There are a number of reasons why someone may want to delay undergoing surgery, some of which are more valid than others. The problem is that putting off a necessary surgery could be causing a variety of related issues, some of which aren’t all that evident until it’s too late. We understand that there are certainly some valid reasons to put off surgery, but below, we share five reasons why it’s not a good idea to put that knee replacement surgery off any longer.
Getting Knee Replacement Surgery
Here’s a look at five things that can happen to your body if you continue to delay your knee replacement operation:
- Increased Joint Deformity – You need a knee replacement operation because you’re dealing with damage to the knee joint, and the longer you put off surgery, the worse the joint degeneration is going to get. Knee replacement gets more complicated as joint deformity increases, so surgery may become more invasive if you continue to put off surgery.
- Surrounding Muscle Weakness – If you’re dealing with arthritis of the knee, the muscles around the knee joint will also likely weaken as you compensate for the painful joint. If you’re less active than you want to be because of your knee, the supportive muscle groups aren’t getting the conditioning they need to stay strong and healthy. This can lead to longer recovery times after surgery as you try to help restrengthen these weakened muscles.
- Whole Body Compensation Issues – Another risk of delaying knee surgery is that other body parts may be compensating for your knee’s inability to adequately displace stress. Oftentimes extra stress is channeled through your hips, which can lead to hip problems or issues with your stride and gait. The longer you compensate for a knee issue, the longer other areas of your body are at an increased risk of injury due to their need to pick up the slack for your knee.
- Joint Stiffness – As arthritis progress and you avoid activity because of your knee, the joint inherently becomes less mobile. This leads to stiffness in the joint and loss in range of motion. Considering mobility prior to surgery is a big indicator of your functional ability following surgery, don’t continue to put off surgery and lose crucial mobility in the joint.
- You’re Not Getting Any Younger – What we mean by this is that the longer you put off surgery, the greater the risk that you’ll have additional age-related issues that need to be considered before, during and after surgery. Weight gain, heart health and other age-related factors can worsen if you’re not careful about your physical health, which can be difficult to do with a painful knee. Take care of your knee while your body is still in good shape.
If you have any questions about knee replacement surgery, or if you want to see if you’re a candidate for partial or total knee replacement surgery, reach out to Dr. Botero’s office today.
