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Female Knee Replacement
CLICK HERE to download a 16-page brochure/presentation about knee replacement for women
Have you heard the buzz about knee replacement for women?
If chronic knee pain is keeping you from the activities you enjoy, knee replacement is one option that can help you regain your active lifestyle. There are important differences between women and men, and most knee replacements are now designed with those differences in mind. Shaped to the contours and dimensions of the female knee, today’s implants offer patients a more natural fit.
Dr. Jarrett is now offering high demand knee replacement for female patients If you are experiencing joint pain and have questions, please call and schedule your appointment today at one of our offices. Dr. Jarrett and his team of professionals will be happy to answer any questions you may have.
While more than 300,000 knee replacements are performed per year in the United States, until very recently all knee replacement implants were designed based on an average size of both women's and men’s knees combined. But men and women are simply not built the same.
Women’s hips change, for example, the angle (“Q angle”) at which the femur attaches to the tibia. Women’s knees are more narrow than men’s, and the front portion of a female femur is less prominent than a man’s femur. If a man’s knee and a woman’s knee have the same measurement from front to back (AP), the woman’s knee will have a smaller side-to-side (ML) measurement.
Prior to this new generation of knee implants, surgeons were provided lots of choices, but the fact remained that even the closest fit still left some gender-specific needs unresolved. Surgeons found themselves making frequent adjustments during surgery to make traditional implants fit their female patients. It became clear that it was time for a knee implant specifically designed to fit the shape and size of women’s anatomy.
To address these issues, specific sizes have been engineered to match the female anatomy. And with as many as 10 different sizing options available to your surgeons to make the right fit, it would be rare to find a female patient for whom a knee implant was not appropriately sized.
Implant Design
Over the last few decades there have been dramatic advances in total knee replacement. Computer-aided designs now do a better job of taking into account the anatomical differences between the female and male knee. The technology and innovation available in knee replacements today provide options that are in step with the needs of the active woman.Shape, size and feel matter
Knee replacements have long been available in many sizes. Today’s modern designs are focused on smaller sized implants for women and larger for men, with a wide range of sizing in between. Accurate sizing plays an important role in the success of knee implants.
The anatomy of the knee consists of bones, muscles, ligaments and cartilage that allow your knee to bend and straighten like a hinge on a door. When the cartilage in your knee wears away and the bones of your knee joint rub against each other, the pain becomes severe. During total knee replacement the damaged cartilage and bone of your knee joint are cut away and replaced with smooth, artificial implants – called prostheses – made of metal or another advanced material.
The best fit produces the best results
Most knee implants are designed to feel and move as much like a real joint as possible. They are intended to accommodate the motions of your knee that allow you to bend, flex and extend during regular physical activity.
During total knee replacement surgery, your orthopaedic surgeon will take many measurements to ensure that your new implant will fit properly. Bone coverage is an important part of the design of your knee implant. If an implant is fitted incorrectly, it may extend slightly beyond the width of the bone, which can potentially damage the tendons and ligaments around your knee. This could lead to joint pain and an unnatural feeling as you walk.
That is why today’s implants have been designed to address the contours and dimensions of smaller bone sizing for women and larger for men, offering a more accurate fit and greater opportunities to regain your original range of motion. When an orthopaedic surgeon chooses the right implant for you, he or she will also consider your individual needs and the types of activity you would like to engage in after knee replacement surgery. Talk to your doctor to determine which implant is right for you.
Are you ready to get back to gardening, playing tennis, talking long walks with your spouse or enjoying your grandchildren? If so, call us today.