Advanced knee arthritis can have a crippling effect. Not only is it painful, but it can make it difficult for you to walk, hampering your ability to perform many of your normal daily activities.
There are many nonsurgical treatment options for knee arthritis, including medication, cortisone shots, and physical therapy. However, severe arthritis will not respond to these treatments, and it also will not respond to arthroscopy –so your best option may be to have knee replacement surgery.
You probably would rather have anything other than surgery, but the fact is that knee replacement surgery is incredibly effective and earns high marks among patients who have this treatment for their knee arthritis. Let’s talk about why it is in your best interest to consider this lifestyle-restoring treatment, and where you can go in Raleigh to see a world-class knee replacement surgeon.
Reason #1: Your Knee Arthritis Could Become Debilitating
If you wait too long to have a knee replacement after already losing much of your strength, endurance, and ability to be active, you will likely find it more difficult to return to your normal activities after the procedure. That’s because the bones and muscles supporting the knee joint will become further deformed and atrophied the longer you do not apply normal resistance and pressure to the areas involved.
The sooner you have a knee replacement, the quicker you will be able to get active again. Keep in mind that osteoarthritis is the degradation of the cartilage in the joint, and reduced cartilage means that there is bone-on-bone grating every time you move.
Reason #2: Delaying Knee Surgery Might Interfere with Recovering Full Mobility
How well you can stand and walk before having knee replacement surgery will be one of the best indicators of your expected capabilities after the procedure. Therefore, if you hesitate to have treatment until your knee pain becomes so severe as to render you practically immobile, your chances of getting your full mobility back could be greatly diminished.
Continuing to push through your chronic knee pain can cause the inflammation and degradation of bone-on-bone osteoarthritis to become worse. You will need your leg bones to be as strong as possible to support your new knee, and earlier treatment can help your bones to maintain their strength and tissue integrity.
Reason #3: Longer Delay of Knee Replacement Surgery Usually Means Less Pain Relief
Delaying knee replacement surgery for fear that it is an unpleasant experience will just lengthen your recovery time, and it will likely force you to unnecessarily endure chronic knee pain that could have been resolved. That’s why it’s important to be proactive and to consult with an orthopedic surgeon about your options as soon as possible. This way, together, you can create a plan to get you on your feet again.
Knee Arthritis Surgeon in Raleigh, Apex, and Brier Creek, North Carolina
As a board-certified hip and knee replacement specialist, Dr. Brett Gilbert is uniquely qualified to diagnose your knee pain, recommend the appropriate course of action, and perform your knee replacement surgery in such a way as to provide the best possible outcome.
To request a consultation with Dr. Gilbert, call our practice today at (919) 788-8797 or you can request an appointment with Dr. Gilbert using our appointment request form, or you can self-schedule your appointment here.
We look forward to helping you enjoy a more pain-free lifestyle!
