Whats New About Your Knee Replacement?
You will notice a few differences between your old knee and your new knee. Your new knee may feel a little numb and stiff. The numbness will be around the incisions. The stiffness will probably be greater if you do a lot of bending. You may also notice that your new knee doesnt move quite as freely as your old knee. Still, you are sure to find it an improvement.
Another difference is that you may find it a little difficult to kneel. However, you should not worry about kneeling. It will not hurt your new knee. Sometimes you will hear a little clicking from your new knee. This is the metal moving against the plastic as you move. This should diminish after a while. Most patients have no trouble getting used to it. It is surely much less troublesome than the painful knee they had before.
If your were active before your surgery, you can be active again after your surgery. You will be able to straighten and bend your new knee well enough to perform common activities such as stair climbing and using your car.
When you go to the airport or a federal building or other building with a metal detector, be sure to have a word with the guards to avoid unpleasant incidents. Your new knee has some metal parts that will set off the alarms.
Here are some steps to follow after your surgery:
Take great care not to fall or become injured. If you hurt yourself after your knee surgery, you will probably need more surgery.
Trust your orthopedist. He or she is also a medical doctor. Therefore, a lot of training backs up his or her diagnosis and treatment plan. Your orthopedist is familiar with the musculoskeletal system (bones, nerves, joints, muscles, ligaments, and tendons) and fully capable of determining both surgical and non-surgical treatments.
If you are having dental work done, always tell your dentist about your artificial knee. You will need to take antibiotics prior to your dental work to avoid infection. This is something you must always remember from now on.
Be sure to participate in light exercise on a regular basis to maintain the mobility and the strength of your new knee.
See your orthopedic surgeon annually for an examination and x-ray.
Dr. Tarlow is a Board Certified Orthopaedic Surgeon with over 20 years specializing in knee surgery. He opened his own clinic, Advanced Knee Care, with a focus on specialty patient care. Click here to learn more about Dr. Tarlow, orthopedic procedures and complete knee replacement.
