Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Its Time To Evaluate Your Knee

Your Knee Evaluation

An orthopaedic surgeon specializes in problemsaffecting bones and joints. Your knee evaluation will begin with a detailed questionnaire. Your medical history is very important in determining whether surgery is necessary and medically safe. It helps the surgeon understand your pain, limitations in activity and the progression of your knee problem. After your history information is reviewed, a physical exam is performed. The range of motion of your knee is measured, your legs are evaluated for variances such as bowlegs or knock-knees, and your muscle strength is analyzed. The surgeon will observe how you walk, sit, bend and move. X-rays will be taken of your knee joint. Bring any previous knee X-rays with you to help your surgeon plan the surgery and evaluate the fit of your new knee prosthesis. If the X-rays show severe joint damage and no other means of treatment has provided relief, total knee replacement may be recommended.
A small amount of fluid may be taken from your knee joint to check for infection.
After your initial orthopaedic evaluation, the surgeon will discuss all possible alternatives to surgery.

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