Each year, there are 300,000 total knee replacement surgeries performed, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, and that number is increasing. Like the hip joint, the knee is the junction of bones, tendons, ligaments, and muscle. Damage to the joint can be caused by a number of things, from disease, such as osteoarthritis, to sports-related injuries.

If the cartilage of the knee joint has deteriorated to a point that you experience ongoing or chronic pain, even after other treatment modalities have been tried, total knee replacement surgery is a proven option.

Most people having knee replacement are between the ages of 60 and 80, but people younger and older have the surgery. More than 90% of patients undergoing the procedure experience less pain and gain greater mobility following the surgery.

The actual knee replacement surgery usually takes approximately two hours with an incision made vertically over the knee. The new joint will involve a strong polished metal piece attached to the femur, a plastic piece for the tibia and a plastic piece replacing the patella or knee cap. Recovery will begin either later the day of surgery or the next morning. You will be walking on the new joint with the aid of a walker or crutches.

There are also surgical alternatives to total knee replacement that many surgeons are offering. Unicompartmental knee replacement, which replaces only one compartment of the three parts of the knee joint, may be used if the knee has not been severely damaged. Talk with your doctor to see if this might be an option for you to consider.

Other minimally invasive knee surgeries are available that result in a smaller incision (about half the size of the traditional surgery) and shorter hospital stays. Minimally invasive knee surgery is a relatively new surgical procedure that is available to patients who are not obese and who have reasonable mobility without deformity to the knee joint. You should talk with your doctor to determine if you might be a candidate for this cutting-edge surgery.

If you have had the traditional total knee replacement surgery, you can expect your hospital stay will be 3-5 days. Recovery will take several weeks to months, but most people will immediately experience less pain.

Post-surgical instruction will include exercise, physical therapy, and avoiding falls. Increasing muscle strength is important to protecting the new joint. High impact sports, such as jogging and playing football, must be avoided. It is extremely important that you follow your physician’s recommendations as to activity level during your recovery and even after you are fully recovered.

Photo reproduced with permission from Smith and Nephew