After having a total knee replacement on both knees I notice that I stand up straighter and walk better. I was always a little knock-kneed before the operations. What do they do to change things around?
Knock-knees or the opposite condition bowlegs must be corrected when knee joint replacements are done. If the uneven pressure isn't changed, the new joint implant can wear unevenly just like the old joint probably did.
ometimes it's a simple matter to realign the bones and soft tissues while putting the new joint in place. In other cases, doctors must cut bone, ligaments, and joint capsule to make it all work in balance.
As newer technology improves, surgeons are finding ways to simplify the soft tissue releases. The goal is to give the patient pain free function with a new joint that will last as long as possible. Standing up straighter is an added bonus of these new surgical methods.
Mark Elkus, MD, et al. Total Knee Arthroplasty for Severe Valgus Deformity. In The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery. December 2004. Vol. 86A. No. 12. Pp. 2671-2677.
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