Need to know about your knees

PROFESSOR BRIGGS, WHO DOES 100 KNEE REPLACEMENTS A YEAR, GIVES A GUIDE.

FINDING A SPECIALIST START BY ASKING YOUR GP TO REFER YOU TO AN ORTHOPAEDIC SURGEON WHO PERFORMS KNEE REPLACEMENTS REGULARLY AND CAN DISCUSS THEIR RESULTS WITH YOU. YOU

CAN ALSO DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH ON THE NHS CHOICES SITE, WHICH WILL PROVIDE DETAILS OF HOSPITALS CLOSE TO YOU,

PLUS REVIEWS OF PATIENTS’ EXPERIENCES FOLLOWING A KNEE REPLACEMENT.

TYPE OF PROSTHESIS YOU

CAN DISCUSS WITH YOUR CONSULTANT.

I USE TRIATHLON WHICH IS MADE FROM COBALT/CHROME AND HIGH-DENSITY POLYETHYLENE. THIS HAS THE LOWEST REVISION RATE (REQUIRING FURTHER

SURGERY) IN THE NATIONAL JOINT REGISTRY.

RECOVERY TIME EXPECT A THREE OR FOUR-DAY STAY IN HOSPITAL. YOU WILL BE UP AND WALKING WITHIN 24 HOURS. YOU WILL BE PRETTY MOBILE BY SIX

WEEKS, WHEN YOU CAN RESUME DRIVING.

OUCH FACTOR THE PAIN IS PRETTY SEVERE FOR THE FIRST FEW DAYS AND CAN

LAST FOR ABOUT EIGHT TO 12 WEEKS.

SOME PATIENTS WILL FEEL PAIN MORE THAN OTHERS, BUT YOU WILL BE PRESCRIBED MEDICATION TO HELP. YOUR NEW KNEE

WILL ALSO FEEL WARM FOR ABOUT SIX TO EIGHT WEEKS, WHICH IS NORMAL – ESPECIALLY SO IF THE WOUND HEALED WELL.

HELP YOURSELF GETTING THE KNEE MOVING QUICKLY IS ESSENTIAL TO LONGTERM RECOVERY. YOU BEND THE KNEE 24 HOURS AFTER THE OPERATION. IT’S PAINFUL, BUT CRUCIAL FOR FLEXIBILITY AND A RETURN TO A NORMAL LIFE.

LIFE AFTERWARDS YOU CAN ENJOY LIFE WITH MUCH REDUCED PAIN AND RESUME MOST ACTIVITIES YOU DID BEFORE. RUNNING IS NOT GOOD BUT WALKING, SWIMMING, GENTLE TENNIS AND SKIING ARE ALL FINE. YOU CAN ALSO KNEEL ON IT.

LIFE EXPECTANCY OF NEW KNEE AT LEAST 10 TO 15 YEARS IF NOT LONGER. SOME KNEES DO FAIL EARLY, BUT THE FAILURE RATE OF A KNEE REPLACEMENT AT 10 YEARS SHOULD BE NO MORE THAN ABOUT 5%.