Risks Of Delaying Knee Surgery

Noyes Knee Institute Signature

Published On

Jun 10, 2021

Category

Patient Education

Has your doctor advised that you need knee surgery but chose to wait a little longer? Some patients have concerns about the procedure, while others fear that they’ll end worse than before surgery. Delaying the surgery for too long can complicate your situation. That’s why you should see an orthopedic knee surgeon as soon as possible.

At Noyes Knee Institute, we know how crucial it is to provide you with the right treatment option. That way, you and your loved ones can live your best life. Today, we’ll discuss the reasons why you should not put off knee surgery and instead go through with it.

Joint Deformity Can Get Worse

When pain worsens, deformity in the joint increases. In knee arthritis patients, it usually turns into higher levels of knock knee or bow-legged deformity. For hip arthritis, the leg length gets shorter as cartilage and bone wear away. Knee replacement can become tougher as joint deformity gets worse. This can cause your knee surgeon to perform a longer surgery to correct your joint deformity.

Joint Stiffness Can Increase

As the joint arthritis increases, the joint tends to move less. When that happens, the soft tissues around the joint may contract, which can cause stiffness. This includes the muscles, ligaments, and joint capsules. This is most notable in knee surgery patients.  Movement before surgery is a key indicator of expected motion after surgery.

Muscle Strength Can Weaken

When your arthritis progresses, the muscles around the joint may weaken. As this occurs, recovery after surgery may get harder. If you delay your surgery for too long, your muscle strength may never be the same again.

Pain From Knee Issue Could Become Chronic

While many put off their surgery due to its unpleasant nature, this can lead to more problems down the road. This also means that you could be dealing with chronic pain. As a result, your quality of life could be affected drastically. That’s why you should be proactive and consult your orthopedic knee surgeon about options to get up and running again.

Knee Surgery And Recovery Can Get More Complex And Costly

Waiting too long to get knee surgery can take up more of your time for recovery and therapy sessions. It also means more money will be spent on your condition than you would, dealing with it early on.

As for the surgery itself, it gets more complex the longer you delay it.  For example, a patient may only need a partial knee replacement if they act early. If they put off their surgery for too long, they’ll need a more complex total knee replacement. This will cost you more and also prolong your recovery.

Overall Health Can Decline

Delaying surgery can cause patients’ overall health to decline due to aging and less physical activity. Weight gain, heart problems, and lung issues could develop the longer they delay. That’s why you should talk to your doctor early on. They’ll provide you with tailored treatment options to address your knee and get you back on your feet.

Contact An Expert Orthopedic Knee Surgeon Today

Being proactive is key to ensuring your procedure and recovery process go well. At Noyes Knee Institute, Dr. Noyes and his orthopedic knee surgeon team will provide you with the support you need. Our team is ready to help discuss your ortho options and your best course of treatment.

Make an appointment today, and we’ll put you on a path towards living an active, pain-free lifestyle once again.