When is knee replacement considered?
Knee replacement is considered when knee pain or stiffness has a big effect on daily life and other treatments no longer help. Age and an X-ray grade alone do not decide it.
Signs doctors look at
- Pain or stiffness that limits walking, stairs or getting out of a chair
- Moderate or severe pain at rest, by day or at night
- Long-term swelling that does not improve with rest or medicine
- A knee that bows inward or outward
- Little improvement from exercise, physiotherapy, medicines or injections
Causes
Most people who have a knee replacement have osteoarthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis and arthritis after an injury are less common causes.
Age and weight
American guidance states there are no absolute age or weight limits. Recommendations rest on pain and disability. Most patients are between 50 and 80. Long-term health conditions can change the risks.
The choice
Surgery is one option. Continuing non-surgical treatment is another. Your doctor can explain the risks and expected benefits of each for your knee. The decision is yours.
This page gives general information. It cannot diagnose your condition or tell you which treatment suits you. See a registered doctor for advice about your own symptoms.