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What Are the Foot Problems After Knee Replacement?

You may require knee surgery if you suffer from pain, stiffness, loss of function, or instability. These problems affect your daily functioning and leave you no choice but to replace them. Your worn-out knee with the cartilage is removed and replaced by a plastic or metal one in the process. Again, This process helps you move your knees freely and carry out your work.

Advantages Of Knee Replacement Surgery

There are numerous advantages of going through knee replacement surgery. The most common ones include:

• Improved mobility
• No more pain
• Increased quality life 

Research shows that 90 per cent of people who undergo knee replacement surgery say it has improved their quality of life.

How Frequently Complications Arise?

It was estimated that around 600,000 people were going through knee replacement surgery every year, and only about 2 per cent of them were suffering from complications like infection. Moreover, if you stay at the hospital after your surgery, the risk of suffering through complications is reduced even more.

For people who have grown old, the risk of complications is higher:

• About 1% of people are exposed to the threat of infection
• Fewer than 2% might develop a blood clot

Furthermore, in sporadic cases, osteolysis can also develop. This is an inflammatory disorder that arises when the implant’s plastic undergoes microscopic wear, causing it to dissolve or loosen.

Complications After Knee Replacement

Many patients who go through knee replacement surgery have a very positive outcome. They feel happy about their decision as they can return to normal conditions. However, for some individuals, some complications arise. Here are some problems faced by patients:

• Knee stiffness is the most common type of problem people suffer from. It involves problems relating to difficulty moving legs while going down the stairs, getting out of a chair, sitting in a chair, etc. 
• Clunking sound: People usually get shocked when they hear noises from their replaced knee. However, there is no problem in conditions in which there is no pain associated with the clunking sound. It is not uncommon to hear such sound coming out of a metal or plastic joint. The main problem arises when there is pain associated with the sound. 
• Foot problem: The heel bone after the surgery gets a bit stiffer because of the ankle joint’s new biomechanics. As a result of the hindfoot’s stiffness, the pain in the midfoot and forefoot area increases. It further contributes to plantar fasciitis. Moreover, if you feel your foot or ankle pain is growing daily, you should get yourself evaluated. 
• Infection: It is the most feared problem after going through knee surgery. Moreover, two types of infection can occur: early infection and the other is called late infection. Sometimes, the infection can be too complicated to cure and may require removing the entire knee replacement. In 1981, around 9.1% of people who underwent knee surgery experienced infection. However, it has dropped from 1 to 2% in recent years because of the emergence of new practices.

How Long Will The New Joint Last?

Nine out of 10 people who opted for total knee surgery enjoyed their new joint for about 20 years. For some, it is even more than that.

However, in the case of partial knee replacement, people are most likely to undergo a revision. Ten per cent of people need to go through the process after ten years of getting their knees replaced.

Further, the chance of getting a revision increases if the patient is overweight or involved in heavy manual labour.

What Is Revision?

Some people need to go on the second round of knee replacement surgery. This second surgery is more complicated than the first and is known as revision.

Conclusion

Knee replacement surgery is a standard treatment that thousands of people undergo every month. Most do not have any complications. It is wise to know all the complications beforehand and check if any arise.

However, if you follow your healthcare professional’s instructions and exercises, it can be prevented.

FAQs

• What are common foot problems after knee replacement?

• Swelling, numbness, pain, and altered gait are common issues post-surgery.

• Why do foot problems occur after knee replacement?

• Changes in walking mechanics, post-surgical swelling, and nerve irritation can lead to foot discomfort.

• How can foot problems be managed after surgery?

• Physical therapy, proper footwear, and swelling management techniques can help alleviate foot problems.

• Are foot problems permanent after knee replacement?

• Most foot issues are resolved with proper rehabilitation, but a doctor should evaluate persistent problems.

• Can exercises help prevent foot problems?

• Yes, strengthening exercises and range-of-motion activities can reduce the risk of foot problems post-surgery.