Knee replacement surgery is a major undertaking, and because of this, you want to do everything in your power to avoid some of the potential obstacles to a successful surgery. No surgery and recovery goes perfectly every single time, but if you are aware of some of the common pitfalls, you can proactively work to reduce the likelihood that they cause problems for your replacement operation. With that in mind, we’re going to use today’s blog to spotlight three common obstacles to successful knee replacement surgery so that you can take steps to avoid them if an operation is in your future.
Three Common Threats To A Successful Artificial Knee Replacement
Here’s a look at some of the more controllable threats to the success of your knee replacement operation, and some tips for keeping these issues from causing problems for your operation.
- Excess Weight – Being overweight or obese is a common contributing factor in the need to undergo a knee replacement operation, but the ideal patient will work to get their weight under control or shed a few pounds prior to the operation. Your knees have to handle more stress when you’re heavier, and considering that your knee will be in a weakened state following the operation, this extra strain on your knee can lead to prolonged inflammation, difficulty during physical therapy and delayed healing. If your weight is a concern, your doctor will work with you to help develop a weight loss plan to increase your odds of a successful knee replacement and recovery.
- Lack Of Effort During Physical Therapy – Physical therapy is going to be the most important aspect of your rehab in terms of helping you establish the most physical function in your knee after surgery, so you need to attend your in-person sessions and do your home-based exercises. That may sound easy enough now, but you’re going to be pretty uncomfortable for the first few days and weeks after your operation, and that discomfort can zap your motivation to push yourself with physical therapy. We will stress the importance of following through with your physical therapy exercises, but at the end of the day it is up to you to do your exercises on a regular basis. Don’t live with a new knee that is painful or a bit unstable because you didn’t help strengthen it with physical therapy after your operation.
- Infection – A final obstacle that could cause major issues for your new knee is the onset of an infection. Your doctor will work tirelessly to reduce the risk of an infection, and we hope that you will too. Change your dressing accordingly and follow your doctor’s instructions in regards to bathing and getting your incision site wet, as this can greatly reduce your risk of bacteria entering the wound site. Infections aren’t completely preventable, but you can significantly reduce your risk of an infection causing problems for your artificial knee if you keep the area clean until the incision has healed.
Keep these three potential obstacles in mind, and be sure to talk with your knee surgeon if you have any questions about what you can do to avoid these issues. For more information, or to talk to a specialist if you are considering knee replacement surgery, reach out to Dr. Botero’s office today at (865) 558-4444.
