Knee Pain and Loss of Knee Function

Chronic knee pain and disability are often caused by arthritis. There are three very common types of arthritis that cause knee problems. They are: rheumatoid arthritis, traumatic arthritis, and osteoarthritis.

When you injure your knee, it can cause traumatic arthritis. This is a condition that develops over time as damaged ligaments and or bones cause further damage to the knee structure and break down the articular cartilage.

Rheumatoid Arthritis: When the synovial membrane produces an excess of fluid, the joint space overfills. The fluid becomes thick and inflamed and causes damage to the cartilage. The result is pain, stiffness, and a loss of cartilage.

If the cushion of cartilage in the knee wears out, it leaves the bones to grind against each other. This extremely painful condition is known as osteoarthritis. It is usually a problem for people over fifty years old, especially those who have a history of osteoarthritis in the family.

Knee Replacement May Be the Answer

To make an informed decision about total knee replacement, you will want to consult with your family, your doctor and the orthopedic surgeon he will surely refer you to. Your orthopedic surgeon can outline all of your options, including total knee replacement surgery, other surgeries that may be available to you and non-surgical options as well. Once you have done your homework, you will be able to make an educated choice.

Click here for more on diagnosing knee pain .

Total knee replacement is often the best choice for the following reasons:

Exhaustion of Options: You have tried everything else without success. Once you have gone through physical therapy, cortisone injections, and other types of surgery to no avail, it is definitely time to consider total knee replacement.

Difficulty getting through each day without pain. If it hurts to stand up, sit down, walk, climb stairs, get in your car, get out of your car, and so on, it is time to try total knee replacement. This is also true if you are doing all these things, but you are using a cane or a walker to manage them.

Symptoms That Indicate a Need For Total Knee Replacement Surgery

Your knee hurts so much you cant bend it or straighten it.

Your knee hurts even when you are resting it.

Bowed knees or any other deformity.

Loss of responsiveness to pain relievers. Note that non-steroidal pain relievers like aspirin and ibuprofen may be very effective for the early stages of arthritis. However, as the condition worsens, effectiveness may dwindle.

Persistent inflammation and swelling that does not subside with medication and rest.

It is important to realize that the effectiveness of medications may vary widely from patient to patient. The more severe your arthritis, the less effective medications will be. Over time, you may build up a tolerance to medications that prevents them from being effective, or you may develop complications that prevent you from being able to use them at all.

Dr. Tarlow is a Board Certified Orthopaedic Surgeon with over 20 years specializing in knee surgery. He opened his own clinic, Advanced Knee Care, with a focus on specialty patient care. Click here to learn more about Dr. Tarlow, ortho surgeon and partial knee replacement.