Knee replacement surgery is more common on older individuals whose knee joints have been damaged by osteoarthritis or the natural aging process. However, seniors are far from the only group who are undergoing partial and total knee replacement operations. More younger patients are inquiring about the operation, and there are a number of reasons why we’re fielding an uptick in calls from a younger population. We explore those reasons and talk about knee replacement operations for patients in their 40s and 50s in today’s blog.
Knee Replacement In Younger Adults
So why are younger patients inquiring about partial and total knee replacement operations? There are many factors that are contributing to this increase, including:
- Advancements In Technology – Artificial knees have become much more durable than they were in the past. Previously, surgeons may have been hesitant to outfit a younger patient with an artificial knee because there was a higher likelihood that they would need to eventually have that artificial joint replaced as it slowly wore down over time. Nowadays, roughly 90 percent of patients are still going strong on their artificial knee 20 years after surgery, and many are going years beyond that date. As the life expectancy of these artificial joints grows, the age at which we can comfortably believe that a patient can undergo a replacement and reasonably expect not to need a second surgery will continue to get younger.
- Surgery Is Getting Smaller – Advancements in minimally invasive surgery mean that it’s less taxing on a patient to have a replacement operation performed than it was in the past. Since it’s no longer as physically demanding to receive an artificial knee, surgeons are more likely to consider it as a realistic option for patients who aren’t responding to conservative treatment.
- We’re Getting Bigger – Although surgery is getting smaller, we as a nation are getting bigger, and that doesn’t bode well for our knees. A recent report by the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention found that more than 40 percent of American adults are considered obese. This extra weight means your knees are channeling more stress with every step you take. And while the survey doesn’t specify the ages most at risk for obesity, it’s reasonable to expect that younger patients are also more likely to be obese than past generations. Obesity speeds up joint degeneration, so it’s no surprise that some patients are considering replacement operations at a younger age.
- Better Outcomes – Younger patients tend to be in better overall health than older counterparts, and while this certainly isn’t the case for everyone, being in better health helps immensely following a surgical operation. Younger patients tend to recover faster and bounce back quicker following an injury or operation, so they have some advantages compared to older patients undergoing a knee replacement operation.
- More Healthy Knee Compartments – Advancements in partial knee replacement mean that we can replace part of the joint while leaving the healthy areas intact. Younger patients are more likely to have damage to certain knee compartments compared to older generations who tend to have more unilateral knee degeneration from conditions like arthritis. Because we as a society are getting better at partial knee replacement operations, younger patients have another tool to pursue if they want to fix their knee problems without undergoing a total knee replacement.
So if you are in your 40s or 50s, know that a knee replacement operation is not out of the question. It won’t be the first treatment method we pursue, but we’re not going to force you to wait a decade for surgery if you’re not responding to conservative care. To learn more about your options, reach out to Dr. Botero’s office today.
