Do you have Knee Pain?

Arthritis of the knee can cause pain and stiffness, making regular activities such as walking and bending difficult. As arthritis progresses, conservative treatments tend to lose their efficacy and more definitive treatment should be considered. Knee replacement surgery involves replacing worn or damaged joints with implants to reduce pain and improve movement. It provides excellent results for many and is usually performed on those above 60 but may also benefit young patients with certain conditions. To help your doctor decide if knee replacement surgery is ideal for you, answer the questions below.

• Do you experience:
  • localised knee pain
  • diffuse knee pain
  • pain at rest
  • pain during activities
• Does the pain wake you from sleep?
• Do you need to take pain medications to relieve the pain?
• Do you take anti-inflammatories to relieve pain?
• Do you experience stiffness?
• Do you experience mechanical symptoms such as clicking, catching or giving way?
• Have you noticed you are walking with a limp?
• Do you use a walking stick or other walking aids?
• Do your symptoms stop you from performing day to day activities such as getting up from a chair?
• Do your symptoms stop you from performing your usual sports or hobbies?

If you have answered yes to more than five questions, then a specialist review would be advisable.

Supporting investigations would be helpful and these include:

• A plain X-ray of the Knee consisting of a front (AP) and side (lateral) view whilst standing and a specific view of the knee cap (Skyline patella) is worthwhile prior to a specialist review.
• An Ultrasound is usually unnecessary.
• An MRI may be required if further information to help make a diagnosis is required.