Knee joint preservation” is a method of restoring the knee joint to its natural flexibility, motion, and functionality without the need for replacement. Orthopedic surgeons can treat knee joint problems while keeping the normal structure of the damaged joints via a preservation technique. The majority of people who need knee joint preservation techniques have problems in the knee’s articular cartilage. For more information, contact joint preservation Cumming.
How and why is joint preservation performed?
Choosing between knee joint preservation and a replacement requires considering certain things, even though joint preservation is often a doctor’s first option for restoring the knee joint to normal function. Some of the factors influencing this choice are:
- Age: It is typically thought that younger people respond more positively to preservation treatments, but elderly people who are unable to have major surgery may also choose these methods occasionally.
- Weight of the person: A person’s weight directly relates to the amount of stress that is put on a joint. The stress on the knee joints can be decreased by up to five kilograms with even a one-kilogram weight drop. A particular way to preserve joints in the case of obese people is weight loss.
- Strength and training of the body’s muscles: A person’s muscles move their joints and act as shock absorbers, thereby protecting the joints from injury. Regular exercise helps to maintain and rebuild muscular strength, which in turn reduces joint tension and pain.
- The severity of the cartilage defect: In the knee joint, the cartilage serves as a padding between two bones. With the help of minimally invasive joint repair methods, small areas of this cartilage that are thinning or degrading may be successfully treated. However, if there is more loss of cartilage, the bones may come into direct touch. The bones deteriorate due to the friction resulting from their close physical contact. For these individuals, joint replacement surgery is more suitable.
What are the nonsurgical methods to preserve the knee joint?
- Physiotherapy: In order to avoid joint injury, which often occurs by inactivity, exercise, and physical therapy are the first line of defense. During an intense pain episode, walking may be challenging, and picking the wrong activity may be more damaging. Therefore, a tailored exercise regimen under the guidance of a qualified physiotherapist and orthopedic surgeon may help regain function and decrease discomfort.
- Exercises: A specially designed exercise program helps the person’s muscles, ligaments, and tissues around the area of injury to become more durable and mobile, in addition to improving their general health.