Linda Arnold
Shopping is a passion for most women, but for Linda Arnold, it became a chore. "I love to shop, but my knee pain became so unbearable, I stopped doing anything that required physical activity." The inability to bend down or walk for long periods of time can affect so many aspects of how you feel.
For six months, Linda dealt with her pain until she couldn't tolerate it any longer. "I was tired of being limited in my activity and I wanted to get back to normal as soon as possible," she recalls. She scheduled an appointment with her family doctor, and he suggested she see an orthopedic surgeon to further discuss her arthritis treatment options.
"I felt confident in my doctor's advice, so I made the appointment [with an orthopedic surgeon]." According to the surgeon's diagnosis, Linda suffered from limited arthritis known as medial compartment arthritis.
He [the orthopedic surgeon] suggested the Oxford® Partial Knee Replacement. The Oxford® Partial Knee implant is designed to repair only one side of the knee (the medial side), making it less invasive than a total knee implant.
New advantages of the Oxford® partial knee replacement are that it removes 75% less bone and cartilage, is less painful, enables a more rapid recovery, and provides more natural motion when compared to a total knee replacement.1-3
"After the doctor explained the Oxford® Partial Knee and its benefits, I was excited to think I might be pain-free again." After four to six weeks of physical therapy and regular exercise, she felt well enough to return to her daily activities.
Looking back, Linda said, "I am glad I took the steps to have joint replacement. I can now do any activities I did previously. I think the best thing is to find a doctor you can be comfortable with and follow all the instructions you are given."
1 Data on file at Biomet. Note: bench test results do not necessarily indicate clinical performance.
2 Murray, DW. "Mobile bearing Unicompartmental knee replacement." Orthopedics. 2005:28:985-987
3 Deshmukh, RV, Scott, RD. "Unicompartmental knee Arthoplasty:long-term results." Clinical Orthopedics and Related Research. 2001; 392-278
This article is meant solely as a human interest story and is not meant to constitute medical advice. Individual results may vary. Surgery involves potential risks and requires recovery time. The life of any joint replacement will depend on your age, weight, activity level, and other factors. Only an orthopedic surgeon can determine if surgery is right for you. For risks regarding joint replacement, visit www.biomet.com and talk to your orthopedic surgeon.
