Knee surgery isn’t as difficult for patients as it used to be, thanks to arthroscopy. This minimally invasive procedure causes less pain and speeds up your recovery. The team at Regenerative Orthopaedics and Spine Institute in Stockbridge and Griffin, Georgia, have extensive experience performing arthroscopic knee surgery to treat injuries and degenerative conditions like arthritis. They provide comprehensive care, from your diagnosis and initial nonsurgical treatment, through physical therapy and rehab. If you have questions about knee surgery, call the nearest office or request an appointment online today.
Knee surgery is the last line of treatment for most knee conditions. Your provider could recommend surgery when your symptoms don’t improve with treatments like rest, immobilization, changing your activities, physical therapy, and regenerative medicine.
Some knee injuries will need surgery right from the start to be sure they heal properly. Examples include:
People with knee osteoarthritis often need surgery as their disease gets worse. Your symptoms can improve after surgery to repair the cartilage or realign the bones in the joint. However, you need a partial or complete knee replacement once advanced arthritis has damaged the joint.
The Regenerative Orthopaedics and Spine Institute team uses a minimally invasive procedure called arthroscopy for nearly every kind of knee repair, including:
During arthroscopy, your provider uses long, narrow instruments that fit through a few tiny incisions. The arthroscope is equipped with lighting and a camera that sends magnified images to a monitor. Your provider uses arthroscopy to examine the joint, diagnose the problem, and make repairs.
The small incisions required for arthroscopy cause minimal trauma. As a result, you have less pain after surgery and a faster recovery. Most people are up, walking, and ready to go home in a few hours. Before you go home, you get detailed instructions about caring for your knee and managing pain.
You might need crutches or another assistive device for a short time. It’s important, though, to begin exercising your knee as soon as possible. Movement reduces inflammation, eases your pain, and restores strength and movement.
Your provider gives you an exercise regimen to follow at home. You start physical therapy as soon as possible. You should be ready to return to most activities in 6-8 weeks, but you might need to avoid high-impact activities for a little longer. If your surgery included ligament reconstruction, it’ll take longer to recover fully.
If you struggle with severe or ongoing knee pain, call Regenerative Orthopaedics and Spine Institute or book an appointment online today.