When to consider knee surgery – a Wakefield patients’ guide

Having surgery of any type is a serious decision with many possible implications, and although the risks are low, knee surgery is no different. That’s why our knee surgeons for Wakefield and Yorkshire will (where appropriate) typically recommend options such as behaviour modification, painkillers, weight loss and physiotherapy before choosing surgery to address your knee pain.

The conditions that can ultimately lead to requiring knee surgery for our Wakefield patients include:

Overuse Injuries

Often triggered by repetitive movements which cause the tendons and ligaments to repeatedly cross the knee joint. At first instance you can address any inflammation using the RICE technique (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation), but if the problem persists, talk to your knee consultant for Wakefield at Yorkshire Knee Clinic, who may recommend surgery.

Arthritis

Caused by either general ‘wear and tear’ or by an inflammatory disease like rheumatoid arthritis, this is a debilitating condition that can lead to the surfaces of the bone within the knee joint coming into direct contact and causing chronic pain. If physiotherapy and medication don’t ameliorate the condition sufficiently, you may need to consider having a partial or full knee replacement performed by one of our knee surgeons. Wakefield residents and those from across Yorkshire can call us to discuss the implications of and alternatives to surgery.

Meniscal Tears

The menisci are crescent-shaped constructions of fibrocartilage that spread the load on the joint surfaces of the knee. You may be able to treat a small tear with rest, but larger tears will almost always require arthroscopic, or ‘keyhole’, surgery to either repair or smooth the edge of the tear.

Call Yorkshire Knee Clinic

Yorkshire Knee Clinic’s knee surgeons help Wakefield patients overcome knee pain. To discuss yours, please contact us here, or phone us on 03453 052 579.