Whether you’ve had an injury in the past, or you’re dealing with some type of arthritis, knee pain is something that really puts a damper on your active lifestyle. Conservative treatments help short term, but if there’s damage to your joint, you may want to look into a more permanent type of treatment option. Knee replacements may seem a bit extreme; however, there’s an option called a partial knee replacement that’ll have you back on your feet in no time.
At Orthopedic Associates of Wisconsin, our team helps you with almost any condition that’s causing your knee to hurt. No matter if the pain came on suddenly, or has been bothering you for a long time, our orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Mitchell Klement, can help. He offers a variety of treatments, including partial knee replacements, to get you on the road to recovery from knee pain.
Knee pain literally strikes at the most inconvenient of times. Not only does it cause you discomfort, but can make even the simplest tasks feel impossible. So how did you get to this point with your knee? The answer isn’t as simple as you think.
Many conditions cause knee pain—excessive weight, injuries, and arthritis are all common causes. However, many times, when you have knee discomfort that affects you almost daily, the culprit could be osteoarthritis.
Osteoarthritis is one of the most common forms of arthritis, and can affect just about any joint in your body. Your knees are very susceptible to this condition, because they bear a lot of your weight throughout the day.
Osteoarthritis is a wear and tear condition, meaning it gets worse over time. This problem leads to the deterioration of the cartilage that helps protect your joints. Once the cartilage is worn down, there’s not much that conservative treatments can do to keep you comfortable. This is where Dr. Klement suggests a partial knee replacement to help relieve your pain.
When you’re at the point where no other treatments are helping, Dr. Klement talks to you about moving forward with knee replacement surgery. There are two types of knee replacements—partial and total. A total knee replacement involves removing and replacing your entire knee joint, where a partial only replaces part of the joint.
So how does a partial knee replacement work? Under general anesthesia, Dr. Klement removes the part of your knee joint that’s been damaged by arthritis. This could be the medial or lateral part of your knee, or the knee cap itself. Once he’s removed the damaged tissue, he replaces it with a prosthetic device that mimics your natural tissue.
The prosthetic device could be made of several different materials, including heavy plastics, metals, or ceramics. The prosthetic takes the place of the damaged bone in your joint, and moves and acts just like your undamaged tissues.
Partial knee replacements usually require smaller incisions and less recovery time than total knee replacements, because only part of your joint is damaged. This allows for Dr. Klement to get your mobility back, while only removing part of your joint.
Recovery still takes several months, but you can usually be up and walking without any assistive devices within a month of surgery. Physical therapy is a must after this procedure, because it helps you regain proper mobility in your joint, along with strength and flexibility.
So how do you know if a partial knee replacement is the right treatment for you? Dr. Klement suggests this surgery if you have severe pain from arthritis in your knee. In order for a partial knee replacement to be considered, you should meet certain criteria, including:
A partial knee replacement is also better if you’re a little bit older, and aren’t very active. You should also be on the thinner side, as excess weight could shorten the life of your prosthetic. Other reasons Dr. Klement suggests this type of surgery include:
Like pretty much any other surgery, partial knee replacements do come with risks, so make sure you not only understand the surgery, but also are prepared to ask Dr. Klement any questions before you schedule your procedure.
If you’re dealing with constant knee pain and need to find relief, call our office at 262-223-3040, or you can book an appointment with Dr. Klement online today.
