Our joints wear and tear as we age. Other causes of joint pain and limited mobility include injury during sports or trauma to the joint. Orthopedic surgeons in Mulund, Mumbai, recommend non-invasive treatment initially.
This consists of medication, physical therapy, and cold compress. If they fail, a surgical intervention is required. Joint replacement surgery is a fairly safe procedure. Depending on the severity of the pain, the doctor might recommend a partial or total knee replacement. Let’s explore the different types of joint replacement surgery.
Types of Joint Replacement Surgery
Knee Replacement Surgery
People diagnosed with arthritis or those who’ve suffered a severe knee injury can consider knee replacement surgery. The surgery is recommended when the cartilage cushioning the bones faces excessive wear. This leads to the bones rubbing against each other when you move. Knee replacement involves removing the damaged portion of the joint and replacing it with an artificial implant.
- Total Knee Replacement: It’s a complete removal of the knee joint.
- Partial knee replacement: This procedure removes a small portion of the knee joint, usually preserving the bones and ligaments.
Recovery
Depending on the type of knee replacement surgery, recovery may take 3 to 6 weeks. Keep your legs elevated and apply cold compresses to reduce swelling and inflammation.
Hip Replacement Surgery
Hip replacement or hip arthroplasty removes the damaged joint in the hips and replaces it with an implant that lasts 10-20 years. Like knee replacement, hip arthroplasty can be total or partial. In younger patients, surgeons can perform hip resurfacing, which preserves a considerable portion of your natural bones.
Your surgeon will prescribe pain-relief medication, physical therapy, and home remedies to ease pain and restore your mobility after surgery. It takes 4-6 weeks to recover from hip arthroplasty and resume routine activities. Discuss the risks with a hip replacement surgeon in Mulund, Mumbai to know if you are a good candidate for the surgery.
Shoulder Replacement Surgery
Arthritis can also affect your shoulder joints. If the pain is severe or you are unable to move the shoulder joint, a surgical replacement can help. Here are the types of shoulder replacement surgery:
- Total Replacement: In a total shoulder replacement, the humeral and glenoid parts of the shoulder are removed and replaced with an artificial implant.
- Reverse Shoulder Replacement: In this procedure, the shoulder’s ball-and-socket is reversed.
- Partial Replacement involves removing and replacing the humerus while leaving the glenoid in place.
Elbow and Ankle Joint Surgery
Osteoarthritis, failed previous surgery, and injury to the elbow or ankles might require a complete or partial joint replacement surgery to help restore the mobility of these joints.
The surgery is mostly recommended for older patients, as the lesser use of the artificial joint will increase its lifespan. Recovery after ankle and elbow replacement surgery is similar to other joint replacement procedures.
Conclusion
Joint replacement surgery has a good success rate and is considered a safe choice for people with unbearable joint pain and limited mobility.
