The knee joint is an important joint associated with the mobility of human beings. The knee joint attaches bones from the upper leg to bones in the lower leg. The joint is able to carry the weight of an individual. The joint is designed to allow the complete folding of the leg. Because of its design, the knee joint cannot be bent forwards. It features a knee cap made of solid bone which is used as protection for the joint from injuries and impacts.
The knee joint is filled with a fluid that is used to absorb shocks that may pass through the leg. These shocks come from the processes of walking, jogging and running. The shock absorption capacity of the knee ensures that these vibrations and jolts do not pass into the upper part of the leg. The fluid in the knee joint also helps to reduce wear and tear in the joint. The fluid acts as a lubricant to make sure that the bones do not rub against each other. Finally, the joint also features various ligaments and tendons that are used to control the movements of the various bones that are associated with the knee joint.
A knee arthroscopy procedure is a medical diagnostic and treatment procedure that is conducted to examine the knee for damage and to treat this damage. Knee joint problems are extremely common amongst athletes and sports persons. These problems also affect elderly individuals who suffer from joint wear and tear problems. Knee problems severely limit mobility because any movement from walking to running has to be performed using the knee joint. A knee arthroscopy will be ordered for all patients who suffer from undiagnosed pain in the knee joint. In many cases, a knee arthroscopy is ordered after an MRI image or CT scan image has shown some abnormality in the joint. These scans are somewhat limited in their ability to show details when it comes to problems within the knee joint. Therefore a knee arthroscopy is used to examine the joint in great detail.
The knee arthroscopy may also include surgical remedies for the problem that has been diagnosed. The knee arthroscopy procedure is done using a scope which is inserted through an incision. This scope may be accompanied by surgical tools which is how the knee arthroscopy surgery is performed.
Knee arthroscopy is conducted under some form of anesthesia. Depending on the doctor, the patient may be under local or general anesthesia. Local anesthesia is applied to the joint itself whereas general anesthesia will render the patient unconscious. With this being the case, the knee will not move during the knee arthroscopy which is crucial for the procedure to be successful. Knee arthroscopy recovery time depends on the extent of the procedure that has been conducted. The knee arthroscopy recovery also depends on the injury that has been treated in the first place. For individuals with serious tears or ruptures in their ligaments, the knee arthroscopy recovery time will be longer as they will need time for the ligaments to be capable of performing their functions once more.
For knee arthroscopy procedures that involve examination and no surgery, the recovery time should be just a matter of a day or two as the pain from the knee arthroscopy incision heals. A knee arthroscopy is extremely useful as a diagnostic tool for a variety of knee conditions. It is extensively used in sporting injuries to estimate the nature of the damage suffered. In many cases, patients who need more complicated knee surgery will first undergo a knee arthroscopy to make sure that further treatment is indeed needed. The person undergoing knee arthroscopy would need to get clear with the doctor on various issues such as the knee arthroscopy cost, knee arthroscopy complications, the preparations required and so on. The knee arthroscopy rehab time would differ depending on the type of procedure that is conducted.