6 things you must know about joint replacement

What can be worse than suffering from joint pain all the time and every time? You will find great advance is made in non-surgical treatments for those painful joints. However, if you are experiencing severe joint pain and it is preventing you from doing your regular daily activities, then opting for joint replacement is necessary.

Joint Replacement Surgery Is Common

Due to the advancements in surgical techniques and post-op analgesic care joint replacement surgery, today has become easy and pain-free. Also, one other reason why people consider this joint replacement surgery is because people want to be active later in life too.

It Is Tough but Manageable

It is believed that joint replacement is painful, it is, but can be managed. According to the experts, pain management has come a long way all thanks to various medication available. Before starting the surgery, a pain medicated injection is injected directly into the joints. This further avoids the doctors to prescribe any pain sedatives. Apart from this, healthcare experts also administer local injections after 1 to 1.5-hours post surgery in order to minimize any swelling.

You Will Walk Just the Day After the Surgery

A patient can start to walk just the day after the surgery, in some cases, patients also take a few steps on the same day as the surgery. It is wise that you walk around as not moving can lead to a formation of adhesions in the knees.

Physical Therapy Is Must

Once the surgery is done it is wise that you visit a physical therapist for some days, especially during the first six weeks. It is vital for you to move, the more you move the better. Other than this, you need to also exercise twice a day.

You Should Know Not All Joints Are the Same

It is of paramount importance to know that not all the joints are the same. Metal on Metal (MOM) implants is what they sound like. Both the socket and the ball are made of stainless steel, titanium, chromium, cobalt or some combination of these.

Polyethene and Metal on Polyethylene (MOP)  implants usually have metal structural pieces and a plastic liner where the ball and socket meet. They can also have a metal ball meeting a plastic socket liner. Ceramic on Metal (COM), Ceramic on Ceramic (COC), Ceramic on Polyethylene (COP) implants are durable, they can be vulnerable to fracture and breaking under big stresses. Your implant may be a fixed- or mobile-bearing implant; a PCL-retaining design or a PCL-substituting style. It may be fixed with bone cement or could be a cementless fixation design. The surgeon, based upon your physical situation, your age and lifestyle, his experience and the level of familiarity will decide the type of implant for you.

Losing Weight Can Do Miracles

Joint pains are mostly experienced by people who are overweight and obese. This is one of the major reason why doctors recommend losing some kilos. Obese people are more likely to need a joint replacement as compared to thin people. Post-op recovery is better and faster in people who lose weight before surgery and maintain that weight.

These are just some of the major aspects you need to know about joint replacement. Get in touch with healthcare expert for more details.

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