Dr. Greer specializes in sports medicine which includes athletes, fine arts performers and children through adults.  His youngest patient to receive a knee replacement was a 30 year old former college football player.  There are a lot of requirements to qualify a patient for a knee replacement.  If a patient does not meet the requirements, then they might have to postpone surgery.  Some of the requirements are social structure, dental status, cardiovascular health, smoking, alcohol consumption and weight (weight is the #1 reason knee replacement surgery is postponed).  There are some options to help knees other than surgery.  Those included supplements, physical therapy, medicines (Tylenol is the preferred medicine for arthritis pain) and injections.  Injections can help postpone surgery and reduce pain.  Steroids have a 95% success rate in lowering pain after the 1st shot!  

 

There are two types of knee replacements - a partial and a total.  Total knee replacement is best for most people.  The recovery time after surgery until a patient feels at their best is usually 6 months.  Most knee replacements will last 25 years.  If you want to learn more, please call the Bone, Joint and Muscle Care center at St. Joseph's/Candler to book an appointment with Dr. Greer.