How to Prevent Knee Replacement Surgery?
With an increase in the number of total knee replacements, it has become very important for patients to remain active and keep their joints strong and healthy.
Pain is the main reason for undergoing total knee replacement surgery.
If the pain can be eliminated, then the need for undergoing total knee replacement surgery can be prevented in some patients.
Here are a few tips that can help you avoid total knee replacement surgery and keep your bones strong and healthy.
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Controlled Body Weight
Being overweight can put stress on your joints and can causes the bone cartilage to break down more quickly. Knee Specialist Doctor must advice their patients to lose at least 5% of their total body weight. This can help relieve excess pressure on the joints. -
Physical Activity
A sedentary lifestyle can damage or worsens knee pain, by causing cartilage loss between the bones. Exercising regularly helps stimulate the release of synovial fluid while nourishing the cartilage with nutrients and lubricating it to loosens the joint. Exercises like walking, swimming, low-impact activities and aerobic exercises can help patients achieve optimal joint health. -
Injections
Non-operative treatment options like cortisone injections and hyaluronic acid injection can help reduce knee pain and prevent total knee replacement surgery. Some other non-operative treatment options include regenerative medicine like platelet-rich plasma therapy which helps produce more cartilage and reduce knee pain associated with it. -
A Knee Unloader Brace
An unloader brace is an effective treatment option that can help reduce pain and increase mobility in patients suffering from minimal arthritis. A knee brace can shift the stressors to the sides and limit knee pain. Therefore, it is considered an effective non-surgical solution to treat osteoarthritis of knee. -
Medications and Supplements
Medications for severe pain like opioids can be given. Supplements like glucosamine and chondroitin are most often prescribed for osteoarthritis. However, these non-surgical options are found to be effective in patients with a level of commitment to make lifestyle modifications through exercise and weight loss.
The above mentioned tips can help prevent you from total knee replacement surgery only if followed at a young age. It's because as we age our body stops building bone and may decrease the health of our bones. So, it's better to take care of your knees when there is still time. Follow the above mentioned tips as it is safe, healthy and less expensive treatment options that not only prevent you from undergoing surgery but also help you avoid knee replacement surgery cost.
However, if your pain is severe or you are suffering from severe arthritis, then surgery is the only option, then it's recommended that you contact a good orthopedic doctor and get a consultation. If the doctor suggests any exercise or medication to prevent Knee Replacement Surgery, you can go for it.
Also Read : Why You Should go for a Knee Replacement Doctor