Do you suffer from chronic knee pain that won’t go away with conservative treatments? Read this article to find out if you’re a good candidate for knee surgery.
If you experience knee pain regularly, you may be considering surgery. However, you might not be sure whether you should get surgery or not.
In some cases, surgery can be avoided by losing weight, removing possible sources of inflammation, and taking pills or applying creams.
If conservative methods don’t reduce your knee pain, you could be a good candidate for surgery. Below, our experts at Mid Atlantic Orthopedic Associates explain when knee surgery is recommended and what positive changes you can expect to see after the surgery.
Knee pain causes and preventive measures
The most common causes of knee pain are aging, stress injuries, and arthritis.
Most people notice improvements in their knee pain after losing weight and removing sources of inflammation from their diet and environment.
Although patients who are obese can still benefit from knee surgery, they’re at a higher risk of developing complications during and after surgery. Studies found that obese patients who lost at least 10% of their body weight saw a 50% improvement in their knee pain.
However, overweight and obese patients aren’t the only ones who experience knee pain. Runners and weightlifters often develop patellar tendonitis, which is the inflammation and irritation of the tendons surrounding the knee.
Want healthier knees? Stay active and maintain a healthy weight. Also, avoid over-exercising.
Ideally, you should focus on exercises that don’t target the same muscles every day. For example, if you engage in an intense lower-body workout on Monday, you should focus on your upper body on Tuesday to allow your legs to recover.
When knee surgery is recommended
You may be a good candidate for knee surgery if the following apply to you:
- Lifestyle changes don’t improve your symptoms
- Medications don’t improve your symptoms
- Physical therapy doesn’t improve your symptoms
- Your knee pain persists even at rest
- Your knee pain keeps you from performing daily activities
Good candidates for surgery don’t have a bleeding disorder or uncontrolled diabetes, and they shouldn’t smoke for at least 2 weeks before surgery.
After the surgery, many patients experience positive changes, including reduced pain and stiffness, and increased mobility. The results are also long-lasting. According to estimates, about 82% of total knee replacements are still functioning more than two decades after surgery.
Find out if you’re a good candidate for a knee surgery
If your knee pain is bothering you and nothing seems to help, contact us to schedule an appointment. Our staff will examine your knee and conduct a few tests to determine what’s causing the pain. Our staff will then put together a treatment plan or recommend surgery.
