Total Knee Replacement Baltimore MD for Joint Injurie

The knee is a vulnerable joint that is made up of three parts: the femur, the tibia, and the patella.  Your knee takes stress from everyday activities, and even more stress from high-impact activities so knee injuries are common.  Sometimes these can be treated with rest and nonsurgical methods, but sometimes they need total knee replacement Baltimore MD.

Knee injuries that may need knee surgery Baltimore

Common knee problems can be the result of normal aging and wear and tear or they can be due to an injury or sudden movement.  Some common knee problems that may require knee replacement surgery Baltimore include:

• Ligament injury: There are 4 main ligaments in the knee and they can become stretched or torn.
• Tendonitis: Tendons in the knee can become inflamed due to overuse.
• Arthritis: Osteoarthritis is a chronic condition where the cartilage that is meant to absorb shock and protect your knee breaks down.

Diagnosing knee injuries

Symptoms of knee trouble that may need knee surgery Baltimore usually include pain, swelling and limited range of motion.  The specific cause of the symptoms will be diagnosed with imaging tests such as x-rays and MRIs.  Sometimes, a procedure called arthroscopy is also used in diagnosis.  During this procedure, a small, lighted tube is inserted into the joint and images are projected to a screen so your knee replacement doctor Baltimore can see what is damaged.

Nonsurgical treatments

If the injury to your joint is not severe, your knee replacement doctor Baltimore may recommend rest, ice, compression, and a knee brace.  If these do not provide relief or the damage is extensive, your doctor may recommend knee replacement Baltimore.  Most knee conditions are treated with the nonsurgical methods, but the most common knee condition to require knee replacement surgery Baltimore is osteoarthritis.

Total knee replacement Baltimore MD

During knee replacement surgery Baltimore, your surgeon will remove the damaged cartilage and the damaged parts of bone and replace them with prostheses.  These are usually made of metal with either plastic or ceramic and are cemented in place.  It can take several months to recover from knee replacement surgery Baltimore and your doctor will tell what activities you should avoid at different stages of your recovery.