Patient Education

Once considered a last resort for older people, knee replacement surgery is becoming more commonplace earlier in many lives. Why? Active people want to continue to dance, play golf, and even tennis at the level they once enjoyed before the onset of knee pain.

According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS), the total number of knee replacements performed each year, both total and partial, rose 30 percent from 2004 to 2008. In that same period, there was a whopping 61-percent increase in these surgeries among men and women, ages 45 to 64, and that increase is expected to continue as boomers age.

Knee replacement is not for everyone. We have endeavored to put a wide variety of informational material on this page and elsewhere on this website to help you assess this procedure. Most of all, we encourage you to meet with your orthopedic surgeon.

You should also explore these other reputable sites for additional information:

• AAHKS – American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons: The AAHKS is an organization of orthopedic surgeons who devote a majority of their work to joint replacements.
• Boulder Community Health
• American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons: Founded in 1933, the Academy is the preeminent provider of musculoskeletal education to orthopedic surgeons and others in the world.
• FDA – U.S. Food and Drug Administration: The United States Food and Drug Administration reviews and approves all types of medical devices, including joint implants. The FDA mandate is to continue to follow and study all drugs and procedures even after approval.