Knee Arthritis Arlington, Va
Knee pain, no matter the cause, can be debilitating but it doesn’t have to rule your life. Those who suffer from chronic knee pain will struggle with standing, walking, getting up out of a chair, lifting items, bending, and many other routine activities. The quality of your life will decrease the longer you suffer from chronic pain in your knees. You should call the orthopedic team at OrthoBethesda if you suffer from osteoarthritis, a deteriorated knee joint, or a meniscus tear.
Our trusted team provides patients who live in or around Arlington, Virginia with various knee treatments, including knee arthroscopy. If physical therapy hasn’t worked to relieve your pain, it’s time to call the team at OrthoBethesda of Arlington.
The Makeup of the Knee
The knee joints are some of the most important joints in your body. They are also some of the most complex joints in the body. Aside from the joint in each knee, your body depends on a mix of parts that enable your legs to move and bend correctly without pain. These components include the following:
- Thighbone (femur)
- Shinbone (tibia)
- Kneecap (patella)
- Fibula
If you’ve ever wondered why these bones are able to move about so easily inside your body, it’s due to the articular cartilage, which is quite slippery. There are menisci located at the tibial and femoral ends of the joints. The menisci are shaped like the letter “C” and are fibrous pieces of cartilage. They help to absorb shocks to the legs and help to provide cushioning to the joints.
The bones that are part of the knee joint are held together by ligaments. The joint is able to remain mobile because of the tendons, which help to connect your muscles to the bone within the knee. The knee is kept lubricated by the synovial membrane.
If any of these components of the knee suffer damage due to age, osteoarthritis, or injury; the knee joint will experience pain and trouble with range of motion.
How to Treat Arthritis in the Knee
Arthritis in the knee is not easy to deal with and it doesn’t just affect the older population. You should try any of the following options when dealing with arthritis:
- Lose weight
- Take anti-inflammatory medications
- Wear a brace
- Exercise often
- Consider injections of corticosteroids
- Speak to an experienced arthritis surgeon
Explaining Knee Arthroscopy
Knee arthroscopy is a popular procedure used by doctors to help repair damage to knees in patients of varying ages. Whether you were injured due to sports activities, injured in a car accident, or injured in a fall; the OrthoBethesda surgeons in Arlington Va can help you recover.
This procedure is minimally invasive and entails an arthroscope inserted into the knee using tiny incisions. This device allows our doctors to see the inside of the knee and the damaged areas. Because a camera is used, the doctor might find damage you weren’t aware of at the time of your procedure. Arthroscopy is an excellent alternative to an invasive replacement surgery procedure when dealing with osteoarthritis or knee pain.
Common Signs You Require Knee Arthroscopy
If you have been experiencing painful problems with your knees, it’s important that you visit OrthoBethesda as soon as possible for an appointment to consult about your condition. Your movement will only get worse, especially if medicine or another type of treatment hasn’t helped you yet. Our team might recommend arthroscopy as the course of treatment for you if any of the following is present and you’ve experienced no relief yet:
- A tear or damage to your articular cartilage, cruciate ligament, or meniscus
- The patella is not aligned properly
- The synovial tissue is inflamed
- A cyst is present on the back of the knee because of synovial fluid that has built up
- Fractures of the bone in the knee
What to Expect When Undergoing Arthroscopy Surgery
The OrthoBethesda surgeon assigned to your procedure will review what to expect from start to finish before you visit our center for the replacement surgery. The procedure is as follows:
- Arthroscopy can be performed by placing the patient under local, spinal, or general anesthesia. This discussion will occur between you and the surgeon prior to the day of the appointment based on your health.
- Two or three small incisions will be made near the knee by the surgeon once you have been administered anesthesia.
- A saline solution will be inserted into the joint to expand the interior parts of the knee to provide the surgeon with a better view of what he or she is working with.
- The arthroscope will then be inserted into one of the knee incisions and video will play on a screen in the operating room.
- The surgeon will examine the knee and the surrounding joints to determine what is wrong.
- After the surgeon discovers the underlying condition, tiny tools will be inserted using the incisions to repair the damage and improve your movement.
- At the conclusion of the surgery, the surgeon examines the area for any other issues and ensures that there is no excessive bleeding.
- The medical team will drain the saline from your knee and the incisions will be closed.
What Can be Repaired During Arthroscopy Treatment?
Whether you suffer from osteoarthritis, an injury requiring the help of a sports medicine expert, or another type of injury that is causing you pain; arthroscopy is an excellent procedure to aid in pain relief. The surgeon working on your knee pain will be able to repair any of the following:
- Patella realignment
- Removal of a cyst
- Repair or removal of a torn meniscus
- Stimulate the growth of cartilage
- Removal of loose bone fragments
- Reconstruction or repair of the cruciate ligament
- Removal of torn articular cartilage
- Removal of inflamed synovial tissue
Recovering from Arthroscopy Replacement Surgery
You should learn as much as possible about your joint replacement surgery prior to scheduling the appointment. It helps provide a better understanding of what is at stake, how your pain will be managed, and what your recovery time will look like.
For the most part, arthroscopy joint replacement for osteoarthritis is minimally invasive. Almost all of the patients who undergo this pain relief treatment will be released the same day the procedure takes place. Depending on the repairs made by the surgeon, your recovery should not take too long.
Your pain level will need to be maintained using pain medication prescribed by the doctor at our center. It’s possible you will need to get a pair of crutches to assist with walking the first few days following the procedure. Physical therapy will likely be recommended and our team will help you find a physical therapist close to your home.
Are There Risks of Arthroscopy Surgery?
As with any type of procedure, there are risks of arthroscopy surgery and its treatments. If you have reservations or questions, be sure to pick up the phone and call us. Knee pain should never be ignored. However, you should know the risks prior to going under the knife. The risks include the following:
- The development of blood clots
- Stiffness in the joint
- Persistent problems with your knee
- Bleeding in the knee joint
- Infections where the incisions were made
- Setbacks in physical therapy
Contact OrthoBethesda to Schedule an Appointment Today
Have you been suffering from knee pain or osteoarthritis that doesn’t seem to be getting better? If so, it’s time to explore your options, which include physical therapy, arthroscopy, and other procedures. Pick up the phone and contact our center today to find an available surgeon near you. Our trusted team will review your situation, examine your pain levels, and recommend the right procedure. We are conveniently located in Arlington, Va. Please call us at your convenience so we can alleviate the pain in your legs.