Total Knee Replacement Specialists

What is a Total Knee Replacement?

If you suffer from severe or crippling arthritis pain in your knee, your doctor may recommend total knee replacement. Total knee replacement replaces damaged arthritic knee joints. It also addresses knee joint damage injuries, infection, and connective tissue disorders may cause. 

Damage to the joint and cartilage of your knee results in swelling, stiffness, and pain that can drastically limit your daily activities. 

Joint damage can also cause bone spurs or overgrowths of bone to develop around the knee joint. The goal of total knee replacement is to relieve your pain and restore the function and mobility of your knee joint. 

How is Total Knee Replacement Performed?

If your condition hasn’t responded to conservative treatments like pain medications, injections, weight loss, and physical therapy, then total knee replacement may be right for you. 

During the procedure, you receive anesthesia. Your surgeon makes an incision in your knee to access your bone and joint. Your surgeon may take an arthroscopic approach and use a small camera to guide your surgery. 

Your surgeon removes your damaged knee joint and cuts your femur and tibia at an angle to make room for the replacement joint. 

Your surgeon places the components of your new joint to ensure it fits perfectly. In some cases, your knee cap may also need replacement. The final step in the procedure is closing your incisions and bandaging the area. 

In addition to total knee replacement, The Woodlands Sports Medicine Centre also offers unicondylar or partial knee replacement as well as revision knee replacement. 

What is a Revision Knee Replacement?

If you’ve undergone an unsuccessful knee replacement surgery, you may require revision knee replacement. The surgeons at The Woodlands Sports Medicine Centre performs revision knee replacement to make necessary adjustments to previous knee replacements. 

Your surgeon may recommend revision surgery if you continue to experience pain, stiffness, and instability after your first procedure. Revision knee replacement also addresses post-operative infections, bone loss, and wear-and-tear on your replacement joint. 

What Should I Expect During Recovery from a Total Knee Replacement?

After your knee replacement surgery, you use a walker, crutches, or cane for a few weeks. You should be sure to take it easy as your knee heals. After about six weeks, you should be able to bend your knee and walk comfortably. 

During your six-week follow-up appointment, your surgeon evaluates your progress and discusses the next steps in your recovery.

In most cases, physical therapy and rehabilitation follow total knee replacement. Your physical therapist works with you to improve your strength and stability and help you regain your physical performance. 

If you suffer from severe pain or stiffness in your knee, book an appointment by phone or online today at The Woodlands Sports Medicine Centre to find out if a total knee replacement is right for you.