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Knee Replacement Surgery Ends Chronic Pain

William B. Smith, M.D., Orthopaedic Surgeon, Columbia St. Mary’s

Posted: June 1, 2006

Arthritis destroys a person’s joints, leading to pain and the inability to engage in everyday activities. The damage caused by arthritis is the primary reason that individuals undergo knee replacement. After the surgery, patients usually find that the arthritic pain they had been experiencing for years is gone.

For some patients facing knee replacement, the decision whether to have surgery or not is the difference between a life of mobility or life in a wheelchair. Total joint replacements are done to keep patients walking, but if done in younger patients, they can do more than that. Many can participate in biking, swimming, cross-country skiing or other sports and activities that demand low impact on the knees or minimal cutting and twisting movements. At about three months after surgery, a patient can play golf and walk the course if desired.

When facing knee replacement surgery, it’s important to make the decision in a reasonable timeframe. Patients that put off surgery may not have as successful outcomes and a tougher time with post-operative pain and rehabilitation. For the best results, surgery should take place before the knee joint becomes too severely damaged and/or little motion remains.

After surgery, each patient’s healing progresses differently. Even the same patient having both joints done at the same time will heal differently. A lot has to do with the patient’s expectations, the surgery and the patient’s rehabilitation process.

Patients can expect a hospital stay of about three days. It takes that long to manage the pain, learn to maneuver and to regulate body systems after surgery. There will be six weeks of intensive rehabilitation and another six weeks of moderate rehabilitation. But it may take up to a year before the knee reaches its full potential in movement and comfort.

At Columbia St. Mary’s, the synergy of surgeons, nursing staff and therapists work together to achieve the best results for each patient. We perform more than 1,000 joint replacement surgeries each year, making our team very proficient with this type of surgery.


William B. Smith, M.D.
Orthopaedic Surgeon, Columbia St. Mary’s
(414) 326-1745

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