| Getting a knee arthroplasty or joint replacement is | | | | crutches provide assistance until complete motion is |
| expected by a lot of people to be a solution to their | | | | revived. If there is serious negligence on the side of |
| mobility problems. However, it seems that there is a | | | | a therapist or the lack of cooperation from the |
| certain group of people that have not regained the | | | | patient, stiffness of the knee will eventually occur. |
| full range of motion that they had expected after | | | | How Long Does the Stiffness Last? |
| surgery. This condition is generally termed as | | | | According to a recent study, it was found out that |
| stiffness of the replacement joints. The duration of | | | | among people who have experienced knee surgery, |
| stiffness after total knee replacement has not been | | | | only 1 percent have felt stiffness in their |
| extensively written about, though there are available | | | | replacements. Most of them have also reported the |
| solutions to correct the condition. | | | | issue earlier to their surgeons and they have |
| Osteoarthritis and Knee Replacement | | | | performed certain corrections. Duration of stiffness |
| An indication that a patient needs knee surgery is | | | | after total knee replacement can last as long as the |
| when he or she has a developing osteoarthritis. | | | | rehabilitation process of the patients. This can mean |
| Osteoarthritis is a combination of various conditions | | | | as long as three months or more, but most patients |
| that result in the continuous degradation of the joints. | | | | get full function of the knees by then. |
| The joints are protected by a material called the | | | | Corrective Procedures |
| cartilage, the same material the visible part of the ear | | | | One way to shorten the duration of stiffness after |
| is made of. A series of forces contribute to its | | | | total knee replacement is to massage the knees or |
| thinning out, causing the joints to become closer and | | | | have them moved by an expert while the patient is |
| will eventually cause pain whenever in contact. | | | | under anesthesia to remove the pain. This is usually |
| This is especially true to the knees, since they have | | | | part of the rehabilitation process already and ensures |
| to stand the weight of the entire upper body and | | | | that the replacement is working perfectly. |
| the legs. Running, walking, or even standing becomes | | | | If the stiffness can be discovered early on, surgery |
| very difficult to a person with osteoarthritis. If | | | | can be performed again to adjust the calibration of |
| therapy and medication cannot help anymore, the | | | | the joints or have them replaced altogether. |
| joints are replaced by artificial mechanisms that mimic | | | | According to the same study above, corrective |
| the function of the knee. | | | | surgery resulted to around 90 percent of patients |
| Why Does the Stiffness Happen? | | | | getting back full motion of the knees. |
| There are several factors that could lead to the | | | | A strict doctor ordered rehabilitation always follows |
| stiffness. One is the actual built quality of the artificial | | | | knee replacement surgery. Unfortunately, this rehab |
| replacements. Though the replacements have been | | | | is only enough to give you some mobility and get |
| rigorously tested prior to shipping in various medical | | | | back part of your life. They don't expect people with |
| facilities, there is still a big chance that a small portion | | | | knee replacements to have the full abilities like they |
| may not have passed quality control measures. | | | | once did, so they don't even try. With the right |
| Another culprit may be the lack of rehabilitation after | | | | exercise and routines, though, you can have that life |
| the surgery. Usually, patients are asked to complete | | | | back, despite what the doctors tell you. Take the |
| a series of physical exercises to retrain simple tasks | | | | time to learn about rehabilitation from knee |
| such as standing up or bending the knees. At first, | | | | replacement surgery, and how you can ease your |
| they are simply asked to do these exercises while in | | | | fear of living a sedentary life by taking action. |
| bed or sitting. Next, a physical therapist and railings or | | | | |