Knee Replacement Alternatives

Knee replacement selective surgery which is performed to enhance the functionality of the knee. The degenerative arthritis, called osteoarthritis, can cause deformities of the knee and extreme pain. The most common deformities caused by osteoarthritis are bow-legged or knock-kneed appearance.

The technical names for these deformities are genu varum and genu valgum respectively. These deformities cause a lot of pain leading to a general discomfort. Most doctors recommend alternative treatment methods to knee replacement surgery for osteoarthritis patients.

Exercise helps maintain the flexibility in the joints, and at the same time, helps preserve the muscle support. Due to pain in the arthritic knee, you may not be able to undertake a strenuous exercise regime. Therefore, you may perform any low impact exercise like yoga, bicycling, swimming, etc.

The added benefit of exercising is that it will also aid in weight loss. Obesity is often the cause of arthritis in many people. There are also many knee-specific exercises which can bring relief to your condition.

With the advancement in medical sciences, a healthy cartilage from one part of the knee, which does not bear the weight can be transplanted to the area where the weight-bearing cartilage is damaged. This is a good option when the area of damage is small. In cases where the majority of the joint surface is damaged, this cannot be an ideal alternative.

Osteotomy may be performed if the cause of pain is the imperfect alignment of the knee-joint. In this procedure, the bone above or below the knee is cut, so as to realign it. The patient may have to spend a couple of days at the hospital, and it may take about 6 to 8 weeks to heal.

This is a minimal invasive surgical procedure, in which, a small incision is made on the knee. A tiny instrument is inserted through the incision, and the damaged cartilage is trimmed and smoothed out which helps reduce the inflammation. The patient may go home the same day after the procedure is performed.

This is option is beneficial for patients who do not have damaged cartilages. These specialized braces are so designed that they transfer the pressure of the knee to the area which has healthy cartilages. Therefore, the patient experience less pain due to shift of pressure from the knee.

If all the aforementioned methods fail and surgery becomes inevitable, you may consider knee fusion or arthrodesis. In this procedure, the ends of the femur bone and the tibia bone are cut flat. These ends are then pressed together in such a way that the leg is slightly bent. The bones are held together with the help of pins, plates, or screws.

After a period of time these bones grow and merge together. The only drawback of this procedure is that the knees cannot be bent at all. The patient may be able to walk without pain, but with a limp.

Inflammation in the knee-joint can also be reduced with the help of anti-inflammatory medications. Localized injections may also be administered in case of a degenerative knee problem. These injections are effective for several weeks.

The aforementioned treatment options provide relief from pain and delay the need for surgery to some extent. Therefore, you should consult your orthopedic, and choose the right alternative treatment for your condition.

Disclaimer: This story is for informative purposes only, and should not be used as a replacement for expert medical advice.