Knee Pain Treatment: Symptoms, Surgery Procedures, and Recovery

The knee is a complex joint in your body. Bearing a massive amount of weight from everyday activities like jogging, kneeling, and lifting, the knee is highly vulnerable to injury. The knee has the following parts:-

1. Tibia: The larger bone or shin bone of the lower leg
2. Femur: The upper leg bone or thighbone
3. Patella: The kneecap
4. Cartilage: A flexible connective tissue at the bone ends to protect the knee by absorbing shock.
5. Muscles: Helps in straightening and bending the leg
6. Tendons: A tough cord of tissues connecting muscles to bones
7. Ligaments: Elastic band of tissue connecting both the bones

What are the Symptoms that Require Knee Pain Treatment?

You may want to consider knee surgery when you experience:-

1. Intense pain limiting your everyday activities.
2. Knee inflammation and swelling that does not get better even with medication
3. Inability to bend
4. Discomfort or intense pain, while walking or inability to walk
5. Pain while resting
6. A bowed in or out leg

What are the Risk Factors of Knee Pain?

The risk factors for knee pain include:-

1. Obesity
2. Previous injury or bacterial infections
3. Lack of muscle strength
4. A tumour in the knee
5. Repetitive motions during certain exercises (  like jogging) or kneeling for a long duration

What are the Preventive Measures for Knee Surgery?

You can avoid knee surgery by following these preventive measures:-

1. Strengthening leg muscles
2. Losing weight
3. Maintaining a good nutrition
4. Keeping the knees flexible
5. Running or jogging on soft surfaces
6. Wearing kneecaps to avoid injuries during sports or exercise 

When is the Need for Knee Surgery Procedure?

A knee pain surgery is usually performed when your knee joint is damaged to such a degree that your mobility is affected and you experience pain even while resting. The causes for knee pain treatment include:-

1. Osteoarthritis
2. Gout
3. Rheumatoid arthritis
4. Haemophilia A
5. Knee Injury
6. Knee malformation and loss of cartilage
7. Unusual bone growth
8. Blood supply problems due to death of bone

A doctor may suggest a knee pain treatment when you face:-

1. Reduction in mobility due to redness, stiffness, and extreme pain
2. Difficulty in performing everyday tasks like standing, climbing stairs, etc
3. Pain starts disturbing your sleep
4. Unable to work and have a social life

What may happen if Knee Pain is not Treated in Time?

The risks of delaying knee pain surgery include:-

1. The surrounding tissues and muscles near the damaged knee weaken.
2. Due to restricted mobility, the risk of damaging another knee also increases.
3. Restricted mobility, pain, and discomfort may result in bad posture
4. Constant pain can affect the quality of life and health
5. As the damage increases, the complexity of the surgery also increases
6. The older you get, the recovery time also increases

Knee Surgery Procedure

The types of surgery suggested by the medical professional for knee pain treatment include:-

1. Knee Replacement Surgery: During the knee replacement surgery, also known as knee arthroplasty, the surgeon removes the damaged cartilage or bone in the knee joint and replaces it with an artificial joint of plastic and metal. 
2. Arthroscopy: Arthroscopy is a minor surgical procedure in which the surgeon inserts a tool known as an arthroscope into the knee joint through several cuts to diagnose and treat the injuries.
3. Osteotomy: In an osteotomy, either the shinbone or the thigh bone is cut and reshaped to relieve pressure on the knee joint and repair the damaged joint. 
4. Mosaicplasty
   1. Mosaicplasty is a bone transplantation technique in which a bone and cartilage are taken from a healthy cartilage area to replace the damaged cartilage of the knee. 

The most common procedure used for knee pain treatment is knee replacement surgery:- 

Step 1:  In the first step, the surgeon makes an incision across the front of your knee to gain a view and access to your kneecap, Patella.

Step 2:  The surgeon rotates your knee cap outside the knee area to access the site where the surgery is performed.

Step3: Once your knee joint is open, the surgeon cuts away the damaged pieces of your thigh bone or femur. 

Step 4: The surgeon implants the femoral component, the first part of the artificial knee, to the end of your femur and seals it into place using bone cement. 

Step 5: Next, the surgeon removes the damaged parts from the top of your shinbone, and tibia. 

Step 6: The bottom part of the artificial knee, the tibial tray, is fitted to the tibia and secured using bone cement. 

Step 7: The surgeon flattens the Patella and fits it with a plastic component to return it to its position.

Step 8: The surgeon will bend your knee to ensure that the replacement is implanted correctly. They will then close the incision with surgical staples or stitches and bandage the surgical site. 

Please Note: The selection of the procedure or treatment approach is based upon the condition of your knee and the opinion of your surgeon. 

What Can You Expect Before Surgery?

1. Before the surgery, your doctor will explain to you the complete surgery process, inform you of the duration, usually 60 to 90 minutes, and allow you to ask questions about the procedure. 
2. You may be directed to a Pre-Anaesthesia checkup (PAC) and undergo blood tests and other physical examination tests to help the doctor ensure that you are in good health and fit for surgery. 
3. Inform your doctor if you’re allergic to any medications or anaesthesia. 
4. After receiving the results of the PAC and other tests, the doctor will provide you with the date of the surgery appointment, along with the hospital stay and estimated cost.
5. The doctor will ask to fast for 8 hours, generally after midnight before the procedure.  

What Can You Expect on the Day of Surgery?

1. On the day of the surgery, you will be required to sign a consent form permitting the procedure.
2. Next, you will be informed about the changes of clothes, removal of jewellery and all non-permanent dental work before the surgery. 
3. The doctor will then record your last meal and diet.
4. They will monitor your vitals and shift you to the OT room. 

What Can You Expect During Surgery? 

1. You will be made to relax on the operating table such that your knee is bent to expose all the surfaces of the joint. 
2. Next, an intravenous (IV) line, a soft-flexible tube placed inside the vein, will be started in your hand or arm for medicine or fluids. 
3. Based on the PAC results, the doctor will decide the use of general anaesthesia (makes you unconscious) or spinal anaesthesia (keeps you awake but you cannot feel anything below the waist).
4. The team will shave off the excess hair on the surgical site, and the area will be cleansed with an antiseptic solution.
5. The anesthesiologist will monitor your vitals, including heart rate, blood oxygen level, blood pressure, and breathing throughout the knee pain surgery.
6. The surgeon will next make an incision in the knee area, remove the joint’s damaged surfaces, and replace it with a prosthesis, an artificial knee joint made of metal or plastic. 
7. They will then close the incision with surgical staples or stitches, and the fluid will be removed by placing a drain in the surgical site.
8.  A sterile bandage or dressing will cover the surgical site. 

What Can You Expect After Surgery?

Recovery Process in Hospital:-

1. The team will shift you to the recovery room after the surgery to observe blood pressure, breathing and pulse. 
2. Once your vitals are stable, the team will shift you to your hospital room or general ward.
3. A physical therapist will meet you and plan an exercise program that you must follow both in the hospital and at home.
4. After your condition stabilises, you will be discharged with the continuation of physical therapy until a good range of motion returns. 

Recovery Process at Home:-

1. The doctor will give you particular instructions to keep the surgical area clean and dry. 
2. You may be asked to apply ice or elevate your leg to reduce swelling.
3. You will be asked not to drive or do other activities until your doctor tells you otherwise.
4. Make other modifications at home and in your lifestyle like avoiding climbing stairs, grabbing objects with a stick, and removing carpets or things that can cause you to trip. 
5. You can start your regular diet once you are home unless your doctor recommends otherwise. 

First Follow-Up Appointment

Your surgeon will schedule several follow-up sessions in the following weeks. The schedule will depend on how well you’re doing, the surgeon’s opinion, and the medical institution. During the first follow-up session, the doctor will remove your stitches and surgical staples, prescribe medicines and further follow up instructions. 

Myths vs Facts

Myth 1: Knee replacement is an excruciating surgery

Fact: Modern-day surgeries with novel pain management approaches to ensure that you do not feel any pain during the surgery in the postoperative period.

Myth 2: The knee replacement lasts only for ten years

Fact: The modern-day precision of the surgeries enables the joint replacements to last for 20-25 years and, in some cases, even for a lifetime.

Myth 3: Knee Replacement Results in Giving Up Activities and Sports

Fact: Not true! You can get back to walking and cycling in 6-12 weeks after the surgery. But yes, you need to keep squatting and sitting cross-legged to the minimum for a longer life of the replaced knee. 

When to Consult a Doctor?

Consult your doctor after the surgery, if you experience:-

1. Fever
2. Swelling, bleeding, redness, or drainage from the incision site
3. Severe pain around the incision site