If your knee is worn out it does not mean you need a new knee
Most people begin to worry that a knee replacement is coming as their knee wears out. In reality, for a large number of patients, early-stage knee damage can be managed through knee preservation treatments to protect the natural joint.
Ortho-One orthopaedic specialty centre at Coimbatore offers several kinds of knee preservation treatment.
Why knee replacement is not the only answer to a worn out knee
Knee replacement has transformed the lives of people who have lost the ability to walk without pain for several decades. It still remains a vital solution when knee preservation techniques are unlikely to work.
But over the past decade, orthopaedic doctors have gained a deeper understanding of joint biology by asking questions like can the knee be saved before it reaches the point of no return? Today, the focus has shifted toward preservation which means that more orthopaedic specialists are looking at early intervention, repairing damage, and delaying or avoiding replacement altogether.
What does knee preservation involve?
Knee preservation is an approach focused on repairing and protecting the natural knee joint instead of replacing it with an artificial implant. It includes:
- A precise diagnosis
- Physiotherapy
- Arthroscopic procedures
- Alignment-correcting or knee preservation surgeries
These procedures together can slow or reverse damage so that you can keep using your own knee for as long as possible. This matters most for patients who are active and younger or middle-aged.
The evidence supports this statement. High tibial osteotomy is a kind of alignment-correcting surgery. A review of 23 studies found that ten years after surgery, 85 to 92% of osteotomies were still holding up depending on the technique that was used (Kim et al., Scientific Reports, 2017).
Why is my knee wearing out in the first place?
Most Indians sit on the floor, use squat toilets, pray and sit cross-legged at social gatherings. These positions bend the knee deeply and, over years, increase the load on the cartilage, meniscus and ligaments. In recent years, more Indians complain of excess body weight, poor muscle strength and the repeated stress damage caused by lifestyle. Over time these show up as pain, stiffness and difficulty getting in and out of a squat.
Knee osteoarthritis is common in India. A study of 5,000 people across five sites found it in 28.7% of them. It was more common in women, in people with obesity, with increasing age and in those doing sedentary work (Pal et al., Indian Journal of Orthopaedics, 2016). Research from Beijing links long hours of squatting to the same problem: elderly people who squatted for three hours or more a day had about twice the odds of osteoarthritis in the main knee joint (Chinese Journal of Epidemiology, 2007).
Knee pain is also rising sharply among recreational athletes. Weekend runners, casual footballers and gym-goers often skip warm-ups, underestimate recovery and return to sport before an injury has fully healed. When there are no strong muscles around the knee it absorbs forces that it was never meant to bear alone. A minor ache after a run can progress to persistent pain and in some cases structural damage that needs medical intervention.
The goal is to your natural knee for as long as possible
Knee preservation treatment at Ortho-One, Coimbatore, aims to:
- Keep your natural joint allowing for a wider range of activities
- Delay knee replacement surgery
- Help walkers, runners, gym-goers and everyone else return to meaningful, functional activity
The results are encouraging for active people. In a review of 2,549 athletes who had cartilage restoration surgery, 76% returned to sport at some level (Krych et al., Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy, 2017).
The earlier you address the knee’s wear and tear, the higher the chance that we can preserve your natural joint.
Key takeaways
- Early-stage knee damage can often be managed with treatments that protect the natural joint.
- Knee replacement remains a vital solution but there are knee preservation techniques that can be tried.
- Knee preservation combines precise diagnosis, physiotherapy, arthroscopic procedures and alignment-correcting surgery.
- The earlier the wear is addressed, the better the chance of preserving the joint.
- In published reviews, 85 to 92% of high tibial osteotomies were still holding up at ten years, and 76% of athletes returned to sport after cartilage restoration surgery.
Frequently asked questions
What is knee preservation?
Knee preservation is an approach focused on repairing and protecting the natural knee joint instead of replacing it with an artificial implant. It includes a precise diagnosis, resistance exercises, arthroscopic procedures and alignment-correcting surgeries.
Who is knee preservation suitable for?
It matters most for patients who are active and younger or middle-aged, with early-stage knee damage.
Why is knee pain rising among Indians?
In India people are subjected to deep knee bending including sitting on the floor, using squat toilets and sitting cross-legged. These symptoms are exacerbated by excess body weight or poor muscle strength that slowly damages the joint. The incidence of knee pain among recreational athletes who skip warm-ups and return to sport before an injury has healed is also increasing.
Can knee preservation delay a knee replacement?
The aim is to delay or avoid replacement altogether. A review of 23 studies found that ten years after high tibial osteotomy, an alignment-correcting surgery, 85 to 92% of osteotomies were still holding up (Kim et al., Scientific Reports, 2017).
When should I seek help for knee pain?
The earlier you address the wear and tear, the higher the chance that we can preserve your natural joint.
Before you choose knee replacement
Don't let the fear of a major surgery stop you from seeking help. Contact us to see how your knee can be preserved.
Sources
- Pal CP, Singh P, Chaturvedi S, Pruthi KK, Vij A. Epidemiology of knee osteoarthritis in India and related factors. Indian Journal of Orthopaedics, 2016. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27746495/
- Retrospective study of squatting with prevalence of knee osteoarthritis. Chinese Journal of Epidemiology, 2007. https://pesquisa.bvsalud.org/gim/resource/ar/wpr-232325
- Kim JH, Kim HJ, Lee DH. Survival of opening versus closing wedge high tibial osteotomy: a meta-analysis. Scientific Reports, 2017. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5544741/
- Krych AJ, Pareek A, King AH, Johnson NR, Stuart MJ, Williams RJ. Return to sport after the surgical management of articular cartilage lesions in the knee: a meta-analysis. Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy, vol. 25. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27539401/
