Is pain and loss of knee function impeding your quality of life? There are many treatment options to help you reduce pain and return knee function, but when should you consider a knee replacement?
A total knee arthroplasty, or knee replacement, is a surgical procedure that replaces the natural anatomy of the knee with components in order to decrease pain and improve function.
People who undergo knee replacement surgery have typically lived for years with worsening pain in their knee that has limited their ability to participate in activities that they enjoy, or even limits the ability to perform self-care or activities of daily living. In a healthy knee, there is a healthy amount of joint space that exists between the thigh bone (femur), the knee cap (patella), and the shin bone (tibia). When this joint space becomes diminished, contact forces between the bones of the knee increases and can result in arthritic changes. Reasons for this change in joint space can be secondary to muscular imbalances and poor knee tracking, obesity, lifestyle, or autoimmune conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis.
There are 2 types of knee replacements: total and partial.
Total Knee Replacement (TKR) - This is the most common type of knee replacement and involves placing artificial components over the ends of the femur, the tibia, and the backside of the patella to restore smooth joint surfaces.
Partial Knee Replacement (PKR) - This type of knee replacement is typically done in younger individuals who only have decreased joint space in one area (compartment) of the knee.
How does Physical Therapy Help?
Rehabilitation following a knee replacement- whether total or partial- is essential to restoring function and maximizing outcomes. It is paramount to restore the motion in your knee after surgery to prevent contracture or permanent loss of motion. This will be done through exercise, stretching, and techniques performed by your physical therapist to ensure all joints of the knee are moving properly. If the motion is not restored early in the rehabilitation process, there is increased likelihood for continued knee pain, hip pain, lower back pain, or even permanent loss of knee joint motion. After motion is restored, the focus of physical therapy will shift to increasing the strength and endurance of the muscles in and around the knee to improve your ability to perform activities of daily living (climbing stairs, getting in and out of cars, walking long distances). Finally, the therapist will work with you to help you return to higher level activities before being discharged to a home exercise program.
The physical therapy team at Pritchette Physical Therapy work with people preparing for knee replacement surgery and post knee replacement procedures to assist in expediting the recovery and function of the knee. Contact either of our locations at 480-785-5415 to learn more on how we can assist you!