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The Joint Center at Orthopaedic Associates of St. Augustine offers a highly experienced, board certified, joint replacement surgeons. Are team are highly skilled in total and partial replacements of the knees as well as the hips and performs hundreds of computer navigated knee replacements per year.

A knee replacement is a substitution of the knee joint with an artificial joint, also called an implant. People undergo knee replacements to fix a number of conditions, including osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, trauma, and deformities. Knee replacement is generally considered when patients continuously feel pain or when their daily life is interrupted because of a lack of mobility.

The knee joint is located where the femur (thighbone) meets the tibia (shinbone) and fibula (next to the tibia). The front bone of the knee, called the patella or kneecap, moves along the femur. All of these bones are attached by ligaments, muscles and cartilage. It should be noted that the only bones affected by a knee implant are the femur, tibia and patella.

Surgery and Recovery

The Joint Replacement team of Orthopaedic Associates of St. Augustine will consider knee replacement surgery when other conservative treatments have failed. Such treatments may include injections, physical therapy, braces and anti-inflammatory medication. Factors that influence the decision to perform surgery are a patient’s age, activity level and condition.

The procedure averages forty five minutes and is usually done under a regional block. The recovery time varies for each patient, but a short-term recovery for most patients takes about four to six weeks. At this time patients can walk without an aid and no longer need strong prescriptions for pain. Long-term recovery typically takes three to six months. After healing; return to high level activities is encouraged.

A patient’s recovery is significantly dependent on their commitment to physical therapy and at-home exercises. Attending physical therapy and following through with exercises strengthens the joint and improves range of motion after surgery. For more information about knee replacements and learning about your options, contact us and make an appointment today.

Paul Roettges, MD
A member of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and the American Association of Knee and Hip Surgeries, Dr. Roettges performs hip and knee replacements as well as complex unresolved hip and knee pain.

 

Sina Kasraeian, MD 
Board Certified by the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery and has extensive training in arthroscopy and sports medicine reconstructive procedures.