How to Avoid Knee Replacement Surgery Later in Life

Knee replacement surgery has come a long way. The whole process is much quicker and the replacement can last for longer than they used to, giving patients up to decades of additional mobility.

But, the goal should always be to avoid surgery if possible, right? So, how can you avoid knee replacement surgery in the future?

While you can never be certain that you won’t need a particular procedure down the road, you can take steps to reduce the chances:

 

Maintain a Healthy Weight

Constant over-exertion of the knee leads to deterioration, this is fairly apparent. Therefore, obesity can directly correlate with the eventual necessity for knee replacement. Healthy weight, on the other hand, contributes to the knee’s longevity.

 

Daily Stretching

We mostly attribute stretching to healthy ligaments and muscles. However, by surrounding your knees with strong ligaments and muscles, you essentially offer “back up” for the knee itself. The knee can’t do it all on its own!

 

Well-Rounded Exercise

While leg curls might be an obvious choice to strengthen your knees, you’ll want to incorporate diverse exercises in order to  reinforce the knee on all sides.  Utilizing stairs in your exercise, lunges, wall slides and the single leg bridge can all contribute to surrounding muscle and ligament strength, helping the knee to survive for a long time.