When the pain interferes with the quality of a person's life, knee replacement becomes an option. In 1980 Dr. Schoch replaced both Mrs. Roberson's knees. Also, despite medication, her knees hurt all the time, even in her sleep. Though she had dreaded the idea of surgery, she finally chose knee replacement as the only option to preserve her independence. Despite its track record for reducing or eliminating knee pain, it's not a surgery that Dr. Schoch or other orthopedists recommend lightly.
Artificial knees do have limitations.
You're not going to go back out and play football or take up running on artificial knees. Obesity, too, can be a limiting factor. The artificial knee will not hold up under excessive weight, and patients must keep their weight within normal limits to protect the joints. Also, if the metal and plastic becomes too worn or if the prostheses becomes less firmly attached to the bone, the knees may have to be replaced. Because a portion of the bone must be removed during the surgery, the procedure is seldom done more than twice on a patient, says Dr. Schoch.