A combination of factors combines together for an individual to require total knee replacement surgery. These elements comprise the onset of aging, our lifestyle, or a traumatic experience such as a fall or injury. Rather than prolonging the pain and allowing it to transition into a life-long deformity, it is important to avail remedial options, which can result in eliminating pain and restoring mobility.
The Causes & Reasons for a Total Knee Surgery
- Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis is classified as a degenerative condition where the protective cushion (cartilage) that protects the ends of an individual’s bone starts to wear down over time. It is a chronic condition, which results in the patient experiencing stiffness and pain in their knee joint. As the most common form of arthritis, it can easily be managed through various types of treatment; however, it cannot be reversed.
- Traumatic Experience
The impact of a fall or an accident can be quite hard-hitting to the joints. This can cause the knee joint to get fractured or experience a ligament tear. With preservation surgeries failing to work, a partial knee or total knee replacement is the last resort to opt for.
- Lifestyle Choice
If an individual is an athlete, then they are susceptible to the wear and tear of their bones. The constant physical exertion can take a toll on their bones, and the higher probability of experiencing fractures eventually damages their bone health. With repetitive movements and physical stress, their cartilage erodes at a rapid speed, ultimately making them a suitable candidate for a total knee replacement surgery.
The Risk Factors & Symptoms
There are, however, factors that increase the risk of developing osteoarthritis:
- Sex, e.g., women are more likely to develop the condition
- Obesity
- Bone deformities
- Genetics
- Certain metabolic diseases, e.g., hemochromatosis
- Repeated stress on the joints
With symptoms developing gradually and worsening throughout a patient’s life, it is important to identify them.
- Pain
- Stiffness
- Tenderness
- Grating sensation
- Swelling
- Bone spurs
- Loss of flexibility
- Reduced range of motion
Treatment
By consulting with one of the top knee replacement surgeons based out of Denver, patients can receive optimized and specialized treatment for their concerns. A total knee replacement surgery carried out in South Denver by a specialist orthopedic surgeon will aid you in replacing the worn-out bone and cartilage sections in all the three compartments of the knee. Using a blend of kinetic balancing and a novel approach to pain protocols, a specialist based in a Denver clinic produces the following results:
- An outpatient procedure with minimal time in the hospital
- Patients get to go home the same day
- Full range of motion two weeks post the surgery for most patients
- Most patients are pain free two weeks after the surgery
Injecting a long-acting pump in the thigh to release medication and in doing so numbing the post-op pain for three days, the specialistic approach of Colorado Knee & Hip is unique. Moreover, keeping narcotics to a minimum to avoid the adverse side effects, such as nausea and disorientation, these specialists work to ensure optimal care for each patient seeking help.