Even though our joints typically wear down rather evenly, most people who are considering knee replacement surgery talk with their doctor using terms like “my good knee” and “my bad knee,” suggesting that one of their knee joints is better than the others. Some people end up having both knees replaced at the same time, while others hope that a knee replacement on their bad knee will allow them to get back to all the activities they love to do. But once one of your knees has been replaced, how can you ensure that your other knee doesn’t eventually turn into a painful joint that requires replacement?
In today’s blog, we share some tips for avoiding knee surgery on your other knee if you’ve already undergone a replacement operation on one knee joint.
How To Avoid A Second Knee Replacement Operation
Below, you’ll find some tips for helping yourself avoid another knee replacement on your “good” knee after your “bad” knee has been replaced.
- Do Your PT Exercises – Physical therapy is arguably the best thing you can do for your surgically replaced knee. It is what drives home functional improvement and restores flexibility and strength in your knee. If you don’t pursue physical therapy and you settle for “good enough” with your recovery, your good knee will inherently end up taking on more stress because your body will end up naturally trying to protect the artificial joint area from stress because it is weaker than your other joint. Putting excessive stress on your good knee joint will cause it to wear down faster, so it’s imperative that you work hard during physical therapy to restrengthen your surgically addressed knee so that it is capable of handling the stress you throw at it.
- Gait Imbalances – Another thing that your therapy team can look at as you recover is your gait or your walking pattern. If you’re putting too much strain on your good knee as you walk, the protective knee cartilage in the joint will wear down faster. Your therapy team will analyze your walking biometrics and make adjustments so that your walking pattern doesn’t end up overstressing your good knee.
- Weight Loss – Your knees also end up bearing the stress of your body weight, so the less you weigh, the less pressure there is on your knees when you walk or run. Weight loss is recommended to help with your healing following knee replacement, and it’s important to try to continue that progress long after you’ve recovered to help reduce the load your other knee has to help dispersed.
- Exercise – Exercise helps on many fronts, as it can spur weight loss and strengthen your knee and the surrounding tissues so that the area can better handle stress, but you need to be smart about how you exercise, especially if you’ve already had one knee replaced. Instead of a standard exercise routine, consider exercises that aren’t as impactful on your joints. Try swimming, cycling or working on an elliptical instead of running or jogging on a treadmill, because your knee will feel the stress of this high-impact exercise. Low-impact exercises that strengthen the knee are very helpful in preventing a second knee replacement.
- Surgeon Choice – Finally, who you choose for your first operation can impact whether or not your other knee needs to be replaced down the road. If you trust your operation to a surgeon like Dr. Botero, who is skilled in minimally invasive techniques and can limit the trauma on one knee, you can experience better healing and improved physical function, which as we noted above is important for avoiding overstraining your other knee. Trust your surgery to a surgeon who specializes in minimally invasive techniques and who works with patients to ensure their recovery stays on track, and you’ll reduce your likelihood of needing a second knee replacement.
For more information or for help with your hip or knee pain, reach out to Dr. Botero’s office today at (865) 558-4444.
