Should You Avoid Knee Surgery?
When you are dealing with osteoarthritis, you may believe that the best shot you have of walking normally or not dealing with pain is going to be knee surgery. However, unless you have already tried other options and they are not working, you should avoid knee surgery if you can. There are many side effects and risks that come with this surgery and exhausting your other alternatives is the best way to go.
What is knee surgery?
You may be wondering what a doctor will do during knee surgery. A routine knee surgery will involve the doctor taking out your damaged bone and cartilage. Once removed, they will replace it with an artificial joint. This may be made of metal or another type of synthetic material. If all goes well, you should experience less pain after the surgery. However, there are serious risks that come with this kind of surgery and you may have a reaction to the anesthesia, get an infection from the surgical site, or even get a blood clot. In some cases, the joint your doctor replaces may not even last.
Are there other options instead of knee surgery?
If you think that knee surgery carries too many risks right now, you may be looking into alternatives. While knee surgery has come a long way over the years, it should be used as a last resort when looking for healing methods. Some alternatives are:
- Weight management. The more weight you carry the more pressure you will have on your knee joints. You may wish to find a light exercise routine that will not be too difficult for your knee but will keep your body moving. Swimming is an excellent form of safe exercise.
- Physical therapy. If you would like to find exercises and stretches that can help you with your knee pain and mobility, considering reaching out to a physical therapist to learn ways that you can improve your knee pain naturally.
- Walking aids. Consider using a walker or a cane to help take the load off of your bad knee so that you can continue to mobile.