Don’t Just Live With Chronic Pain

I’m Considering Joint Replacement Surgery. How Much Improvement Can I Truly Expect?

Most patients who choose joint replacement surgery experience significant pain reduction and improvement in ability to do everyday activities – both of which contribute to improved quality of life.  It’s also important to remember that once surgery is complete, it’s up to you to perform all postoperative therapy as instructed by your surgeon to ensure optimal improvement.

The decision to undergo any type of surgery should only come after careful discussion with a trusted surgeon and only after the two of you have exhausted all non-operative care options. The specialized surgeons at AOA and Baylor Scott & White Orthopedic and Spine Hospital – Arlington have consistently scored at the top of North Texas hospital systems for providing excellent, cutting-edge care with the lowest complication rates.

Are There New Technologies For Total Joint Replacement?

Robotic surgery has been well established for over two decades and the Total Joint Replacement specialists at AOA work diligently to stay ahead of current and new technologies. Robot-assisted surgery gives your surgeon greater precision and control over the surgical instruments, meaning smaller incisions, minimal scarring and shorter recovery time – and often reduced pain. All of this leads to better overall patient satisfaction.

How Soon Should I Start Physical Therapy?

In general, formal physical therapy starts the day of surgery for knee replacements and can range six to eight weeks. For hip replacements, therapy is generally two to four weeks.  The job of a physical therapist is to teach you how to perform the exercises you need so you feel confident doing them on your own at least twice every day. Once your formal therapy is complete, you will need to continue the exercises for the next few months.

I Heard Knee Replacement Surgery Is Painful?

At AOA, we utilize a specific multimodal pain regime – meaning we use various methods to help with pain control. The goal is to decrease your swelling, which helps with pain, range of motion and a faster recovery. In general, we encourage using ice and compression as an integral part of your pain control regime. Additionally, our anesthesiologists specialize in managing orthopedic care and perform regional nerve blocks, which can dramatically help reduce post-operative pain and reliance on narcotic pain medication.