So first and foremost, always consult with your orthopedic surgeon. They know your body better than we do.
The first precursor to having the surgery is when your knee pain becomes too great that it is interfering with your everyday life. Other symptoms include:
- constant pain or recurring pain
- knee pain during and even after exercise
- mobility no longer comes naturally
- nothing seems to help with the pain, neither medications nor a cane
- the pain prevents you from sleeping well
- You may feel a ‘Grating’ feeling when you bend a joint
Here are some reasons that you might actually delay surgery:
- You still have some extra time to try other treatments that aren’t as invasive. These include: rest, ice, heat, pain medications, and strengthening exercises
- medications seem to be helping manage the pain
- your knee pain isn’t hindering your daily operations
- you have open wounds that might become infected during surgery
- your leg muscles are weak and wouldn’t be able to support a new knee joint
- Obesity. This extra weight only puts more pressure on your knee so try to lose weight first to lessen the pressure.
Knee replacement surgery is very common, so don’t think it’s something unusual. In fact, more than 600,000 people each year get it. The age range of those who receive the surgery is between 50 and 80 with the average age being 70. 60% of those who get the surgery are women.
Source: https://www.healthgrades.com/conditions/7-signs-youre-ready-for-knee-replacement
