Knee Replacement Surgery and Circulation - What Are the Risks?

There are many aspects of surgery that scare most people. Going into an operation without the proper information is never recommended, so educate yourself before you go under the knife. This will help your piece of mind as you prepare for the big event and allow you to glean the most information about quick recovery. Many people fear the actual process and anesthesia. Others focus more on the pain they will face during recovery. Among these concerns, one that many pre-patients have is the connection between knee replacement surgery and circulation issues in the leg.

True, circulation is decreased during knee replacement surgery because the leg or legs are immobilized. The decreased amount of blood flowing quickly through the leg veins can lead to blood clots. Knee replacement surgery and circulation issues are apparent to doctors, however, so patients are placed on blood-thinning medication to decrease the risk. However, a small percentage of patients still suffer from clotting caused by the immobilization of the legs during surgery. On rare occasion, the blood clots that form among that small percentage of patients detach from the wall of the vein and travel to the lungs. This is a complication that can be fatal, though it is extremely rare. You can recognize a possible issue if you experience chest pain or shortness of breath.

Every surgery holds its risks, as every patient should be aware. If you want to get on the road to living pain free, you must be willing to accept a few risks as they come. Staying with the blood thinning medication and doing the right exercises after your knee replacement surgery and circulation are great ways to prevent blood clotting as you head in the direction of total recovery. The goal of any recovery method is to increase proper circulation, improve motion, boost strength and restore full function. There are obviously more effective ways than others to achieve this.

Many physical therapists expect you to stay completely off the leg that had the surgery for six to eight weeks. What a debilitation! What if you could shorten that time by half or more? Stop worrying about your knee replacement surgery and circulation issues by doing the right things to speed up the healing process. These are basic procedures that you can do on your own, like proven exercises and eating right!