What is life after having a knee replacement surgery?

Ashi’s mom had always been very active in her life. In fact, she was a state-level badminton champion. However, her life came crashing down when she was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis by her knee specialist in Bangalore at the age of thirty-nine. 

Her arthritis was so severe that her knee surgeon advised her to undergo total knee replacement surgery in Bangalore. Having a surgery like total knee replacement at forty was definitely not on her radar! Her life changed when she was diagnosed with arthritis and it wasn’t a smooth ride. Even after her knee surgery, she suffered from pain, and couldn’t move very freely. Ashi’s mom wanted to stay active without impacting the quality of life and hence opted for a total knee replacement after weighing all her options given by her knee doctor in Bangalore. During her knee surgery recovery, she learned three things about knee replacement: It could be good, bad and ugly. CureConsult has summarised her experience rather than truths about knee replacement surgery. Let’s dig deeper!

Getting your knee replaced feels like getting a new lease on life. Though you may not feel the same as before your knee was affected by rheumatoid arthritis, quality of life improves as well as your ability to do your regular chores with this knee surgery. The pain is not gone completely after surgery. However, you will start experiencing less pain after the recovery period is over. Knee replacement surgery also improves mobility by relieving you from knee pain, arthritis joint stiffness and easing daily activities such as walking, climbing stairs, standing and sitting. 

Traveling will be tough on your knees, especially long flights after knee replacement surgery. You need to stretch and walk around the airplane whenever possible to prevent blood clots. In case you have to travel, be sure to get up and walk around a bit once an hour to help prevent blood clots from developing. Wear clothing that makes it easy to show your knee incision to security agents at the airport. 

You will be advised not to play contact sports such as running, soccer, football, skiing, and tennis after a total knee replacement as these sports may decrease the shelf life of the replacement. You may witness mild to severe pain after knee surgery. You may also experience moderate to severe swelling in the first few days or weeks after knee transplant surgery. Sometimes, swelling may last for 3 to 6 months. Your knee doctor or knee specialist in Bangalore may advise you to wear stockings and apply ice to help reduce swelling and pain. Also, notify your knee doctor if you experience severe pain and swelling as it could be signs of blood clots.

Most of the people experienced knee pain, loss of motion and inability to kneel during sexual intercourse after knee replacement surgery. You should avoid extreme flexing of your operated knee during intercourse and to go slow and stop if you experience pain. Most knee surgeons in Bangalore advise their patients to avoid sexual activity for four-five weeks after knee surgery. Make sure you have a detailed discussion with your knee specialist about sexual relations after the total knee replacement procedure. 

Scarring is another issue with knee replacement surgery. As the incision heals, a scar will be created. The size and color of the knee scar may vary from person to person and may stay with you for a lifetime.

Another ugly side of knee surgery is its risks. Knee replacement also carries the same risks and complications as other major surgery. Common risks of knee replacement surgery are:

 Any surgical wound is susceptible to bacterial infection. You should take proper care of the wound to avoid signs of infection. Watch out for the following signs of infections:

• redness
• swelling
• warmth
• discharge from the surgical site
• fever and chills

If an infection arises, call your doctor immediately

 Although, bleeding during and after surgery is considered to be normal, if you lose too much blood during the surgery you may need a transfusion.  

The blood clot is one of the major complications of knee surgery. If surgery damages a blood vessel or you can’t move for several days after the procedure, a blood clot may form.

If you look at any best knee replacement hospital in Bangalore then check out there success rate, surgery cost, the overall rating of the doctor on online channels.