Restoring Mobility with Comprehensive Joint Replacement

If you’re suffering from continual pain and reduced function in your knees, hips or other joints, you may be a candidate for replacement. Our orthopaedic surgeons will evaluate your current level of functioning and pain level to see if surgery might be best for you – it all starts with a consultation.  

As a result of years of wearing down, degenerative disease or trauma, a knee can become painful and not function like it used to. Spurs (small pieces of bone) may deposit in the knee and arthritis may wear away the protective lining between the bones, causing painful grinding.

At this point, you and your surgeon may make the decision to have your knee replaced with an artificial joint. An artificial knee will function very much like your original knee. Generally speaking, your surgeon will replace the bottom part of the femur and the top of the tibia. In most cases, your surgeon will also decide that your patella needs to be replaced.

An unhealthy or painful hip usually results from the wearing away of the cartilage in your joint. Without the cartilage, there is no protection between the bony surfaces of the ball and socket. These two bony surfaces become rough and begin grinding against each other, causing stiffness and pain during movement.

If your surgeon recommends a total hip replacement, he or she will choose the best artificial hip (prosthesis) for you. This prosthesis is usually comprised of four components—a cup, liner, ball and stem. Different types of materials are used to make these components. The cup and stem may be cemented to the bone or porus coated, which allows bone to bond directly to the implant surface.

The artificial hip will act almost like a healthy hip and should allow for easy, pain-free walking.

Having a joint replacement doesn’t mean your days of activity are over! You may just need to take a different perspective. Low-impact sports and other physical activities are usually fine, but for any activities, make sure to discuss them with your physician before participating. 

There is no definitive answer, as all surgeries and use-cases are different for each individual patient. On average, total joint replacement surgeries typically continue to function as intended for 15 to 20 years. 

We encourage patients to build up the muscles around the joints to prep for a smoother recovery period following surgery. To that end, patients should start a series of exercises one week before surgery. 

Repeat each exercise 10 times, 2-3 times per day, slowly. 

Complete exercises while lying down or reclined with legs straight, using both legs.

Remember to take slow, deep breaths as you do each exercise. This will help circulation and provide oxygen to your muscle tissue.

1. Ankle pumps/circles

Slowly pull ankle up, hold five seconds. 

Slowly push ankle down, hold five seconds.

Slowly turn your ankles in a circle motion, reverse direction.

2. Gluteal sets

Slowly squeeze your buttocks together. 

Hold for five seconds and then relax. 

3. Quad sets

With legs straight, slowly push the back of your knee down into the bed, tightening the thigh muscle.

Hold for five seconds.

4. Long arc quads

While seated in a firm, straight back chair, straighten your leg into the air and try to hold it for 10 seconds. 

Slowly bend to return. 

Patients typically remain in the hospital three to four days following surgery, but every individual is different. Some patients receive continued inpatient rehabilitation to increase stamina and mobility before their discharge.

When it comes to your care and recovery, we take a team approach where everyone has a common goal — to help you get your quality of life back.

Our rehabilitation team focuses on getting your joints moving and back to normal function as soon as possible, including working on a comprehensive discharge plan with you. Whether you need extra outpatient care, homecare, short-term rehabilitation, or specialty equipment, your team will ensure you have what you need to regain your mobility and independence – both at the hospital and at home. 

We offer informational classes about hip and knee replacement surgery. The classes are presented by the orthopaedic teams, and are available at both Buffalo General Medical Center and Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital. 

Buffalo General Classes: https://www.buffalogeneral.org/care/Orthopedic-Joint-Ventures-Program/Patient-Education 

Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital:

https://www.kaleidahealth.org/classes-events/?search=replacement