The knee is an important joint in the body, as it is used every day for walking, running, and numerous activities. When it comes to needing a knee replacement, Advanced Rehab and Sports Medicine Monmouth Clinic Manager Doug Price informs range of motion is a key indicator of when to schedule that replacement:
“If you start to lose range of motion in the knee, then you need to have it replaced. If you can’t get it completely straight, don’t let that go forever because now the muscles are shortening. A new knee replacement will bend to about 125 degrees, but if you for the last three years have only had 90 degrees of motion and the muscles have tightened up, they will replace that knee and under anesthesia it will move to 125 degrees, but when you wake up that muscle goes back to that same muscle memory of not going any further than 90 degrees. The rehab is difficult if you start to lose a lot of range of motion. So, I tell people that yes you need to go as long as you can, as far as before you replace it, taking as much pain as you can, but if you start losing that range of motion, you need to get it done. It will make your life a lot easier and make rehab go that much better.”
Price states that patients can get up to 30 years out of a knee replacement now, compared to the 15 years before.
