Some are forced in certain cases to change the knee joint, what are the reasons? And what is the diagnosis? How does the process work? Find out more details in the following article.
What is knee replacement surgery?
Patients with severe knee damage undergo a natural joint replacement with an artificial one, and this replacement is done through a surgical procedure in which a piece of the artificial knee is attached to the thigh bone and the other piece is attached to the upper part of the shin bone, and a piece of polyethylene (Polyethylene) is placed between the bone Thigh and leg shock absorbers.
Reasons for changing the knee joint
There are several reasons to change the knee joint, here are the most important
1. Osteoarthritis and knee roughness
The main reason for knee replacement surgery is osteoporosis and knee roughness, as knee roughness affects the cartilage in the joint, making it unable to absorb shocks.
2. Severe, intolerable pain in the knee
Pain is one of the most common complaints in people who suffer from erosion of the knee joint and is mostly in the knee itself. However, most of the time the patient can feel the pain on the inner or outer side or behind the kneecap.
Initially, the patient feels pain during periods of rest, so it is called starting pain, then after a few minutes the pain begins to fade slowly but when the wear increases in the knee, the pain occurs during rest and can affect sleep at night.
3. Stiffness and stiffness in the joint
Stiffness occurs initially during the night and morning periods and then gradually increases, so that it causes the patient to have difficulty changing clothes and putting on shoes and socks, and also affects the rest of his various daily activities.
4. Difficulty walking
When the wear of the knee becomes in an advanced stage, the patient will have difficulties in walking and pain in the entire lower extremity, and then after time the patient will need aids, such as: crutches, you will notice that in most cases riding a bike is easier than walking.
5. Other reasons to change the knee joint
There are other reasons to change the knee joint, such as
obesity
growing old.
Knee curvature and previous injuries are factors that lead to wear and changes in the knee joint.
Rheumatoid arthritis.
Fractures and some congenital factors.
Diagnosis before knee joint replacement
The attending physician must subject the patient to clinical examinations before the operation in order to obtain an accurate assessment of the patient’s condition through the following:
Physical diagnosis: where the doctor asks him about the medical history and symptoms and examines the knee and compares it with the other knee.
Medical images: X-rays and MRIs.
Medical care before, during and after knee replacement surgery
This surgical procedure aims to obtain freedom of movement without pain, restore the performance of the joint to its full function, and restore stability to it with full range of motion in all directions, and this is done through the following:
1. Educating the patient on physical and rehabilitation therapy before the operation
The therapist teaches the patient some exercises before the operation in order for the patient to be ready to practice these exercises correctly after the operation, in this way the healing process begins faster.
It is also important that the functional condition of the patient is as good as possible before the operation, and this will certainly help to recover quickly after the operation.
2. Medical procedures for operation
The operation takes 60-90 minutes, which includes placing three parts of the knee, namely: the femur part, the shin bone part, and sometimes the patella part, and the polyethylene joint.
The first day after the operation is a day for complete rest, and after the second day, the medical team begins to move the knee, and after the fourth day, effective exercises begin in the hospital.
3. Physiotherapy and rehabilitation after the operation
In many studies, the effect of physical therapy after knee replacement surgery has been studied. These studies have shown that physical therapy is very beneficial, such as: hydrotherapy, balance exercises, or cycling.
Post-operative physical therapy steps
There are four steps in the knee rehabilitation process, which are
Joint movement.
Maintaining stable muscle strength.
Obtaining the dynamic strength, which is during the movement.
Achieving stability and stability of the joint (Stabilization).
Important exercises for a while after joint replacement surgery
Here are the most important exercises after the procedure
1. Sitting exercises
Here are the most important exercises in a sitting position
Pull the foot towards you and then rest it and repeat the exercise 10 times, which improves blood circulation.
Press the knee down and then pull the kneecap up.
Place a pillow under the knee, and straighten the leg.
Straighten the leg with the help of the other leg, and repeat the exercise 10 times.
2. Standing exercises
Stand nately on top of the feet and on the heels, a chair can be used to maintain balance and prevent falls.
Stand on one leg and try to put your weight on it.
Possible complications after knee replacement
Here are the main complications of the operation
stiffness in the joint
Swelling and pain in the joint.
Bone fractures.
Nerve damage.
Joint instability.
Loss or fracture of one part of the artificial joint.
