Getting a new knee: Timing is everything
Joint replacement for an arthritic knee is beneficial if a person has significant pain, physical damage to the joint, and disability in everyday life. Age is no barrier to joint replacement in otherwise healthy men. The risks of the surgery are relatively low, with an average risk of death of less than 1%. Artificial joints fail in less than 1% of cases, requiring a repair surgery. Recovery takes several months of physical therapy and up to a year to fully rebuild muscles and other tissues around the joint.
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