Will patient need cane or walker after total knee replacement surgery?

September 19th — admin

If I have a total knee replacement on an outpatient basis will I still need to use crutches or a walker? I live in a tiny apartment and it would be easy to walk around holding onto the furniture.

Many people are able to go home with either a cane or using nothing. We can’t say for sure about you, but here are some things to think about. Do you use a walker or crutches now before the operation? If yes, then you’re more likely to need one afterwards…at least for a little while.

How strong is your other leg? Can it support you without the off-loading assistance provided by a walker or crutches? Many people have arthritis in both knees. They have the worst knee replaced first but this puts a lot of extra load on the other knee until the leg operated on gets stronger.

You may find it easy to navigate your apartment but need to use an assist when outside or walking in the community. The long-term goal is to walk unassisted and pain free.

For more information on this subject, call The Zehr Center for Orthopaedics at 239-596-0100 or visit www.zehrcenter.com. The information contained herein is compiled from a variety of sources. It may not be complete or timely. It does not cover all diseases, physical conditions, ailments or treatments. The information should NOT be used in place of a visit with your healthcare provider, nor should you disregard the advice of your health care provider because of any information you read in this topic.

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Can patient with hemophilia have joint replacement surgery?

September 15th — admin

I have hemophilia that’s under fairly good control. My left knee is a real problem. I could really use a joint replacement. What’s the status of this operation for people with hemophilia?

Orthopedic surgery for joint replacement is an option for some patients with hemophilia. New drug therapy with inhibitors has allowed surgery to be done safely. It may depend on the type of missing platelet factor. The overall health of the patient can make a difference, too.

Rehab is offered before and after the operation. A preoperative rehab program is called prehabilitation. Exercises can increase motion and strength. This helps the patient get back up after surgery with faster recovery of function. It can also help minimize the risk of bleeding.

There are still problems with joint replacements for patients with hemophilia. Bleeding and infection are the biggest problems. There may be no improvement in motion.

For more information on this subject, call The Zehr Center for Orthopaedics at 239-596-0100 or visit www.zehrcenter.com. The information contained herein is compiled from a variety of sources. It may not be complete or timely. It does not cover all diseases, physical conditions, ailments or treatments. The information should NOT be used in place of a visit with your healthcare provider, nor should you disregard the advice of your health care provider because of any information you read in this topic.

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Final knee motion after total knee replacement depends on preoperative motion

September 13th — admin

Years ago I had a total knee replacement. With the new joint I had less pain but not much more motion. Now I’m going to have the other knee done. Any chance I can get better motion with the newer joints?

Many studies have repeatedly shown that final knee motion after replacement depends on preoperative motion. It’s also true that patients with the greatest loss of motion have better results than patients with minimal loss of motion.

Recently a group of researchers in England and Canada got together to review the results of total knee replacements. They were especially interested to see what factors predict final motion measurements.

They found that age, gender, and body weight didn’t seem to make much difference. Likewise the type of implant was no longer such a big factor. The amount of knee flexion before replacement was still pretty important.

It’s likely you’ll notice some difference with the new implant. Let us know how you compare them!

For more information on this subject, call The Zehr Center for Orthopaedics at 239-596-0100 or visit www.zehrcenter.com. The information contained herein is compiled from a variety of sources. It may not be complete or timely. It does not cover all diseases, physical conditions, ailments or treatments. The information should NOT be used in place of a visit with your healthcare provider, nor should you disregard the advice of your health care provider because of any information you read in this topic.

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Will taking creatine supplements speed recovery after knee surgery?

June 1st — admin

I’ve heard taking creatine supplements can help me get better faster after surgery. I’m going to have a knee replacement later this month. Is it too late to start taking this?

Studies have shown that taking creatine supplements can help patients regain strength after surgery. However, a recent study of patients after total knee replacement didn’t reproduce these findings. In fact, knee and ankle strength went down 30 days after the operation.

This study may be the first to point out the importance of physical activity and exercise when taking creatine. Movement and especially resistance to muscles seem to help the creatine get transported into the muscles for active use.

Taking creatine supplements before and after joint replacement isn’t advised at this time. Talk to your doctor before taking any supplements. Some supplements shouldn’t be taken with other drugs or combined with anesthesia.

For more information on this subject, call The Zehr Center for Orthopaedics at 239-596-0100 or visit www.zehrcenter.com.The information contained herein is compiled from a variety of sources. It may not be complete or timely. It does not cover all diseases, physical conditions, ailments or treatments. The information should NOT be used in place of visit with your healthcare provider, nor should you disregard the advice of your health care provider because of any information you read in this topic.

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Can a hemophiliac still have a total knee replacement?

January 5th — admin

I have a big problem. Besides having hemophilia (a bleeding disorder), I need a knee joint replacement. Since any trauma causes bleeding into the joints, can I ever get a new joint?

Hemophilia is an inherited bleeding disorder that affects males more often than females. Usually a blood-clotting factor is missing. The person with hemophilia doesn’t bleed any faster than anyone else. He just bleeds for a longer period of time.

Treatment today is aimed at: 1) preventing bleeding episodes and 2) minimizing the effects of the bleeds. Early treatment along with exercise is helping today’s patients with hemophilia spare their joints from damage.

For older folks who’ve had hemophilia for many years, joint damage has occurred from repeated bleeding episodes. The most common joints affected are the knee, elbow, and ankle.

Joint replacement isn’t out of the question for someone with hemophilia. There are two keys to success after any joint operation. One is regular factor treatment and the second is a physical therapy program.

You must be careful to avoid stressful activities, heavy lifting, jumping from heights, and some leg exercise equipment. Your therapist will go through all the precautions with you.

And don’t forget: you must call your doctor right away if you have any problems after the operation!

For more information on this subject, call The Zehr Center for Orthopaedics at 239-596-0100 or visit www.zehrcenter.com.The information contained herein is compiled from a variety of sources. It may not be complete or timely. It does not cover all diseases, physical conditions, ailments or treatments. The information should NOT be used in place of visit with your healthcare provider, nor should you disregard the advice of your health care provider because of any information you read in this topic.

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Unicompartmental knee arthroplasty not always the answer

August 19th — admin

I had a unicompartmental knee joint replacement last year. That means they only replaced the inside half of my left knee. I thought it was going to be the answer to all my problems. Instead I ended up with more problems. Would it have been better to have a total knee replacement?

Many studies support the use of the unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA). It’s been shown to have a faster rehab time, give better function, and cost less than a total knee replacement.

Failure in a small number of cases does occur. There are several reasons why this can happen. Sometimes the arthritis continues to get worse. The bone around the implant wears away and the implant loosens.

In other patients the hip, knee, and ankle don’t line up as well as they used to. Finally, overcorrecting a deformity at the time of surgery can cause too much load on the knee joint. The wear and tear on bone and ligaments can lead to failure of the implant.

It may still be possible to salvage your “new” knee. Sometimes surgery to revise the implant is the answer. In other cases, replacing the unicompartmental implant with a total knee replacement is the next step. Be sure and ask your doctor what are your options. Perhaps get a second opinion from another surgeon.

For more information on this subject, call The Zehr Center for Orthopaedics at 239-596-0100 or visit www.zehrcenter.com.The information contained herein is compiled from a variety of sources. It may not be complete or timely. It does not cover all diseases, physical conditions, ailments or treatments. The information should NOT be used in place of visit with your healthcare provider, nor should you disregard the advice of your health care provider because of any information you read in this topic.

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Scar tissue needs to be desensitized

July 16th — admin

I have a knee joint replacement that is fully healed but the scar is still tender. It keeps me from kneeling down to get things. Is there any way to overcome this problem? Perhaps some kind of cream to toughen up the scar?

Actually, there is a series of desensitization activities you can perform to help with this problem. A physical or occupational therapist can get you set up with a home program to do this on your own.

The therapist will show you how to massage the scar using vitamin E oil. Then you will be rubbing different things across and along the scar. At first even soft materials can seem painful. Firm pressure will help to start. Over time lighter contact is possible. You’ll also be able to change from soft to firm to rough materials. Each one will be used with firm pressure gradually applying light pressure.

A clean roller like what you see on a bottle of deodorant will also be used to help desensitize the area. The roller is pressed across and along the scar tissue just like the other materials. You can expect to be given a packet of items to use daily (or more often as your schedule allows). It usually only takes a few days to a few weeks to desensitize painful scar tissue.

For more information on this subject, call The Zehr Center for Orthopaedics at 239-596-0100 or visit www.zehrcenter.com.The information contained herein is compiled from a variety of sources. It may not be complete or timely. It does not cover all diseases, physical conditions, ailments or treatments. The information should NOT be used in place of visit with your healthcare provider, nor should you disregard the advice of your health care provider because of any information you read in this topic.

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