Total Knee Replacements: Tips to Avoiding Surgery for Knee Pain

Over the last 20 years we have been fortunate enough to witness some of the biggest advancements in areas such technology, science and medicine.

One such result of this was the further development of the Total Knee Replacement or TKR for short.

A TKR, also known as knee arthoplasty is a surgical procedure to replace the weight bearing surfaces of the knee joint with artificial materials to relieve pain or disability.

That looks and sounds pretty cool right?

Yes!

Having the ability to replace a badly damaged knee due to:

Age related, osteoarthritic changes
Severe Injury or trauma
Infection or cancer

Is an exceptional position to be in from a society standpoint, and one that we shouldn’t take for granted.

But when it comes to any surgical intervention it bares risks.

The stats say that around 80% of TKR’s are very successful with patients returning to a high quality of life.

So where does that leave the other 20%?

Usually suffering:

Stiffness
Reduced range of movement
Ongoing or Persistent Pain
Poorer quality of life
On the hamster wheel of chasing another fix to their ongoing knee issue.

Why does a knee replacement go bad?

These are just some the potential possibilities of a TKR that doesn’t go to plan.

The reasons can be many and varied…

Maybe it was your body’s reaction to having surgery?
Or its response to a having a foreign body in it?
Did the person complete their entire post-operative rehab?
Where they even offered post operative rehabilitation? (you would be surprised how many aren’t!)
Was the function of the knee and person prior to surgery so bad that replacing the joint couldn’t possibly fix the surrounding problems?
Did they attempt other conservative measure and exhaust them prior to jumping under the knife?
Was the level of pain the person was in prior to surgery and was it poorly managed?
Was the person a good candidate for surgery in the first place?
Was their identifiable or modifiable factors that could have been address pre operatively to improve success?

There could be many more reasons, many more unknowns and even more “who knows?” after the surgery has been completed.

Alternatives to Total Knee Replacements

It is evident that more often than not TKR’s are successful and I am not here to drive the fear of god into you and preach you shouldn’t undertake a knee replacement.

However, I believe it is in a patients best interest to look at alternate measures first and exhaust these before diving into any form of surgery,

Especially an invasive surgery like a TKR.

What are the alternatives to avoid knee surgery?

PHYSIOTHERAPY

There’s nothing more powerful when comes to rehab than good physio Nerang near me.

A lot of the time through education, guidance and following an individualised treatment plan, people can overcome their knee pain without surgery.

EXERCISE

The gold standard in not only helping to reduce knee pain, improve range of motion and overall function of the knee.

But if done well throughout ones life can be a great preventer in knee deterioration.

Exercise, such has resistance training can increase the strength of muscles and other joints that support and stabilise the knee, therefore reducing the amount of load that is absorbed by passive structures that leads to pain and further deterioration.

WEIGHT MANAGEMENT

Being overweight and having poor a diet, can indirectly lead to development of knee pain and the deterioration of important structures within the knee.

By changing our habits, and reducing weight to within a healthy weight range it can really help those who are currently living with knee pain.

LOAD TOLERANCE

As we age, we naturally lose muscle mass, this can impact our bodies ability to tolerate load.

If we are to injure our knee, this can further impact the bodies ability to tolerate load, leading to more pain.

The importance of education around re-developing load tolerance, can be key to returning to the activities that you have once loved, but feel you can no longer do anymore.

"But I have Tried All That!"

Yep, we have heard that before!

A lot of the time people have tried it, but did they complete it?

The answer is always NO.

They started, it got hard, they had some pain and they stopped.

Over coming any injury, pain or a chronic condition like osteoarthritis is hard, is painful and requires persistance before you can call it a failure!

If you are someone suffering with knee pain, and are thinking about heading down the surgical route, but are yet to give exercise physiology or physiotherapy a real go, let us know we can help!

Dean Phelps

Dean is a registered Gold Coast Physiotherapist with undergraduate and postgraduate studies in Human Movement and Exercise Science. His background has developed his vision for Fighting Fit Physiotherapy to focus on optimal health and peak physical performance for every single patient. Utilising his many qualifications, in depth knowledge of the body and passion for exercise he can provide a holistic approach to your treatment and exercise prescription to get the best outcome.

Brenda Samosa

05:52 07 Nov 24

I had a really bad shoulder and had been seeing a different physio for 3 months (from a different place) I got told Tyson was good. After just a few sessions the movement was coming back. I’m 66 and was worried I would have to stop surfing. But with a lot of help from Tyson I’m back in the waves ( thank you so so much)

Cyana Ferguson

08:16 30 Oct 24

Steve Harris

22:33 15 Oct 24

Great team, all friendly, super helpful and first class clinical advice and a big shout out to my Physio Noah with my shoulder issue

Andrea Bell

05:33 19 Sep 24

These guys are the best in the biz 🎉

Ryan Brockett

04:20 18 Sep 24

Shout out to Max from fighting fit physio. He helped me out massively straight after shoulder surgery and back into work and sports in no time. Couldn’t recommend anyone better!

Scotty

08:31 31 Jul 24

Five star service from Max & the team!
Professional & very thorough, you know that patient outcomes are of the highest priority.
I highly recommend this business.

Riley Wilson

08:27 14 Jul 24

Be AWARE they’ll immediately try to commit you to multiple follow up sessions after your initial consultation. This happened to me and then I later found out that as it just so happens, they have a cancellation policy that says you have to pay 100% of the consultation fee for cancelling. They failed to tell me this when they were pushy in committing me to 6 sessions after my consult, so that was a really nice little surprise.

I was already uncomfortable with how pushy they were in having me commit to so many sessions, so when I heard about the policy I just cancelled all together. So, I can’t speak further to the quality of their service throughout therapy phase. FYI this was also a few months ago now, it’s possible (though unlikely) they may have changed the policy. Just ask the question.

Megan Shelley

06:51 03 May 24

Fighting Fit Physiotherapy is hands down the best physio I've encountered. Having tried multiple physios for various injuries, I always find myself coming back to them. Their expertise consistently exceeds expectations, helping me get back to my sport faster than I thought possible. Their personalized approach and attention to detail make all the difference. I could not recommend a better or more exceptional physio team!

Gina Matthews

08:41 24 Mar 23

Can't recommend this place high enough. I was in so much pain with my knee an had been for months through advise an exercises I'm now looking forward to returning to gym an back riding my horses in endurance thank you so much

Courtney Halse

01:36 29 Nov 22

Kyle was knowledgeable, personable and professional. He saw me through my second pregnancy and continued to work with me until 6 months post partum on issues with my back. Would recommend anyone to go and see him.

Also shout out to Georgia on the front desk. She makes you feel welcome and brings a sense of warmth to the place!

Alli Davenport

08:07 04 Nov 22

After hip replacement surgery in February I wanted toget back into weight training legs, I started with Mitch 18 weeks ago and after a lot of hard work and sweat I am able to safely train again, I cannot thank Mitch enough for his support,encouragement and knowledge. The staff are friendly and helpful and I always looked forward to my session's

Robert Parkinson

10:50 15 Aug 22

This is the second time I have been treated by the team at FFP.
As a health professional myself I have been impressed with the level of care I have received from all members of the team.
The personalised treatment and rehabilitation programs have produced excellent results and I have completed both programs pain free and feeling stronger than before my injuries.
During the program there was constant communication and follow up and they were very accommodating with my work schedule.
All in all it was a very holistic experience and I would highly recommend the service.

Kiri Canavan

07:30 08 Jun 22

Tyson was amazing! We came up with an 8 week plan at my first consultation with weekly check ins and updates to exercises. 8 weeks later, I am pain free and able to train harder than ever. Highly recommend and the staff are all fantastic and super accomodating!

Why does a knee replacement go bad?

Alternatives to Total Knee Replacements

What are the alternatives to avoid knee surgery?

"But I have Tried All That!"

The Desk Worker’s Guide to a Pain-Free Neck

Hip Osteoarthritis: Why It Hurts and How Physio Can Help

The #1 Mistake Athletes Make After an Ankle Injury

The Secret to Beating Back Pain? Walk This Way!

OPENING HOURS

HELPFUL PAGES

OPENING HOURS

HELPFUL PAGES

Our GOLD COAST PHYSIO Location

HELPFUL PAGES

fighting fit
physiotherapy

call 0402 938 661

fighting fit
physiotherapy

call 0402 938 661

OUR SERVICES

OPENING HOURS

Monday	6:30am	–	8:00pm
Tuesday	6:30am	–	8:00pm
Wednesday	6:30am	–	8:00pm
Thursday	6:30am	–	8:00pm
Friday	6:30am	–	8:00pm
Saturday			CLOSED
Sunday			CLOSED

Monday	6:30am	–	8:00pm
Tuesday	6:30am	–	8:00pm
Wednesday	6:30am	–	8:00pm
Thursday	6:30am	–	8:00pm
Friday	6:30am	–	8:00pm
Saturday			CLOSED
Sunday			CLOSED

Monday	6:30am	–	8:00pm
Tuesday	6:30am	–	8:00pm
Wednesday	6:30am	–	8:00pm
Thursday	6:30am	–	8:00pm
Friday	6:30am	–	8:00pm
Saturday			CLOSED
Sunday			CLOSED

Monday	6:30am	–	8:00pm
Tuesday	6:30am	–	8:00pm
Wednesday	6:30am	–	8:00pm
Thursday	6:30am	–	8:00pm
Friday	6:30am	–	8:00pm
Saturday			CLOSED
Sunday			CLOSED