Month: July 2022

30 Jul 2022
step by step guide on knee replacement surgery

Step-by-Step Explanation of Knee Replacement Surgery

Total knee replacement surgery is an intricate process which requires high expertise and skill from the surgeon to make exact measurements and precisely remove the affected bone, and shape the remaining portion in a manner to fit the knee implant. Finally, the surgeon would construct an artificial knee joint. Knee replacement surgery has a success rate of around 90%, which shows why it is in demand.

Knee joint replacement surgery is shorter when compared to some of the other joint replacement surgeries. However, even though the knee replacement surgery time is only around 1 to 3 hours, the doctor may ask you to stay back at the clinic for recovery for 2 to 3 days. But it will depend on your condition. Therefore, before deciding to undergo surgery, it is necessary to have a proper knee replacement explanation and other relevant details.

Here is an overview of how the knee joint replacement surgery takes place:

 

An incision in the knee

Knee joint replacement surgery begins with an incision in the front of the knee to reach the patella, commonly known as the kneecap. In the traditional method, the incision used to be 8-10 inches long. But with a minimally invasive procedure, the incision will only be 4-6 inches long. Either way, knee replacement surgery success rate depends on several factors, including the patient’s condition.

Rotation of kneecap

The kneecap, also known as the patella, is rotated by the surgeon outside the knee region. It helps them directly look into the area which has to be fixed.

 

Preparing the thigh bone

After the incision, the surgeon would resurface the femur, also known as the thigh bone. All the measurements are taken precisely, and cuts are made with the help of special instruments. The affected portion of bone and cartilage from the femur is removed by cutting it out. The end of the femur bone is shaped to attach perfectly to the femoral component of the artificial knee.  

Insertion of the femoral component 

The surgeon would implant the metallic femoral component in the femur bone. Then, it is sealed with the help of bone cement.

Preparation of the tibia bone

The subsequent bone, the surgeon, would resurface is the tibia, also known as the shinbone. The surgeon would precisely surface and reshape the top of the tibia bone to get under the metal and plastic tibial portion of the artificial knee.

Insertion of the tibial component

The lower portion of the implant, known as the tibial tray, is precisely inserted in the tibia bone and sealed fast with the help of bone cement. Once the tibial tray is placed in position, the surgeon would place it in a polyethene insert (of medical-grade plastic) which is in between the tibial tray and the femoral component. It acts as a buffer. The polyethene insert is essential to provide flexibility to the knee joint as you bend and sit down.

Adjustment of the knee cap

Before putting back the patella in its place, the surgeon would have to flatten it. A plastic component is then attached to the patella such that they fit in perfectly with the artificial knee. The plastic component might also be cemented if required.

Completion of the surgery

After the knee replacement surgery, the orthopaedic surgeon will check the flexibility, alignment, position and size of your knee to see if the implant is working correctly. Then, the surgery is ended by stitching up the incisions and bandaging the area. After the doctor has checked the flexibility and alignment, they shift the patient to the other room for recovery, with the leg in a continuous passive movement (CPM) machine. The purpose of using this machine is to gently keep the knee in a bent position and flex the artificial knee joint while the patient is lying down.

The knee replacement surgery time is usually 1 to 3 hours but varies according to the patient’s condition.

If you want more information about knee replacement surgery time and other relevant procedure details, come to Germanten hospital. Our doctors will explain the knee replacement procedure in great detail to ensure the patient has a complete understanding of what they want. So book your appointment with our experts today!

 

16 Jul 2022
Hip replacement after excercises

Exercises and Activities To Avoid After Hip Replacement

If you have undergone a total hip replacement procedure, you must take some precautions while recovering. It becomes extremely important to take these precautions, especially when you have undergone surgery through the posterior approach. 

You should take these precautions because they reduce the chances of dislocation of the hips. In this situation, the artificial ball of the upper femur gets dislocated from the artificial hip socket. 

In this article, you will understand the three precautions you need to take after undergoing hip replacement surgery. In addition, this article will also help you if you are looking for how long to recover from hip replacement on the internet. 

Recommendations 

You must avoid three movements along with heavy exercises after hip replacement through a posterior incision to ensure the artificial hip does not get dislocated. Until you have completely recovered, all your movements will be closely observed by your orthopedic surgeon. Here are a few things you should not do after hip replacement surgery:

  • Stretching your hips past 90 degrees: 

    If you are looking for hip replacement exercises to avoid, you must not stretch your hips too far or list your knee too high. When you sit on a chair, see to it that your thigh should be parallel to the floor. If you are sitting on a low chair, you might have to bend your knee and hip, making it highly possible for you to dislocate your knee. 

  • Crossing your operated leg over the other one: 

    One of the things not to do after hip replacement surgery is crossing your operated leg over the other one. Apart from that, you should also use a wedge such as an abduction pillow while sleeping. It will help you to keep your legs separated.

  • Walking pigeon-toed:After undergoing a total hip replacement through the posterior approach, you must ensure not to rotate your hip inward. Therefore, you should keep your toes straight ahead or slightly rotated outwards while doing activities such as walking, sitting, standing or lying down.

 

Sometimes doing exercises after hip replacement can be risky and result in several complications. So you may want to have a consultation with physios at Germanten Hospitals to understand the recovery process of hip replacement and the exercises to avoid during that time.

 

When to call a healthcare provider?

You must contact your health care provider as soon as you experience signs that you may have dislocated your hip. Some other occasions are:

  • Intense pain around the hip area and groyne. 
  • Occurrence of a popping sound while you are moving. 
  • If you are experiencing difficulty in walking or cannot walk at all. 
  • You are not able to move the hip joint.
  • If you notice that the prosthetic hip appears shorter than the other one. 

If you are confused about exercises after hip replacement, contact Germanten Hospital. Our doctors will help you understand the hip replacement recovery exercises and other details about the procedure. If you need advice regarding this, have a consultation with the doctors at Germanten Hospital. They are experts in their field, and you will get everything you need to know about.

Duration of Precautions And Recovery

After hip replacement surgery, most people follow the precautions for around 90 days. However, some health care providers might instruct you to follow the precautions for about six months. On the other hand, some others may ask you to follow them for 60 days. The duration of precaution generally depends on factors such as your general health, your level of mobility and the complexity of the procedure. It is also determined by rehabilitation and recovery after the surgery. 

Your doctor will instruct you when you can stop following the precautions. You will have to listen to the instructions of your health care provider and avoid some movements in your daily routine. Every person has a different recovery time after the procedure, so you should consult your doctor regarding that. 

If you need advice regarding hip replacement recovery exercises, consult the orthopaedic experts at Germanten Hospital. Our experts will help you understand the hip replacement recovery exercises. They will also provide information about how long you will recover from a hip replacement and which exercises to avoid. So book your appointments now for consultation regarding exercises after hip replacement.

09 Jul 2022
12 foods to avoid Arthritis

12 Foods To Avoid When You Have Arthritis

Arthritis is a medical condition that results in inflammation of the joints causing severe pain and stiffness of the muscles. It refers to all types of arthritis, such as osteoarthritis, gout and rheumatoid arthritis.  

The extent of inflammation depends on the diet, physical activity, water intake, current health condition and habits (smoking, drinking).

Higher intake of sugar, salt, fat and refined carbohydrates can increase inflammation. Here is a list of foods to avoid during arthritis:  

  1. Red meat :
    Red meat has a higher percentage of saturated fat as compared to white meat or plant-based proportion. So it is one of the foods to avoid during arthritis. Unfortunately, red meats can also worsen the swelling and inflammation.
  2. Dairy products with high-fat content :
    Arthritis foods to avoid also include dairy products such as yoghurt, cheese, milk, ice creams and a lot more. Each product is different from the other and has a different nutritional value. In order to prevent arthritis, it would be better to avoid full-fat dairy products with high levels of sugar as it increases the inflammation of joints.
  3. Omega 6 fatty acid :
    The excessive consumption of omega-6-containing food items can deteriorate the inflammation. Thus, make sure to check off items like soybeans, corn, safflower, sunflower, canola oil, nuts and meat in the list of foods to avoid during arthritis. You can use olive oil as a substitute for everyday cooking as it is monounsaturated.
  4. Salt
    Sodium is an essential element required for the normal functioning of the body. However, our regular salt intake is always much more than needed. Thus higher salt levels should be included in the list of arthritis food to avoid.
  5. High sugar beverages
    The beverages available in the market, such as soda, fruit juices, sweet tea and coffee drinks, have tremendous amounts of sugar. Thus, these are some of the worst foods for arthritis. If you suffer from arthritis, try and control your sugar intake by up to 9 spoons per day.
  6.  Fried items
    Fried snacks and food are friends in cooking oils which are high in omega six fatty acids and fatty acids. Thus, if fried snacks are a large portion of your daily life, they can worsen arthritis. Therefore, you should limit fried foods to avoid arthritis or keep it under control.
    Fried food also has a high amount of salt, sugar, and refined carbohydrates, leading to more inflammation. A better alternative for this is to go for air-fried food or baked items.
  7. Canned products
    The amount of salt used in canned food items is very high. It is used as a preservative in canned vegetables, meat, soup, etc. Thus, to manage your symptoms, make sure to exclude canned foods and avoid them in an arthritis diet.
  8. Alcohol
    Alcohol can be a relief to those who have arthritis. Some varieties like red wine have anti-inflammatory properties. Consuming more than 5 ounces of red wine can improve inflammation.
  9. Refined carbohydrates
    White rice and flour is the highly processed form of their respective grains. The fibre and nutrition are lost in the process, making it a simple carbohydrate. Simple carbohydrate is digested much faster and causes a spike in the blood sugar level, thereby increasing inflammation. Thus, try to limit refined carbohydrate intake as it is one of the worst foods for arthritis.
  10. Candy and desserts
    Candy and desserts are loads of sugar without having any nutritional benefits. It is also known as empty calories for this reason. Thus, be sure to limit desserts, candies and added sugar foods to avoid rheumatoid arthritis.
  11. Processed food
    Packaged food items such as frozen packets, baked items, chips, and fast food are loaded with food items which should be avoided in arthritis. The refined grains, high amounts of sugar, and salt make them last longer than the usual fresh food items. It can result in obesity, worsening the condition. So if you are looking for arthritis foods to avoid, make sure to include processed food items on the list.
  12. Gluten
    Grains like wheat and barley contain protein which is known as gluten. Following a gluten-free diet helps in decreasing inflammation.

Want more information about arthritis foods to avoid? Then come over to Germanten Hospital. Our orthopaedic experts and dieticians will help you prepare a nutritious diet chart and manage your symptoms.

 

04 Jul 2022
Tips for Preventing an ACL Knee Ligament Injury

Tips for Preventing an ACL Knee Ligament Injury

ACL injuries are pretty common in athletes and sportspersons. So it is necessary to know how to prevent ACL injury so that you don’t have to leave the season in between. As per the statistics, the percentage of the patients of ACL treatments are athletes, thus indicating higher chances of sports injuries. Fortunately, if they follow these ACL tear prevention tips carefully, the injuries can be avoided.

Here are a few of the best tips for the prevention of ACL tear:

ACL injuries are frightening for every athlete out there because it causes extreme pain and decreases their strength. Here are a few ACL tear prevention tips to save your day:

Strength training: The knee joint comprises three bones- femur, tibia and patella and four ligaments holding them together. The ACL is diagonally placed in the centre of the knee and is responsible for rotational flexibility and movement.

Weak knee bones, muscles and ligaments can increase the probability of ACL injury. To avoid ACL injury, do strength training targeting the region. It would enhance the flexibility, thus preventing ACL injury. The strength training should include high-intensity jumping plyometrics and exercises that strengthen the quadriceps and hamstrings.

Balance: A large percentage of ACL injuries usually occur due to sudden change of direction of motion, stopping or slowing down, improper landing or crashing down. Doing balanced strength training of the small muscles of the feet, legs, and knees helps avoid ACL injury. It also helps in getting higher resilience and reaction time.

Warm-up and stretching: It is incredibly essential to have warm-up sessions before indulging in any high-intensity activity. An essential torn ACL prevention tip is to do warm-up and stretching without fail. Without it, the muscles and ligaments are usually cold and stiff and thus at high risk of injury. The warm-up would loosen out the muscles and activate them, which helps in ACL tear prevention or reduce the extent and intensity of the damage.

Stretching is also one of the ACL recovery tips and helps relax the muscles and ligaments. While stretching, focus on the front and back muscles of your thigh. Also, stretch the ankle muscles. It helps in ACL tear prevention due to a misguided ankle leading to twisting the ankles and leg.

Good quality footwear and technique: If you use a pair of shoes which do not fit you properly, it can lead to imbalance and increase the chance of tripping over, ankle twists and any kind of sudden shock which can pass on to the knee joint and cause an ACL injury. Thus, before heading out, make sure to wear the shoe which properly fits you and all the required athletic gear.

Besides, following the proper athletic technique is equally important for torn ACL prevention. The correct technique can help learn and avoid significant high impact damage to the body. So consult with a coach or physical trainer before trying any new technique or even using the old ones. With their expertise in the field, they would ensure that the technique you want to implement in your routine is safe to perform. Their guidance would also help to correct your posture and improvise your technique.

Consult with a sports medicine specialist: Consulting with an expert in the athletic and sports field would be the best option to understand the actual root problem. They would do a few physical tests to understand the musculoskeletal weakness. If you visit an orthopaedic doctor, they will examine and find the weak muscles that are prone to sprain, tear and injury. Then, as per the diagnosis, they would advise exercises and activities to strengthen these areas.

The sports medicine specialist would also examine if all your joints are working properly or are there any conditions hindering them. They would give the best ACL recovery tips for your injury. They may suggest knee braces. Some of the best knee braces to prevent ACL injury are available on the market.

At Germanten hospital, our team of healthcare professionals are well experienced and qualified to provide the best treatment to our patients along with the ways to prevent ACL injury. So book an appointment with the orthopaedic experts at Germanten Hospital to get the best ACL recovery tips.