KNEE PAIN

Your knee joint is made up of bone, cartilage, ligaments and fluid. Muscles and tendons help the knee joint move. When any of these structures is hurt or diseased, you have knee problems. Knee problems can cause pain and difficulty walking.

Arthritis is the most common disease that affects bones in your knees. The cartilage in the knee gradually wears away, causing pain and swelling. Injuries to ligaments and tendons also cause knee problems. A common injury is to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). You usually injure your ACL by a sudden twisting motion. ACL and other knee injuries are common sports injuries.

Treatment of knee problems depends on the cause. In some cases your doctor may recommend knee replacement.

Knee replacement is surgery for people with severe knee damage. Knee replacement can relieve pain and allow you to be more active. Your doctor may recommend it if you have knee pain and medicine and other treatments are not helping you anymore.

When you have a total knee replacement, the surgeon removes damaged cartilage and bone from the surface of your knee joint and replaces them with a man-made surface of metal and plastic. In a partial knee replacement, the surgeon only replaces one part of your knee joint. The surgery can cause scarring, blood clots and, rarely, infections. After a knee replacement, you will no longer be able to do certain activities, such as jogging and high-impact sports.

NB: the above information is provided solely for informative purposes and not as do-it-yourself instructions.  Kindly consult you healthcare professional for advice and guidance.  The author accepts no responsibility for any action taken by readers of this information.

Hierdie inligting is bloot ter illustrasie van 'n spesifieke toestand; geen verantwoordelikheid word hoegenaamd deur die outeur aanvaar vir selfbehandeling nie.  Raadpleeg 'n gekwalifiseerde medikus vir advies en behandeling.

Give us a call at Pieter M Botha Orthotist & Prosthetist if you experience Knee Pain on 017 634 7086/7 or fill in your medical requirements on the Contact Us form.