Conventional Or Kinematic Knee Replacement: Which Is Better For A Smooth Recovery?

Knee replacement is cost-effective in improving health-related quality of life. A high-performance total knee replacement is widely popular because of its continued technological improvements, painless and faster recovery.

Being an active participant in the healing process can help you get back to a healthy life sooner and ensure a more successful outcome. Here we are discussing two different methods of knee replacement and its recovery process.

Conventional Knee Replacement

The conventional knee replacement is often painful and time-consuming. Rehabilitation typically begins immediately after the surgery. A patient will have to stay in the hospital for 1 to 2 days or longer if needed. Patients who require extra attention or do not have home support may be transferred from the hospital to a rehabilitation center for better care and assistance. How ever, every effort is made to help the patient return to their home environment with additional support.

Physical Therapy 

Your caregiver will suggest physical therapy after being discharged and will usually begin within one or two weeks of surgery. A physical therapist will teach the patient:

Knee Strengthening Exercises

• Exercises to encourage a range of motion and reduce scar tissue
• How to use assistive walking devices, such as a walker and cane 

Most patients can care for themselves. You can resume regular routines within 6 weeks and drive within 5 to 8 weeks. It will take almost an entire year to fully recover and realize the total benefits of knee replacement surgery.

Kinematic Knee Replacement 

Unlike the traditional knee replacement surgery, kinematic knee replacement takes only minimal time for healing with no pain. This method aims to place the implant in line with the natural bending axis of the thigh, leg, and knee cap bones. 

Benefits

Compared to the conventional technique, kinematic knee replacement helps the patients to start walking in 24 hours independently without support. They do not need to depend on higher pain killers as they quickly recover from surgery. Thus this procedure is safer than conventional knee replacement methods.

 This surgery helps to achieve optimum functionality of the knee as early as 2 weeks. Within two weeks, the patient can achieve more than 120 degrees of knee bending. This method preserves more of the patient's own bone and ligaments, which allows for better implant fit and alignment.

 A kinematic knee replacement surgery provides better flexion to allow for more natural kneeling. This process eventually provides a quicker return to normal living activities such as walking, biking, and gardening and almost all the daily activities of life.

The kinematic knee replacement procedure is introduced and performed by the orthopedic surgeon At Rathimed Speciality Hospital, Anna Nagar, for the first time in India. Here, the surgical procedure is expertly planned and specific to the patient. Modern instruments are used to make bony cuts that restore the knee to its pre-arthritic alignment.

Visit Us: rathimedhospital.com
Blog Reviewed By: Dr.N.Ragunanthan
Mail Us: rathimedhospital@gmail.com
Book an appointment: rathimedhospital.com/book-appointment

Try These Before Opting A Total Knee Replacement

Millions of people suffer from knee arthritis. They will experience difficulties like pain, stiffness, which eventually decreases the activity level and quality of life. Most of the patients opt for total knee replacement as a solution to this problem. Though this is the most effective treatment for complete pain relief, it should be considered only as a last resort. There are other minimally invasive methods and treatment procedures that you can try before choosing a knee replacement surgery. 

Following are some of the alternates that you can opt for

Weight loss: Reducing weight can help you to reduce knee pain. Your knee will have to bear more force if you become overweight. Exercise can help you achieve your goal while strengthening your muscles and reducing pain.


Physical therapy: Knee arthritis often makes the knee joint painful and stiff, creating difficulty in movement. An expert physical therapist can increase the strength of the muscles supporting the knee and reduce pain through appropriate physiotherapy techniques. They use ice and heat, electrical nerve stimulation, and many more therapies to increase blood flow to the knee to decrease the stiffness. It is suggested to seek the help of a physiotherapist rather than doing it on your own.


Medications: There are several medications for knee arthritis that have been proven to help. However, physicians try to limit the number of these medications. Over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs) can be quite effective in reducing the difficulties of knee arthritis. Supplements like glucosamine sulfate and hyaluronic acid are also successful in reducing the pain and stiffness caused due to knee arthritis.


Injections: Knee injection or hyaluronic acid lubricates the knee joint and helps to improve shock absorption and reduce the inflammation. These injections can drastically reduce the stiffness, pain, and swelling associated with knee arthritis. This method is often effective, provides long-lasting relief, and improves mobility and reduces pain.

Arthroscopic Surgery: Arthroscopic surgery is a minimally invasive type of knee surgery performed with a camera inserted through small incisions to repair cartilage or meniscus tears inside the knee, or to remove bone or cartilage fragments. This is often suggested to patients who have symptoms such as sharp pain, catching or locking of the knee.

Osteotomy: Osteotomy is recommended for younger patients with deformity or damage only on one side of the knee. In this surgical procedure, the surgeon cuts your shin or thigh bone to shift the load away from the arthritic area of the knee. However, osteotomy might make it difficult for patients to undergo successful knee replacement surgery at a later time if needed.

When it comes to choosing a treatment for knee arthritis, you should consider all possible alternatives to knee replacement surgery with the help of an expert surgeon. However, delaying necessary surgery causes additional long term complications.

Visit Us: rathimedhospital.com

Blog Reviewed By: Dr.N.Ragunanthan

Mail Us: rathimedhospital@gmail.com

Book an appointment: rathimedhospital.com/book-appointment.html