KNEE REPLACEMENT

Your knees work hard during your daily routine, and arthritis of the knee (osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and traumatic arthritis) or a knee injury can make it hard for you to perform normal tasks. If your injury or arthritis is severe, you may begin to experience pain when you are walking, sitting down, climbing stairs or even trying to sleep.

Sometimes a total knee replacement is the only option for reducing pain and restoring a normal activity level. More than 400,000 knee replacements are performed each year in the United States to replace worn and arthritic knee joints. Knee replacement produces very effective and long lasting relief from joint pain.

Knee Surgery Video - Smith & Nephew

Knee replacement or knee arthroplasty consists of replacing the diseased and painful joint surfaces (damaged bone and cartilage) of the knee joint with metal and plastic components shaped to allow continued motion of the knee. The total procedure takes approximately an hour to an hour and a half to perform and recovery time varies between patients. With correct rehabilitation following surgery, the patient can regain a normal lifestyle and mobility with significant improvement in quality of life.

KNEE REPLACEMENT RECOVERY

After surgery, you will feel some pain, but medication will be given to you to make you feel as comfortable as possible. Walking and knee movement are important to your recovery and will begin in a day or two after your operation. To avoid lung congestion after surgery, you should breathe deeply and cough frequently to clear your lungs.

Your orthopaedist may prescribe one or more measures to prevent blood clots and decrease leg swelling e.g. elastic stockings.

Foot and ankle movement are encouraged immediately following surgery which increase blood flow in your leg muscles to help prevent leg swelling and blood clots. Most patients begin exercising their knee the day after surgery. A physical therapist will teach you specific exercises to strengthen your leg and restore knee movement to allow walking and other normal daily activities after your surgery.

Protected weight bearing on crutches or a walker is required until the quadriceps muscle has healed and recovered its strength. Post operative hospitalization varies from one day to seven days on average depending on the health status of the patient and the amount of support available outside the hospital setting. Usually full range of motion is recovered over the first two weeks (the earlier the better). At 6 weeks patients have usually progressed to full weight bearing with a cane. Complete recovery from the operation involving return to full normal function may take three months or more.

KNEE REPLACEMENT REHABILITATION

Your knee rehabilitation program begins in the hospital after surgery. Early goals of knee rehabilitation in the hospital are to reduce knee stiffness, maximize post-operative range of motion, and get you ready for discharge.

When muscles are not used, they become weak and do not perform well in supporting and moving the body. Your leg muscles are probably weak because you haven't used them much due to your knee problems. The surgery can correct the knee problem, but the muscles will remain weak and will only be strengthened through regular exercise. You will be assisted and advised how to do this, but the responsibility for exercising is yours.

Your overall progress, amount of pain, and condition of the incision will determine when you will start going to physical therapy. You will work with physical therapy until you meet the following goals:
1. Independent in getting in and out of bed.
2. Independent in walking with crutches or walker on a level surface.
3. Independent in walking up and down 3 stairs.
4. Independent in your home exercise program.

Your doctor and therapist may modify these goals somewhat to fit your particular condition.

In your physical therapy sessions you will walk, using crutches or a walker, bearing as much weight as indicated by your doctor or physical therapist. You will also work on an exercise program designed to strengthen your leg and increase the motion of your knee.

Your exercise program willinclude the following exercises:
•  Quadriceps Setting
•  Terminal Knee Extension
•  Knee Flexion
•  Straight Leg Raising

RECOVERY AT HOME FOLLOWING A TOTAL KNEE REPLACEMENT SURGERY

The success of your surgery will depend on how well you follow your orthopaedic surgeons instructions at home during the first few weeks after surgery. Note: You will have stitches or staples running along your wound or a suture beneath your skin on the front of your knee. The stitches or staples will be removed two weeks after surgery. A suture beneath your skin will not require removal. Wound Care Avoid soaking the wound in water until the wound has been thoroughly sealed and dried. A bandage may be placed over the wound to prevent irritation from clothing or support stockings.

A balanced diet, often with an iron supplement, is important to promote proper tissue healing and restore muscle strength. Activity / exercise is a critical component of home care, particularly during the first few weeks after surgery. You should be able to resume most normal activities of daily living within three to six weeks following surgery. Some pain during an activity and at night is common for several weeks after surgery. Some loss of appetite is common for several weeks after surgery.

Specific exercises several times a day should be done as prescribed by your surgeon or physiotherapist to restore movement and strengthen your knee. You probably will be able to perform the exercises without help, but you may have a physiotherapist to help you at home or in a therapy center the first few weeks after surgery.

Weight control keeps your weight under control, it will also reduce the amount of pressure and stress on your new knee.

For affordable total knee replacement surgery and rehabilitation, please contact Healthbase. Healthbase is a medical tourism expert connecting patients to leading orthopedic hospitals worldwide. Healthbase also offers medical tourism plans for self-insured businesses and insurance companies looking for affordable healthcare benefits for employees or clients.