Advances in implant materials, surgical techniques, and implant design have helped make knee replacement a successful treatment for people with advanced arthritis and other forms of joint damage. This type of surgery gives most patients many years of reliable function; nevertheless, sometimes knee replacements do wear out.
Minimally invasive knee replacement surgery uses an approach that limits disruption to the muscles and other soft tissues surrounding the knee while allowing the surgeon to perform the fundamental steps of joint replacement. The goal is to access the damaged joint, prepare the bone, and place the replacement components while preserving as much healthy surrounding tissue as appropriate.
Typically, knee complications like pain and limited mobility start small and worsen over time. Since joint degeneration is usually gradual, it can be hard to realize how much your daily life has changed over the course of several months or years.
If you have a stiff joint or tight calf muscle after knee surgery, you are not alone. Many patients experience this, and they often describe it as though a band is wrapped around their knee or upper calf.
Walking can feel surprisingly different after a knee replacement. Even when the procedure has gone well, many patients notice that their steps do not feel completely even at first. An uneven gait after knee replacement surgery is particularly common during early recovery as the body adjusts to changes in the knee and rebuilds the strength and coordination needed for walking.
To many people’s surprise, clicking after knee replacement surgery is fairly common. Many patients describe a clicking, popping, tapping, or clunking inside the knee during certain activities, most notably walking, standing up from a chair, climbing stairs, or changing positions in bed.
