult your doctor as soon as possible.
You shouldn’t avoid doing things you love because of your knee pain. You must consult a renowned doctor about a total knee replacement if things come to such a point. Moreover, knee replacement surgery from a recognized place aids in faster recovery.