KNEE REPLACEMENT

Overview

The knee joint is one of the largest joints in the body. This large joint takes most of the pressure placed on the body during everyday life. The knee joint is located between the end of the femur or thigh bone and the top of the tibia or shin bone. The knee joint is very complex and flexible. The knees help the rest of the body move side to side, bend, twist, and squat. 

In order to do all of these movements the knee joint requires health cartilage, ligaments, tendons and muscles to protect it. All of these vital tissues are needed to add support and cushion for the knee joint. The knee joints carry the load of our body weight and with the constant pressure put on them, overtime they can begin to wear out. 

When the cartilage or ligaments that protect the knee joint begin to wear down, the bones rub together resulting in stiffness, swelling, and pain. When the cartilage begins to wear down and become damaged it results in a condition called arthritis. Arthritis is one of the biggest conditions that affects the knee joints. 

The most common types of arthritis that affect the knee include osteoarthritis arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. When a patient begins to suffer from arthritis of the knee Davis Orthopedics can help. We offer many different treatment options to help those who suffer from knee conditions. 

Knee Arthritis Treatment Options

When a person believes they may be suffering from arthritis of the knee there are several symptoms they may be experiencing. Some of these symptoms include: 

• Pain and tenderness 
• Joint stiffness 
• Discomfort when standing or walking
• Decreased range of motion in the knee
• Warm feeling in the knee
• Knee buckling

When a person begins to suffer from any of the symptoms above and their daily activities are interrupted by those symptoms, it’s important to contact our Prescott Arizona office for a consultation. Treating the arthritis early is the best way to reduce the symptoms before they become so debilitating that doing daily activities becomes too painful. Some of the treatment options we recommend include resting the knee, avoiding strenuous activity, avoiding lifting heavy objects, physical therapy, weight loss, using anti-inflammatory medications, or using a knee brace. 

At Davis Orthopedics we recommend at first a conservative approach to treating the arthritis.  However, if a person doesn’t see results with these recommendations then surgery may be the next option. When the symptoms of arthritis become severe, surgery may be the only option. Joint replacement surgery can help a person once again enjoy daily activities without suffering from severe pain.

Total or Partial Knee Replacement

Knee replacement surgery, when used to treat knee arthritis, has become one of the most popular surgical procedures. Knee replacement surgery is a procedure done to resurface a knee or replace the cartilage that has been damaged. There are two types of knee replacement surgery. These include total knee replacement surgery and partial knee replacement surgery.

Total knee replacement surgery or total knee arthroplasty is usually the recommended treatment for patients suffering from significant damage to two or three of the knee compartments. This damage usually results in debilitating pain, limited knee motion, swelling and knee deformities. Partial Knee replacement is typically recommended when damage to the knee is limited to just the medial or lateral compartment.

Knee Replacement Surgery

Dr. Mark Davis D.O. works with all his patients to provide the best treatment option for them. He continues to educate himself on the different surgical techniques to provide for his patients the best treatment. Dr. Davis works to make the surgery less invasive and his desire is to minimize trauma to the tissues around the knee as he performs the knee replacement surgery. When the surgery is less invasive, the area can heal faster and the patient can return to daily activities in a shorter amount of time.

Pre-operative Medical Evaluation

If Dr. Davis recommends knee replacement surgery, a preoperative medical evaluation is recommended. This will be scheduled prior to the surgery appointment and should be done by the patients primary care physician. The medical evaluation allows Dr. Davis to get a good picture of the patient’s health prior to surgery.

There are certain conditions or diseases that a person may have that could have an effect on the surgery. Some of these include obesity, diabetes, kidney issues, lung problems or liver problems. Smoking can also be a concern. A person who smokes is at a higher risk for continued problems or complications after the surgery. This is why it is recommended that a person refrain from smoking for some time after having the knee replacement surgery.

When a person comes into Davis Orthopedics suffering from arthritis of the knee our goal is to reduce their pain and other symptoms and get them back to living an active life. If a person believes they may have arthritis of the knee it is important to contact our Prescott Valley, Arizona office to schedule a consultation. No one should suffer from chronic knee pain. Call our office today to learn more about how to get back to an active pain free life.

Before & After Photos (examples)