Your knee cartilage is responsible for ensuring balance and ensuring steady mobility. Getting your cartilage damaged doesn’t only cause excruciating pain but also hampers your overall mobility. However, thanks to the advancements in medical science, knee cartilage surgery in India is now possible to get back on track and regain 100% knee mobility after damage or injury.
If you or any of your loved ones are suffering from serious knee cartilage damage while being too young for a total knee replacement, it is advisable to seek a comprehensive treatment for damaged cartilage in the knee. When it comes to knee cartilage transplant surgery, recovery, and rehabilitation are as important as the procedure itself. Patients need to follow their surgeon’s instructions to ensure a speedy and effective recovery.
However, before getting to the tips and strategies involved in recovering after a knee cartilage transplant surgery, let us briefly understand the surgical procedure.
What Exactly Is Knee Cartilage Transplant Surgery?
Simply put, knee cartilage transplant surgery is a surgical procedure where your damaged cartilage is replaced with a graft, which can be extracted from your own body or taken from a donor.
This procedure is typically used to treat large, full-thickness cartilage defects in the knee that cannot be treated with other methods, such as microfracture or autologous chondrocyte implantation. It is also the best alternative for total knee replacement surgery, especially for patients who are too young for it. During the procedure, the damaged cartilage in the patient's knee is removed, and a matching piece of healthy cartilage from a donor (or regrown cartilage taken from their own body) is implanted into the knee joint. The transplanted cartilage is secured in place with screws or other devices, and the patient's knee is immobilized for a period of time to allow for proper healing.
Knee cartilage surgery in India is a fairly new procedure and requires a highly skilled surgeon along with careful patient selection. The procedure has shown promising results in relieving pain and improving function in patients with severe cartilage damage. However, it is not suitable for all patients and may not be recommended if the patient has other underlying knee conditions, if the defect is too large, or if the damaged area is too difficult to access.
Recovery Tips And Strategies After Knee Cartilage Transplant Surgery
Now that we know the essence of knee cartilage transplant surgery, let us have a look at some of the most important tips that ensure seamless recovery:
Follow Post-operative Instructions
Your knee cartilage transplant surgeon will provide you with a set of specific instructions to follow after the surgery. These instructions may include things like taking medication, changing dressings, avoiding certain activities, and performing exercises. Following these instructions is critical to ensure proper healing and preventing complications.
Keep Your Knee Elevated
Elevating your knee above the level of the heart can help to reduce swelling and improve circulation in the affected area. This can be done by propping the knee up on pillows or using a reclining chair to keep the leg elevated.
Use Ice Therapy
Applying ice to the knee can help to significantly reduce swelling and relieve pain. Ice packs can be applied to the knee for 20-30 minutes at a time, several times a day, in the first few days after surgery.
Use Compression Therapy
Compression stockings or bandages can also help to reduce swelling and improve circulation. Your surgeon may recommend wearing compression garments during rehabilitation.
Perform Exercises As Instructed
Your surgeon will recommend specific exercises that improve the range of motion and strength in the knee. These exercises should be performed as instructed, typically starting with gentle movements, and gradually increasing in intensity as your knee heals.
Avoid Weight-bearing Activities
Depending on the extent of the surgery and the specific instructions given by your surgeon, you may be advised to avoid weight-bearing activities, including walking or standing, for a certain period of time after the surgery. This can help to protect the knee and prevent further damage.
Attend Physical Therapy Sessions
Physical therapy always helps you improve the range of motion, strength, and flexibility in the knee, and is typically an important part of the recovery process. Your surgeon may recommend attending periodic physical therapy sessions to help facilitate your recovery until you are fully back on track!
Follow A Healthy Diet
As trivial as it may seem, eating a healthy diet can help you promote healing and reduce inflammation in the body after the treatment for damaged cartilage in the knee. This can be achieved by including plenty of fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, whole grains, and healthy fats in your diet.
Be Conscious Of Your Overall Well-being
Ultimately, taking care of your overall health can also be important during the recovery period. This includes getting plenty of rest, staying hydrated, avoiding smoking and alcohol, and managing stress levels.
The Undeniable Importance Of Rehabilitation
When it comes to getting a knee cartilage transplant, the importance of extensive rehabilitation cannot be denied. Being a new surgical treatment in the country, it is important for the patients to realize how critical rehabilitation is to the procedure. A fully successful and effective treatment can be undone if you do not tend to your knee after the surgery.
Always make sure you follow you’re the advice given by your orthopedic surgeon as well as a physical therapist to ensure 100% recovery of your knee.
The Final Word
These were some of the most important tips and strategies you should keep in mind as you recover after knee cartilage transplant surgery. Healthy recovery ensures the treatment’s longevity, keeping you away from undesirable complications and preventing you from succumbing to a serious injury again.
If you have injured your knee cartilage or suffer from an underlying musculoskeletal disease, make sure you reach out to a trusted orthopedic surgeon for a thorough diagnosis and treatment. Delaying the surgical treatment will only make matters worse, making it increasingly difficult for your knee to regain normalcy.
Take charge of your knee health! If you've injured your knee cartilage , don't delay seeking help. Reach out to a trusted orthopedic surgeon for a thorough diagnosis and consider a cartilage transplant knee who provides the best cartilage transplant surgery in India. Give your knee the chance to recover and regain normalcy. Start your journey to a healthier knee today
