Knee Replacement Surgery options

Is your knee giving you trouble? Is persistent knee pain affecting the quality of your life? 

Knee pain may seem like a trivial matter until you realise how stubborn it can be. Without a functional knee, your mobility is restricted. You may have to depend on others to get around.

All your efforts to get relief may turn ineffective or at best temporary. A nagging knee pain can be caused by a variety of reasons such as age, wear and tear of muscles and other related conditions such as osteoarthritis.

Your attempts at relief with hot water bags or cold press or balms may not render long term results. If the pain refuses to go away, visit your doctor at the earliest. An early diagnosis will help you avoid knee replacement surgery altogether.

You can manage and even improve the functions of your knees by following some knee healthy routine. However, before we dive into it, let’s first review what the procedure entails. 

What is knee replacement surgery and why is it done?

A knee replacement surgery is a surgical procedure in which damaged parts of your knee joint are cut away and are replaced with a prosthetic joint. 

What does that mean? As part of knee replacement surgery, depending on where the damage is, the surgeon will cut damaged bone and cartilage from your thigh bone, shin bone and kneecap. The damaged parts are then replaced with an artificial joint that is made of metal alloys, high-grade plastics and polymers.

Depending on the severity of the condition, you may have to undergo a partial or a total knee replacement surgery. Generally, knee replacement surgery is prescribed as a last resort when knee pain affects a person’s ability to walk or climb stairs. People with osteoporosis are more likely to be prescribed the surgery.

Alternatives to a keep a healthy knee routine

Knee replacement surgery requires proper post-operative care. While generally, the surgery is safe, risks such as infection, blood clots, heart attack, stroke and nerve damage can’t be entirely ruled out.

If you are someone who suffers from chronic knee pain, you will do well to practice some knee healthy routines. Not only can you manage your pain, in some cases these healthy steps can bring back lost functionality of your knee. Here’s how:

In the initial stage of your knee pain, you can manage the pain, avoid further damage to the bone or cartilage and retain your mobility by resorting to simple yet effective ways without any surgical aids or treatment, some of which can be the following-

1. Exercise: Adopting a low-impact, strength building exercise regimen, and working on improving the muscles in your hips and legs will help improve the muscles around your knee and also aid the movement of your knee. Walking, cycling, swimming and yoga also help in this.
2. Physiotherapy: Seeking help from a physiotherapist, who will help you plan a regimen that helps regain mobility in the knee. While the physiotherapist works on rehabilitating the bones and the muscles in the knee joint, you can exercise and build strength in your muscles.
3. Lose the extra pounds: In many cases, chronic knee pain can be a result of the pressure that one’s body weight exerts on the knees. Remember, the knee joint is the one that carries your body’s entire weight. Losing a few kilos will help you ease the burden on your knee joint.
4. Nutritional supplements: Some supplements such as glucosamine and chondroitin are substances that are found in the cartilage. These supplements can improve the health of the cartilage and therefore improve the lubrication in your knee.

The latest knee replacement technology from Meril

In some cases, surgery may be the only solution for unbearable symptoms that cause pain and discomfort. In case your doctor advises a total knee replacement procedure, you would want to choose the best knee system for optimum results.

Meril is a global medical device company based in India, offering a range of medical device solutions across various fields of medicine. Meril makes a range of knee systems that fit well and offer an improved outcome.

The FREEDOM total knee system from Meril has been created with advanced design engineering technology. This knee system helps adequately address the physiological and lifestyle needs of the modern patient. With minimum bone cutting, this system permits conservative bone resection. The FREEDOM total knee system is CE-certified and USFDA-approved.

DESTIKNEE from Meril has been created on the model of the FREEDOM total knee system. This knee system has been made in India. DESTIKNEE offers optimal high flexion motion and also requires very minimal bone cutting. It is also a CE-certified and USFDA-approved knee implant.

Conclusion

Knee pain has now become a lifestyle problem. In most cases, lack of activity, poor eating choices and increasing body weight is leading to early onset of knee pain. Chronic knee pain may need regular medication, pain management as well as surgery.

Your knees bear your entire body weight and give you mobility. It is therefore your responsibility to take good care of your knees. By taking simple measures, you can keep your knees healthy and last longer.

Take action early on so you will not need surgery in the future. Even if you do not have knee problems, it is advisable to begin an exercise regime instead of waiting till the problem surfaces. Follow the above-mentioned routine for knee health to ensure that your knees last longer.