Knee pain often starts off as a minor annoyance but can progress to the point where it interferes with your ability to enjoy an active lifestyle. If you are experiencing knee issues and are curious about what your treatment options might be, look to North Carolina Orthopaedic Clinic in Durham. Our team of sports medicine experts will provide a consultation to review your symptoms and medical history and determine what your knee replacement options may be. If they believe that conservative treatment will provide the symptom relief you are looking for, they will recommend you begin a non-surgical treatment plan before considering surgery.
Causes of Chronic Knee Pain
In many cases, osteoarthritis is the source of chronic knee pain. This condition can develop when years of wear and tear on a knee joint causes the cushioning cartilage in the joint to wear away. When this happens, bone rubs against bone, leading to inflammation, joint stiffness, and the development of bone spurs, which can put pressure on nearby nerves. Rheumatoid arthritis and post-traumatic arthritis can also cause enough discomfort to prompt an individual to consider a knee replacement.
Determining Your Knee Replacement Options
If our fellowship-trained surgeons decide that a total knee replacement is the best course of action, the damaged surfaces of the femur and tibia will be replaced with metal implants and a smooth plastic spacer will be inserted into the joint so the implants can glide smoothly across one another. If arthritis has only affected one part of the knee joint, a partial knee replacement may be an option.
If you would like more information about the different knee replacement options we offer at our community-based facility in Durham, contact North Carolina Orthopaedic Clinic today.