Knee replacement is a major orthopedic surgery in which a worn-out or diseased knee joint is replaced with an artificial, or prosthetic, knee joint. Knee replacement surgery, although almost always successful in eliminating knee pain and restoring knee function, has its drawbacks and limitations. What follows is a brief overview of the pros and cons of knee replacement surgery.
Knee Pain Reduction
One of the main goals of knee replacement surgery is to eliminate severe knee pain arising from a diseased or damaged knee joint. Various types of arthritis, knee fractures, injuries and growth abnormalities can cause severe knee damage that can progressively limit knee function and cause chronic, severe knee pain. In knee replacement surgery, the damaged, worn parts of a knee are replaced with artificial parts to allow smooth, pain-free knee function. A total or major reduction in knee pain is one of the many benefits of the surgery.
Activity Restrictions
As great as knee replacement surgery is at repairing a damaged knee and reducing knee pain, a prosthetic knee cannot tolerate the same pounding or stress as a natural knee joint. Prosthetic parts, most of which are made up of plastic and/or titanium components, have a limited lifespan. Excessive high-impact activity and/or stress loading can significantly reduce the lifespan of an artificial knee joint. Most orthopedic surgeons strongly discourage recipients from running, jogging, playing singles tennis and most competitive sports. Common sense and prudence are keys to the maximum longevity of a knee implant.
Increased Knee Mobility
Most knee joints that require knee replacement surgery are very restricted in their mobility and range of motion. A normal, healthy knee joint is designed to bend and flex smoothly. A damaged or diseased knee joint, however, can lose its ability to bend or flex, making walking and normal daily activities uncomfortable. Most knee joints that require knee replacement surgery have significant range of motion and/or mobility restrictions, which combined with severe knee pain can create significant disability. A knee replacement removes damaged bone and cartilage and replaces the knee joint linings with smooth, prosthetic implants.
Revision Surgery
Depending on the age and activity level of the patient, a knee replacement recipient may have to undergo knee replacement revision surgery at some point. Knee revision surgery is designed to remove an old knee joint replacement and replace it with a new one. When a knee prosthesis wears out, it can become unstable and painful. Most revision surgeries are more difficult to do than initial knee replacement surgeries, and many times the revision surgeries are not as successful as the initial implant surgeries, resulting in a less stable knee joint that doesn't function as well.
Increased Leg/Knee Strength
A damaged and/or worn-out knee joint significantly reduces the strength and functionality of the knee joint and the entire leg. A painful, stiff knee joint makes it harder to walk, climb, bend or stoop, making the muscles in the entire leg weaker. A knee replacement restores knee joint mechanics and knee strength, which increases the functionality of the entire leg. Muscles and soft tissues that have become atrophied by disuse due to knee pain can, after surgery, be rehabilitated and brought back to former levels of strength and functionality.
Tags: knee joint, replacement surgery, knee pain, knee replacement, knee replacement surgery