Knee Implants
In simple terms, a knee replacement is a surgery performed to replace the original knee with an artificial joint. The implants are made of a combination of ceramic, metal and plastic materials.Usually, people suffering from osteoarthritis, arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, developmental abnormalities, bone death, accidents or obesity are recommended such surgeries because it affects their daily life and mobility.
A total or partial knee replacement surgery can be performed depending on the condition of the patient. While performing a total knee replacement surgery, the bones in the femur, tibia and patella are resurfaced. A plastic cushion is often used to replace the cartilage between the tibia and femur bones.
Osteoarthritis is one of the primary reasons for knee replacement. To postpone the surgery patients should take care of the following:
- Maintain healthy weight to avoid putting unnecessary pressure on the knees.
- Exercise regularly to increase thigh muscle strength which can be useful for post-operative recovery.
- Many corticosteroid injections aimed at reducing inflammation of the knee joint or increasing the platelets in the body can help in battling arthritis.
- For relieving knee joint pain patients opt for braces, electrical simulation, botox injections and many over-the-counter medications with prior doctor advice.