Knee replacement- maybe not -

Knee replacement- maybe not

August 25, 2020

Have you or anyone you know, ever been told just to put up with their knee pain until they can’t bear it anymore? And then they can have it replaced?

How would you feel if I told you this predominantly isn’t the truth? We hear this literally every week from patients, and it frustrates us no end, because it’s simply not how it should be.

So what if there was a better option, an option that would not only reduce your pain and improve your quality of life but also avoid expensive knee surgery? The advice of just put up with it is 100% contradictory to what the latest evidence suggests, and when dealing with our health and quality of life, we want the best evidence and the best advice that is supported by scientific evidence.

Now I understand it’s a really common belief, and it’s a long held belief that we just need to put up with arthritis until we can’t handle any more. And many of us have been told this by doctors, by family members and friends.

But it simply isn’t the truth and many people go have knee replacement surgery in the hope of improved quality of life, reduced pain, improved mobility with the promise they’ll return to bowls. Gardening walking, walking with friends, keeping up with friends like they did 20 years ago.

And some people do really, really well following this surgery. Don’t get me wrong, however, from my experience, many don’t do well and suffer for years following. We often hear this in the clinic.

I wish i’d never had it done. You know, i’m worse off. So what does the latest research and evidence say around knee arthritis and total knee replacement?

Well, surprise, surprise. It’s strongly supports exercise and strength work to improve function of the knee joint and restore movement, reduced pain levels.

In one study run at a melbourne hospital where they gave strength exercises for patients on the waiting list for 12 weeks, over two thirds of those participants chose to remove themselves from the wait list after the 12 weeks because their pain and function had improved significantly.

Since the publish of this study, there been many more on the benefits of strength work in reducing knee pain, and this is what we see in the clinic also so patients that commit to 10 to 12 weeks of strength rehab that involves strength exercises do really, really well and often avoid expensive knee surgery. So there you have it, guys. Definitely some food for thought.

There is another alternative to total knee replacement. If you’d like to know more about avoiding knee replacement surgery please reach out as always on 9544 0477 or email- beachsidephysio@gmail.com

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