Joint Replacement
Some people undergo joint replacement surgery due to problems with their original joints, such as osteoporosis or knee osteoarthritis, which significantly affects the cartilage, making the affected person unable to avoid or absorb shocks. Doctors perform surgery to replace damaged joints with artificial joints, placing them in the knee and connecting them to the thigh bone and upper leg bone. Doctors also use a material called "polyethylene" to absorb most of the shocks that the knee will be exposed to. Some doctors in this surgery also replace the meniscus along with the joint.
Types of Knee Surgery
What are the types of joint replacement surgery?
- Total Knee Replacement: Considered the most common type of joint replacement surgery, the surgeon replaces all the bones connected to the knee, including the shin and thigh bones.
- Partial Knee Replacement: This replacement occurs due to damage to one part of the knee due to inflammation, negatively affecting a part of it.
- Meniscus Replacement: The meniscus is located in the front part of the knee, and its function ratio is not large due to its low success rate. When the surgeon sees that the meniscus is damaged, it is preferable to perform a total knee replacement, not just the meniscus.
- Total Complex Knee Replacement: This replacement process occurs to replace the artificial knee with another one. It may be replaced due to its expected lifespan, inflammation, or multiple knee replacement surgeries.
Tips After Knee Surgery
Doctors estimate about five days after joint replacement surgery as a patient's bed rest, but the patient should activate the blood circulation on the first day after the operation immediately, and try to start walking using crutches or a walker until recovery. The patient's muscles can regain their strength again. Doctors also advise the patient to undergo some sessions of physical therapy after completing joint replacement surgery. The first two weeks of physical therapy are only for joint stimulation. After about a month and a half of therapy, the patient can walk with the help of crutches, and after about three months, or perhaps more, the patient will be able to walk smoothly and continuously. Doctors also recommend regular check-ups to ensure the health of the artificial joint. The patient also performs aquatic and aerial therapy to maintain joint health.