A knee replacement surgery is needed when someone is suffering from an arthritic knee joint. Other causes include trauma or fracture, increased stress on the joint caused by overweight or overuse, connective tissue disorders, infections, unhealthy and sedentary lifestyle that leads to obesity and less movement of joints, and inflammation of the joints caused by rheumatoid arthritis. Knee replacement surgery Sydney orthopedic doctor will advise after determining if you are the right candidate for this type of surgery. The doctor will inquire about symptoms and examine the joints externally using diagnostic procedures like x-ray and lab tests of blood samples. The doctor will observe problems by moving the affected leg in different directions. You may be asked to walk a little and move the legs while sitting and standing. Problems can be noticed from observation because the affected leg cannot be moved in a particular direction. You may feel pain with a particular leg movement.
In most cases, a person suffering from pain in the knee joints first visits a general physician. The patient may be referred to an orthopedic doctor by a physician who has been unable to treat the knee joint pain using general medication and physiotherapy techniques. There are various ways to determine if you are the right candidate for this type of surgery.
The most basic problem is that you will feel severe pain in your knee. It may be restricting your daily activities. You have tried different types of medications and physiotherapy treatments without any relief from the pain. Sometimes it is obvious that your knee is swollen or you walk with a limp. The pain may be so much that you feel it even while sitting or lying. You notice your pain is increasing in intensity as you start walking. You may not be suffering from continuous pain. The pain remains only for 3-4 days a week. The pain is aggravated when you climb or descend stairs. It may reach to a level where there is no relief even while sleeping. You may wake up in sleep due to pain in the knee. It is difficult for you to lean forward while putting your socks and shoes. You have reached a condition where it has become necessary to use walker, crane or crutches while walking. You find that now you have limited range of mobility in the knee and hip. If you suffer from any one or many of these symptoms, you could be the right candidate for knee replacement surgery.
An orthopedic doctor will determine if you are in need of partial or complete knee replacement surgery Sydney. The whole process and procedure of surgery will be explained clearly to you. You will know how many days it will take to recover after the surgery. The doctor will also inform you risks associated with this type of surgery. There is no need to keep suffering the pain, stiffness and swelling in your knee joint. Consult an orthopedic doctor now and go for the knee replacement surgery if advised.
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