Total Knee Replacement Gives Retired Educator Her Life Back

According to the Centers for Disease Control, an estimated 54.4 million U.S. adults have doctor-diagnosed arthritis. Even if you aren't an athlete, your joints may suffer from normal wear and tear. The severity of the disease is limiting the usual activities for 23.7 million of those arthritis sufferers.

Osteoarthritis is the common wear-and-tear form of arthritis, where the cartilage cushioning the joints gradually breaks down. The process can lead to inflammation, pain and stiffness; eventually, bones may start rubbing against each other, causing more joint damage and disability.

Fortunately, today’s osteoarthritis sufferers have many effective treatment options for arthritis in the knee available to them.

Treating Knee Arthritis Without Surgery

There is no cure for osteoarthritis, and treatment for arthritis in the knee involves managing the symptoms through weight loss, exercise and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen and naproxen. Injections of corticosteroids, which reduce inflammation, or sodium hyaluronate, which helps lubricate and absorb shock within the knee joint, are other options.

According to Franciscan Health orthopedic surgeon William Payne, MD, the standard approach for new patients is to first employ conservative treatments, such as anti-inflammatory medications, physical therapy and exercise.

“The key thing is to do the conservative treatment for three months in an effort to preserve the joints,” Dr. Payne said. “But if the arthritis worsens and conservative treatment fails, we recommend surgery as soon as possible to expedite that patient’s return to his or her lifestyle.”

Needing Knee Replacement

According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, doctors perform more than 800,000 knee and hip replacements every year, and that number is expected to grow. Some of the new materials for artificial knees and hips can last longer than the old ones -- about 25 to 30 years. The good news is that with joint replacement surgery, many people with severe arthritis can resume a full and active life.

That’s exactly what happened to Darlene Anderson-Moon, a Park Forest, Illinois, resident with psoriatic arthritis in both knees. For several years, the Euflexxa injections she received from Dr. Payne were helping her to preserve her lifestyle.

“Then, the pain got progressively worse,” Darlene said.

“Darlene’s pain got to the point where it was interfering with her quality of life and everyday activities,” Dr. Payne said. “In early 2020, it was clear that a knee replacement would be a good way to improve her function and reduce her pain.”

Dr. Payne then performed a total knee replacement on Darlene’s right knee in March 2020.

Recovering From Knee Replacement

After a short hospital stay, Darlene received rehabilitation therapy at home. The retired Chicago Public School teacher and administrator then continued her physical therapy at Franciscan Health Outpatient Therapy Clinic Center Homewood.

“Recovery involves learning how to bend your knee again,” Dr. Payne said. “There’s some swelling after surgery, so we quickly work on regaining as much motion as we can. The big thing is to eventually restore your lifestyle so you can improve your quality of life and do the things you stopped doing because of the pain.”

“Today, I don’t have any pain in my right knee,” Darlene said. “And at my last appointment with Dr. Payne, he said my flexibility was very good.”