Knee Replacement Surgery

Knee replacement surgery is a treatment for severe knee pain where damaged cartilage and bones are replaced with artificial implants. The procedure helps restore mobility and relieve severe pain in patients with arthritis (joint inflammation and degeneration).

What to Know About Knee Replacement Surgery

During knee replacement surgery, one of our orthopedic surgeons will resurface your damaged knee with artificial components, called implants.
There are two main types of knee replacements, partial and total replacements, with total replacement being the more common procedure.
Many knee replacements can be done in an outpatient setting, meaning you can skip the hospital stay and go home the same day.

Which Conditions Does Knee Replacement Surgery Treat?

The most common condition that patients get knee replacement surgery for is osteoarthritis, which is the most common form of arthritis. It is caused by wear and tear and causes pain and stiffness in joints. It is most common among older adults.
Other conditions that knee replacement surgery may treat include:
- Knee injury
- Rheumatoid arthritis or other types of arthritis

Who is a Good Candidate for Knee Replacement Surgery?

While knee replacement surgery is very common, the treatment is most commonly recommended for:

Patients with severe knee damage due to arthritis or injury.
Patients who experience severe knee pain and swelling to the point where everyday activities such as walking, climbing stairs, and standing up are painful and difficult.
Patients who have not responded to other treatments like physical therapy, medications, injections, or other surgical procedures.

What Can I Expect During Recovery Following Knee Replacement Surgery?

Depending on their overall health and other factors, patients could go home the same day (outpatient surgery) or they may require an overnight hospital stay for observation.

Physical therapy is critical for recovery after knee replacement. Usually, this will be started at your home in the first few days after surgery. Most patients will opt to do outpatient physical therapy for 8-12 weeks, although it is not a requirement. We provide patients the option to use Limber, an app on your phone which assigns a personal physical therapy assistant to your case. In some instances, adherence to the Limber app will make outpatient therapy unnecessary.

Return to work and driving ability vary among patients depending on their function, pain, and occupation. In order to drive, you must be off of all narcotic pain medications, and you must test your own ability to react and use the brakes appropriately. This is typically 2-3 weeks after surgery for the left knee if you do not drive a stick shift, but we require 4 weeks for driving if your surgery was performed on the right knee or if you have a clutch transmission.

A patient’s recovery experience is also dependent on his or her adherence to a recovery plan. The recovery plan for knee replacement surgery may include:

Physical therapy
Limiting or modifying activities
Using assistive devices like a walker or cane, and an ice machine to help with inflammation
Medications to assist with pain and swelling

The most common condition that patients get knee replacement surgery for is osteoarthritis, which is the most common form of arthritis. It is caused by wear and tear and causes pain and stiffness in joints. It is most common among older adults.
Other conditions that knee replacement surgery may treat include:
- Knee injury
- Rheumatoid arthritis or other types of arthritis

While knee replacement surgery is very common, the treatment is most commonly recommended for:

Patients with severe knee damage due to arthritis or injury.
Patients who experience severe knee pain and swelling to the point where everyday activities such as walking, climbing stairs, and standing up are painful and difficult.
Patients who have not responded to other treatments like physical therapy, medications, injections, or other surgical procedures.

Depending on their overall health and other factors, patients could go home the same day (outpatient surgery) or they may require an overnight hospital stay for observation.

A patient’s recovery experience is also dependent on his or her adherence to a recovery plan. The recovery plan for knee replacement surgery may include:

Physical therapy
Limiting or modifying activities
Using assistive devices like a walker or cane, and an ice machine to help with inflammation
Medications to assist with pain and swelling

Why Choose Orthopaedic Surgical Associates for Knee Pain

Orthopaedic Surgical Associates’ orthopedic knee surgeons are dedicated to providing surgical and nonsurgical approaches for treating acute and chronic knee conditions. Our specialists strive to offer the highest level of knee care that helps patients to restore function, reduce discomfort, provide relief, and prevent further injury. All of our surgeons are fellowship-trained, and many of them perform hundreds of knee replacement surgeries per year. We have outstanding outcomes with low complication rates. Our surgeons are also well-versed in techniques to reduce postoperative pain and minimize the use of opioids for pain control.