Knee replacement surgery can be required for a number of reasons and is an incredibly common procedure. The surgery involves replacing the knee with an artificial joint, relieving pain or repairing damage for the patient. If you are looking to learn more about joint replacement in Georgia, then you may want to know the 5 most common reasons for knee replacement surgery.
1. Osteoarthritis
By far, the most common reason that people require knee replacement surgery is to relieve the pain or repair the damage associated with osteoarthritis. This arthritis causes the joint at the knee to swell and become stiff, making it painful or even impossible to walk and carry out daily tasks.
Over time, or during flare ups, osteoarthritis can cause pain and stiffness so severe that the patient is unable to bend their knee joint. The condition causes the cartilage in the knee joint to wear down, removing the cushion between the moving bones in the knee. When this occurs, the best course of action is typically to replace the knee with an artificial joint.
2. Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis of the knee is less common than osteoarthritis, but it is still a fairly common reason that patients require knee replacement surgery. This type of arthritis is an autoimmune issue that causes thickening of the tissues around the knee joint. Like with osteoarthritis, the inflammation causes cartilage in the knee to begin breaking down.
As the cartilage breaks down, use of the knee itself can become uncomfortable and even painful, especially during a flare up. In these cases, relief can be achieved through joint replacement.
3. Knee Ligament Injury
In some situations, a knee ligament can be injured so severely that it never quite heals completely. The ligaments in the knee are what keep it stable as it is bent, so an injured ligament can make use of the knee extremely painful and even puts the patient at risk of further injury to the bones themselves.
If a torn or otherwise injured ligament causes the knee bones to become damaged, then knee replacement surgery to insert an artificial joint can help relieve the patient’s pain and discomfort.
4. A Meniscus Tear
If you tear the meniscus, a small piece of tissue attached to the cartilage in the knee, it can be extremely painful and also signal that the cartilage itself has become thin and weak over time. The cartilage and meniscus are what protect the bones that meet at the knee from rubbing up against one another.
A meniscus tear can lead to several complications, including locking of the knee, joint pain, and inability to move the knee joint comfortably. In this situation, knee replacement surgery may be a good option.
5. Gout of the Knee
Gout can typically be treated if symptoms are diagnosed and treated in a timely manner. However, when gout is left to worsen over time, it can sometimes lead to the knee joint requiring replacement.
Gout causes the knee to become extremely inflamed and, when left untreated, this inflammation can begin to damage knee cartilage and tissues. If the tissue becomes irreparable, then knee surgery to replace the joint altogether may be necessary.
If you are suffering from any of these 5 common knee conditions, then reach out to learn more about joint replacement in Georgia today. Knee replacement surgery can help relieve your pain and get you back on your feet comfortably.