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Knee replacement surgery is a surgery to replace parts of your knee joint with new, artificial parts. You may need a knee replacement if you have knee damage that causes severe pain and difficulty doing daily activities, such as walking and climbing stairs. It is usually done when other treatments for knee pain haven't helped enough. The goal of a knee replacement is to relieve pain and help you move better.

People of all ages may have knee replacement surgery. But it is more common in older people. The decision whether to have surgery is based on your overall health and how much your knee bothers you.

Knee replacement surgery treats conditions that cause the cartilage of the knee joint to wear away. These include:

• Knee osteoarthritis. This is the most common reason for knee replacement surgery. It usually develops over time after an injury or with aging.
• Knee damage from other types of arthritis.
• Problems from knee joints that aren't formed correctly.

During the surgery, a surgeon removes damaged cartilage and some bone from the surfaces of your knee joint. Cartilage is tissue that covers your bones where they meet. Healthy cartilage is smooth and helps the bones glide over each other when you move. When cartilage becomes rough and wears away, the bones rub against each other, causing pain.

After removing the damaged knee cartilage and bone, the surgeon attaches the artificial parts to your bones. The artificial parts are made of metal and plastic. They will give your knee new, smooth surfaces.

Knee replacement surgery may replace all the damaged parts of your knee (total knee replacement) or just part of your knee (partial knee replacement). In a total knee replacement, the surgeon replaces 3 surfaces:

• The end of the shinbone
• The end of the thighbone
• The back of the kneecap

Some people go home the same day they have surgery. Other people will stay in the hospital a few days. To help prevent blood clots, you'll most likely take blood thinners and wear special socks or coverings on your legs for a short time after surgery.

The success of your surgery depends a lot on what you do at home to help yourself recover. A physical therapist will teach you exercises to make your knee stronger and help it bend. It is important to do these exercises regularly. You may need to use a cane or walker for several weeks after the surgery. It will probably also be several weeks before you can drive. Your doctor will tell you when you can start driving again.

Most people who follow their recovery instructions can get back to nearly all of their normal daily activities within 3 to 6 weeks after surgery.

After recovering from surgery, most people can move better with less pain than before surgery. But having an artificial knee is not the same as having a normal, healthy knee.

You need to protect your new knee by:

• Staying at a healthy weight.
• Getting regular physical activity.
• Not doing any high-impact activities, such as jogging, running, and jumping. Instead, you can try low-impact activities that are good for your knee, such as walking, biking, and swimming

The chance of having problems after knee replacement surgery is low. But there are risks after any surgery. Possible problems after knee replacement surgery include:

• Infection
• Blood clots
• Heart attack
• Stroke
• Nerve damage
• Scarring that limits how far you can bend your knee

Your age, general health, and how active you are can all affect your risk of having a problem after knee replacement surgery.

A knee replacement doesn't last forever. After 15 to 20 years, the artificial knee parts may become loose or worn. If that happens, you may need another surgery on the same knee.

If you're thinking about having knee replacement surgery, talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits. Together you can decide if a knee replacement is right for you.

Your knee joint is made up of bone, cartilage, ligaments and fluid. Muscles and tendons help the knee joint move. When any of these structures is hurt or diseased, you have knee problems. Knee problems can cause pain and difficulty walking.

Knee problems are very common, and they occur in people of all ages. Knee problems can interfere with many things, from participation in sports to simply getting up from a chair and walking. This can have a big impact on your life.

The most common disease affecting the knee is osteoarthritis. The cartilage in the knee gradually wears away, causing pain and swelling.

Injuries to ligaments and tendons also cause knee problems. A common injury is to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). You usually injure your ACL by a sudden twisting motion. ACL and other knee injuries are common sports injuries.

Treatment of knee problems depends on the cause. In some cases your doctor may recommend knee replacement.

NIH: National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases

Your legs are made up of bones, blood vessels, muscles, and other connective tissue. They are important for motion and standing. Playing sports, running, falling, or having an accident can damage your legs. Common leg injuries include sprains and strains, joint dislocations, and fractures (broken bones).

These injuries can affect the entire leg, or just the foot, ankle, knee, or hip. Certain diseases also lead to leg problems. For example, knee osteoarthritis, common in older people, can cause pain and limited motion. Problems in your veins in your legs can lead to varicose veins or deep vein thrombosis.

Hip replacement is surgery for people with severe hip damage. The most common cause of damage is osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis causes pain, swelling, and reduced motion in your joints. It can interfere with your daily activities. If other treatments such as physical therapy, pain medicines, and exercise haven't helped, hip replacement surgery might be an option for you.

During a hip replacement operation, the surgeon removes damaged cartilage and bone from your hip joint and replaces them with new, man-made parts.

A hip replacement can:

• Relieve pain
• Help your hip joint work better
• Improve walking and other movements

The most common problem after surgery is hip dislocation. Because a man-made hip is smaller than the original joint, the ball can come out of its socket. The surgery can also cause blood clots and infections. With a hip replacement, you might need to avoid certain activities, such as jogging and high-impact sports.

NIH: National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases

Exercising is good for you, but sometimes you can injure yourself when you play sports or exercise. Accidents, poor training practices, or improper gear can cause them. Some people get hurt because they are not in shape. Not warming up or stretching enough can also lead to injuries.

The most common sports injuries are:

• Sprains and strains
• Knee injuries
• Swollen muscles
• Achilles tendon injuries
• Pain along the shin bone
• Rotator cuff injuries
• Fractures (broken bones)
• Dislocations

If you get hurt, stop playing. Continuing to play or exercise can cause more harm. Treatment often begins with the RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation) method to relieve pain, reduce swelling, and speed healing. Other possible treatments include pain relievers, keeping the injured area from moving, rehabilitation, and sometimes surgery.

NIH: National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases

If you feel pain and stiffness in your body or have trouble moving around, you might have arthritis. Any disorder that affects the joints is often called arthritis. Joints are places where two bones meet, such as your elbow or knee.

Most types of arthritis can cause joint pain and inflammation (swelling). Over time, a swollen joint can become severely damaged. Some kinds of arthritis can also cause problems in your organs, such as your eyes or skin. Treatment will depend on the type of arthritis you have.

Common types of arthritis include:

• Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis. It's often related to aging or injury.
• Autoimmune arthritis happens when your body's immune system attacks healthy cells in your body by mistake. Rheumatoid arthritis is the most common form of this type of arthritis.
• Juvenile arthritis is a type of arthritis that happens in children.
• Infectious arthritis is an infection that has spread from another part of your body to the joint. Reactive arthritis is one type.
• Psoriatic arthritis affects people with psoriasis (itchy or sore scaly red and white skin patches).
• Gout is a painful type of arthritis that happens when too much uric acid builds up in your body. It often starts in the big toe. Other joints can also be affected.
• Ankylosing spondylitis is a type of arthritis of the spine that can cause stiffness and make it difficult to move and bend.

Pain, redness, warmth, and joint inflammation are common arthritis symptoms. You may not be able to move your joint as well as it should. Other symptoms could include fever, weight loss, breathing difficulties, or a rash.

Symptoms often get worse as you age. Some symptoms of arthritis may be signs of other illnesses.

A few things that might increase your chance of getting arthritis include:

• Family history. You may be more likely to get certain types of arthritis if a member of your family has the disorder.
• Age. The risk of getting many types of arthritis increases with age.
• Sex. Certain types of arthritis are more common in women, while other types are more common in men.

Other factors that might increase your risk of getting arthritis include having a previous joint injury, obesity, or lupus.

To find out if you have arthritis, your health care provider may:

• Ask you about your medical history, including your symptoms.
• Do a physical exam.
• Order blood tests or take x-rays.

Your provider may refer you to a rheumatologist (a doctor who specializes in arthritis care) for tests, diagnosis, and care.

Treatment depends on the type of arthritis you have. It may include medicine or surgery. Your provider will work with you to improve your symptoms and quality of life.

A few ways to help manage your symptoms include:

• Hot or cold packs
• Relaxation techniques
• Use of splints, braces, and/or assistive devices

NIH: National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases

Juvenile arthritis (JA) is arthritis that happens in children. It causes joint inflammation (swelling), pain, stiffness, and loss of motion. Joints are places where two bones meet, such as your elbow or knee. It can affect any joint, but it is more common in the knees, hands, and feet.

JA can affect your child's growth and development, and in some cases, it can also affect other organs. Finding JA early and starting treatment can help manage symptoms and reduce joint damage.

There are several other forms of arthritis affecting children. The most common type of JA in children under age 16 is juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). There are multiple types of JIA. Symptoms and the number of joints affected help determine the type. Some types of JIA are more common in girls.

The exact cause of JA is unknown. Most types are autoimmune disorders. This means that your immune system, which normally helps your body fight infection, attacks your body's tissues.

Symptoms can vary depending on the type of JA. The symptoms of most types include joint pain, swelling, warmth, and stiffness. Your child may not complain of pain or stiffness, but one early sign of JA may be limping or clumsiness in the morning or after resting. Larger joints, such as the knee, may be swollen.

Certain types of JA can cause a high fever, swollen lymph nodes, a rash, growth problems, or eye inflammation in some children. Symptoms can come and go. Some children have just one or two flare-ups. Others have symptoms that never go away.

There is no single test for JA, so it can be hard to diagnose. Your health care provider may:

• Ask about medical history and symptoms.
• Do a physical exam.
• Order blood tests or imaging studies.

A team of providers usually treats JA. Treatment will depend on your child's age, the type of JA, and how bad it is. Treatment can include medicines and physical therapy to help maintain movement and reduce swelling and pain.

NIH: National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases

Osteoarthritis, sometimes called OA, is a type of arthritis that only affects the joints, usually in the hands, knees, hips, neck, and lower back. It's the most common type of arthritis.

In a healthy joint, the ends of the bones are covered with a smooth, slippery tissue called cartilage. The cartilage pads the bones and helps them glide easily when you move the joint. With osteoarthritis, the cartilage breaks down and becomes rough. Sometimes, all the cartilage wears away and the bones rub together. Bumps of extra bone called bone spurs may grow in the joint area.

There is no cure for osteoarthritis. It usually gets worse slowly. But there's a lot you can do to manage the symptoms.

Osteoarthritis affects people in different ways, and not everyone has pain. The most common symptoms are:

• Pain when you move, which often gets better with rest
• Stiffness, especially for the first 30 minutes after you get up from resting
• Swollen joints, especially after using the joint a lot
• Less movement in the joint than normal
• A joint that feels loose or unstable

Researchers aren't sure what causes osteoarthritis. They think that it could be caused by a combination of factors in the body and the environment. Your chance of developing osteoarthritis increases with age. They also know that some people are more likely to develop it than others.

Things that make you more likely to develop osteoarthritis include:

• Aging. Osteoarthritis can happen at any age, but the chance of getting it increases in middle-aged adults and older. After age 50, it is more common in women than in men.
• Being overweight. Extra weight puts more stress on your joints.
• Having a past injury or surgery on a joint. This is often the cause of osteoarthritis in younger adults.
• Doing a lot of activities that overuse the joint. This includes sports with a lot of jumping, twisting, running, or throwing.
• Having a joint that doesn't line up correctly.
• A family history of osteoarthritis. Some people inherit genetic changes that increase their chance of developing osteoarthritis.

There is no specific test for osteoarthritis. To find out if you have osteoarthritis, your provider:

• Will ask about your symptoms and medical history
• Will do a physical exam
• May use x-rays or other imaging tests to look at your joints
• May order lab tests to make sure that a different problem isn't causing your symptoms

The goal of treating osteoarthritis is to ease your pain, help you move better, and stop it from getting worse.

Treatment usually begins with:

• Exercises to improve strength, flexibility and balance
• Weight loss, if needed, to improve pain, especially in your hips or knees
• Braces or shoe inserts (orthotics) that a health care provider fits for you

You can buy some pain relievers and arthritis creams without a prescription. They can be helpful, but it's best to talk to your provider about using them. If they don't help enough, your provider may prescribe injections (shots) into the joint or prescription pain relievers.

Complementary therapies may help some people. Massage can increase blood flow and bring warmth to the area. Some research shows that acupuncture may help relieve osteoarthritis pain. Simple things like heat and ice can help, too.

If none of these treatments help enough, surgery may be an option. You and your provider can decide if it's right for you.

NIH: National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a form of arthritis that causes pain, swelling, and stiffness in your joints. RA is an autoimmune disease. Although it is most common in the wrist and fingers, this disease can cause your immune system to attack any joint tissue. The inflammation (swelling) that comes with RA can also affect other body parts. Inflammation could cause medical issues in your eyes, skin, heart, nerves, blood, or lungs.

RA differs from osteoarthritis, a common arthritis that often comes with age. RA affects the lining of your joints and damages the tissue that covers the ends of the bones in a joint. Eventually, this might cause your joints to not work as well.

There is no cure for RA, but early treatment can help you manage symptoms, reduce joint damage, and lead a productive life.

Rheumatoid arthritis can happen at any age, but your risk increases as you become an older adult. Your chance of developing RA can also increase if:

• You're a woman. Women are more likely to get RA than men.
• You have a family history. If a member of your family has RA, you're more likely to get the disease.
• You're a smoker.Smoking over a long period of time increases your risk of getting RA and how serious the disease can be.
• You have other medical conditions that may increase your risk of getting RA. These include obesity, gum disease, and lung disease.

No one knows what causes rheumatoid arthritis. A few things that might play a part in getting RA include:

• Your genes are parts of DNA in your cells that are passed down from your parents. Certain genes may increase your risk of getting rheumatoid arthritis, but not everyone with these genes gets RA.
• The environment, which includes things such as cigarette smoke, sometimes triggers RA symptoms.
• Hormones are chemical messengers in your bloodstream that control the actions of certain cells or organs. Researchers think that sex hormones might play a role in getting RA. Women are more likely to develop the disease, and RA symptoms may change during and after pregnancy.

Your immune system may start turning against your body's joints and tissues years before you notice any symptoms of RA. The changes from this type of immune malfunction usually settle in your joints.

RA affects people differently. You might have the disease for only a short time, or your symptoms might come and go. The severe form can be chronic (long-lasting) and may last a lifetime.

Symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis may include:

• Joint pain or stiffness when moving. This is usually worse in the morning or after inactivity. RA usually affects both joints. If one of your hands or knees is affected, so is the other.
• Joint tenderness, redness, and warmth.
• Joint swelling may make daily activities hard. These could include things such as combing your hair, buttoning your clothes, or bending your knees.
• Fatigue, fever, and a loss of appetite.
• Hard bumps (rheumatoid nodules) under your skin near the joints.

There's no single test for rheumatoid arthritis. The disease develops over time. At first, you may only have a few symptoms, making it hard to diagnose RA in its early stages. To find out if you have RA, your health care provider may:

• Ask about your medical history, including your symptoms.
• Ask about your family health history, including relatives who have had RA.
• Do a physical exam, which includes checking your joints, looking for rashes or nodules, and listening to your chest for signs of inflammation in your lungs.
• Order blood tests or imaging studies (x-ray or ultrasound) to make sure other health conditions aren't causing your symptoms since they may be like other types of arthritis and joint conditions.

Your provider may refer you to a rheumatologist (a doctor who specializes in arthritis care) for tests, diagnosis, and care.

There is no cure for RA, but early treatment can help prevent your symptoms from getting worse and damaging your joints. Treatment can include medicine, lifestyle changes, and surgery. These may slow or stop joint damage and reduce pain and swelling.

Your provider may use a combination of treatments. Your treatment may change based on your symptoms.

You can help manage your RA symptoms if you:

• Are physically active
• Keep a healthy weight
• Avoid injuries to your joints
• Avoid activities that have repetitive motions, like bending your knee over and over
• Stop smoking, or don't start

NIH: National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases

Tendons are flexible bands of tissue that connect muscles to bones. They help your muscles move your bones. Tendinitis is the severe swelling of a tendon.

Tendinitis usually happens after repeated injury to an area such as the wrist or ankle. It causes pain and soreness around a joint. Some common forms of tendinitis are named after the sports that increase their risk. They include tennis elbow, golfer's elbow, pitcher's shoulder, swimmer's shoulder, and jumper's knee.

Doctors diagnose tendinitis with your medical history, a physical exam, and imaging tests. The first step in treatment is to reduce pain and swelling. Rest, wrapping or elevating the affected area, and medicines can help. Ice is helpful for recent, severe injuries. Other treatments include ultrasound, physical therapy, steroid injections, and surgery.