Total Knee Replacement & You
Have you tried everything to get some relief from your knee pain? If you are no stranger to braces, canes, cortisone injections, and other methods of dealing with knee pain, yet you still have knee pain, you may want to consider total knee replacement. This successful, time-tested method of eliminating knee pain and returning mobility may be exactly what you need.
Knee pain that interferes with the simplest activities - standing, sitting, walking, climbing stairs, and even resting - needs to be addressed decisively.
Knee replacement surgery has been around since 1968. It has always been a successful surgery, and it was a huge step forward for orthopedic surgery. With advanced materials and techniques, total knee replacement is the most popular surgery performed today. In fact, there are more than 581,000 knee replacement surgeries annually in the U.S.
Have you spoken with your orthopedic surgeon about knee replacement yet, or are you just starting to think about it? Either way, you are sure to find useful information in this article.
Click here for more on total knee replacement .
Knee Anatomy - A Short Lesson
Made up of three main components, the knees are the largest joint in the body. The main components of the knee are three bones, the thigh bone (femur) the shin bone (tibia) and the knee cap (patella). In addition to being the largest joint, the knee is also the easiest joint to injure.
The bones of the knee are held together and stabilized by ligaments. These are called the medial and lateral collateral ligaments and the anterior and posterior cruciate ligaments.
Another important part of the knee is the thigh muscle. If the thigh muscles are strong, the knee will also be strong and more stable.
Articular cartilage is a substance that pads the knee and keeps the bones from grinding against each other. This smooth material forms a cushion that allows the parts of the knee to move freely. Additionally, fibrous semicircular rings of cartilage tissue called the medial and lateral menisci absorb shock and stabilize the knee.
All of the bones of the knee are lined with synovial membrane. This thin, smooth tissue makes a special lubricant that keeps all of the parts of the knee operating smoothly.
All of these parts should work well together and give you a lifetime of painless service. However, because the knee is the most used and most often injured joint in the body, this is often not the case. An injury or illness such as arthritis can throw this delicate balance off. This can cause you loss of mobility and strength, as well as a great deal of pain.
The average age of knee replacement patients is 60-80. But this is not a cut-off number. There have also been very young patients who have found relief from juvenile arthritis, as well as very old patients who have found relieve from degenerative arthritis. When you are evaluated as a candidate, your orthopedic surgeon will look at your level of disability and the amount of pain you are experiencing - not your age. - 17268
Knee pain that interferes with the simplest activities - standing, sitting, walking, climbing stairs, and even resting - needs to be addressed decisively.
Knee replacement surgery has been around since 1968. It has always been a successful surgery, and it was a huge step forward for orthopedic surgery. With advanced materials and techniques, total knee replacement is the most popular surgery performed today. In fact, there are more than 581,000 knee replacement surgeries annually in the U.S.
Have you spoken with your orthopedic surgeon about knee replacement yet, or are you just starting to think about it? Either way, you are sure to find useful information in this article.
Click here for more on total knee replacement .
Knee Anatomy - A Short Lesson
Made up of three main components, the knees are the largest joint in the body. The main components of the knee are three bones, the thigh bone (femur) the shin bone (tibia) and the knee cap (patella). In addition to being the largest joint, the knee is also the easiest joint to injure.
The bones of the knee are held together and stabilized by ligaments. These are called the medial and lateral collateral ligaments and the anterior and posterior cruciate ligaments.
Another important part of the knee is the thigh muscle. If the thigh muscles are strong, the knee will also be strong and more stable.
Articular cartilage is a substance that pads the knee and keeps the bones from grinding against each other. This smooth material forms a cushion that allows the parts of the knee to move freely. Additionally, fibrous semicircular rings of cartilage tissue called the medial and lateral menisci absorb shock and stabilize the knee.
All of the bones of the knee are lined with synovial membrane. This thin, smooth tissue makes a special lubricant that keeps all of the parts of the knee operating smoothly.
All of these parts should work well together and give you a lifetime of painless service. However, because the knee is the most used and most often injured joint in the body, this is often not the case. An injury or illness such as arthritis can throw this delicate balance off. This can cause you loss of mobility and strength, as well as a great deal of pain.
The average age of knee replacement patients is 60-80. But this is not a cut-off number. There have also been very young patients who have found relief from juvenile arthritis, as well as very old patients who have found relieve from degenerative arthritis. When you are evaluated as a candidate, your orthopedic surgeon will look at your level of disability and the amount of pain you are experiencing - not your age. - 17268
About the Author:
Dr. Tarlow is a Board Certified Orthopaedic Surgeon with over 20 years specializing in knee surgery. He opened his own clinic, Advanced Knee Care, with a focus on specialty patient care. Click here to learn more about Dr. Tarlow, knee anatomy and full knee replacement.
posted by X - Men at
10:07 AM
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