Know What to Do if You Find Poor Circulation After Knee Replacement
Slideshow: A Visual Guide to Knee Replacement
Replacing a Bad Knee
Genu replacement surgery can help with severe arthritis pain and may help you walk easier too. Habiliment and tear, illness, or a knee injury can damage the cartilage around your knee basic and keep the articulation from working well. If arthritis symptoms are severe, your dr. may propose knee replacement.
What Is Knee joint Replacement?
During human knee replacement surgery, the surgeon takes damaged cartilage and bone out of the knee joint and replaces them with a manmade joint. The operation is likewise chosen articulatio genus arthroplasty, and information technology'due south one of the most mutual bone surgeries in the U.South. In some cases, information technology can be done robotically.
Symptoms of Articulatio genus Arthritis
Mutual types of arthritis are osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and arthritis that happens after an injury. No matter what blazon you lot take, the main symptoms of genu arthritis are pain, swelling, and stiffness in the human knee. Over time, it may get so stiff that walking is hard or even impossible. You might take other symptoms also, depending on your type of arthritis.
Osteoarthritis of the Knee
The cartilage that cushions the knee joint tin wear abroad as you age, so that bone rubs against os. The result: Normal motions of the human knee get more and more than painful. This "wear and tear" is chosen osteoarthritis, and it is well-nigh common in people over 50.
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic illness in which the torso's immune organization mistakenly attacks the joints, causing pain and swelling. While osteoarthritis can strike but one articulatio genus, rheumatoid arthritis tends to happen on both sides of the body. It can also touch the hands, wrists, and anxiety. RA can besides cause other symptoms likewise, similar fever and fatigue.
Mail-Injury Arthritis
In some cases, osteoartritis starts after an injury, like breaking a knee os or tearing one of the ligaments. The arthritis might not happen right away. Damaged bones or ligaments tin can lead to damaged cartilage over time, causing pain and stiffness subsequently on.
When to Consider Surgery
Knee replacement surgery may assistance you if other arthritis treatments don't work and yous have any of the following:
- You can't walk very long or very well
- You tin can't make it or out of a chair
- Your articulatio genus is bowed in or out
- Moderate to severe hurting when yous're resting
Preparing Your Home
If you accept knee replacement surgery, think about making some changes at home ahead of fourth dimension:
- Put prophylactic bars in the bath or shower.
- Pick up throw rugs and anything you can trip over.
- Buy a footstool for keeping your leg up.
Y'all should also ask someone to help you with daily activities during the showtime few weeks of recovery.
What Happens During Surgery?
Knee replacement usually takes 1 to 2 hours. The surgeon removes damaged cartilage and bone from the knee joint. Then the doctor attaches metal implants to the ends of the thigh and calf bones. A plastic spacer goes between the metal pieces and helps the new joint movement smoothly.
Your Hospital Stay
Most people stay in the hospital for one to two days or longer subsequently knee replacement surgery. Yous will accept some pain medicine. You should try to movement your leg soon afterward. Moving effectually increases blood flow to the leg muscles and can aid reduce swelling.
Back at Home
When y'all get back domicile from the infirmary, you should exist able to walk with crutches or a walker. Just you may need help bathing, cooking, and with household chores for the first iii to half-dozen weeks. If you live lone, y'all may want to stay in a rehab eye until y'all can do daily activities by yourself.
Proceed on Moving
To make the near of your new knee, yous should follow your physician'south orders near being active in the weeks afterwards the surgery. Also much rest can boring your recovery downwardly, just you don't want to overdo it, either. Focus on moving around your firm, taking walks, and doing the exercises suggested by your physical therapist.
Physical Therapy
Physical therapy for knee joint replacement includes exercises for flexibility and force. You can do these exercises at a physical therapy centre or at home, but be sure to enquire the therapist how to exercise them the right fashion. You should keep them up as long as your md recommends, usually at least 2 months after surgery.
How Long Is the Recovery?
All patients heal from surgery at their own pace. Your doctor will tell you when it is safe to go dorsum to your normal activities. Hither are some guidelines:
- Household chores: 3-6 weeks
- Sex: 4-six weeks
- Work: 4 weeks or more- depending on your job requirements
- Swimming: 6-8 weeks
- Driving: Earlier yous can bulldoze, will need to exist off pain medicine and be abele to go far and out of the car. You may be able to start driving within 2 to 6 weeks--even if your driving leg was operated on.
Risks of Surgery
Knee replacement is safe for almost people, just all surgery has risks, including:
- A scar that is unattractive or painful
- An infection or heavy bleeding
- A blood clot in the leg
Preventing Blood Clots
Blood clots in the calf or thigh can happen after knee surgery. A jell can be life-threatening if information technology breaks off and goes to the lungs. Your md will aid y'all take steps to keep blood clots from forming. Back up hose, compression devices, and blood thinners can cut downwardly the risk of clots. Foot and ankle movement aid as well, so it's of import to move effectually as soon as you get the light-green light from your doctor.
When to Seek Emergency Care
Alarm signs of a blood clot in the lungs (called a pulmonary embolism) include sudden shortness of breath, chest hurting, and coughing. Signs of infection include fever, worsening redness or tenderness of the knee, and pus draining from the surgical wound. If yous feel or see any of these symptoms subsequently knee replacement, telephone call your medico immediately. Telephone call 911 for chest pain or if you are having any problem breathing.
Problems With Articulatio genus Implants
Human knee implants go along to get more than sophisticated, but they are non perfect. They tin wear down over time or may come loose from the bone. Scar tissue can grow around an implant, limiting its range of motion. And even when they work well, implants can cause a clicking audio as the articulatio genus bends dorsum and forth.
Protecting Your Knee Implant
Y'all can extend the life of your knee implant by doing several things. After surgery, employ a cane or walker until your rest improves -- taking a fall tin can cause serious damage to a new joint. High-touch exercise can likewise take a toll on articulatio genus implants, so almost doctors warn against jogging, jumping, and contact sports.
Outlook for Knee Replacement
While some activities are off-limits afterwards a knee replacement, you still have enough of others to choose from. Unlimited walking, golf, light hiking, cycling, ballroom dancing, and swimming are all safe for nigh people with knee implants. By post-obit your doctor's guidelines, you can expect long-lasting results -- nigh 85% of genu replacements will final twenty years.
Source: https://www.webmd.com/osteoarthritis/ss/slideshow-knee-replacement
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