Seeing the Orthopedic Surgeon

The day after she arrived home, Elaine saw Dr. Scott. He ordered an MRI, which confirmed the injury. He suggested that she consider reconstructive surgery on her knee. While some patients elect to avoid surgery, they are at much higher risk of developing osteoarthritis earlier, and the instability of their knee makes them more likely to fall again. Thirty years ago most surgeons would not have suggested surgery for this injury, particularly in someone aged 55, and the surgical techniques were not as successful as they are now.

Because Elaine was a fairly active individual prior to the accident, Dr. Scott encouraged her to have reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament, and he referred her to another orthopedic surgeon who did that surgery on a routine basis.

Questions

• Why did Dr. Scott order an MRI?

He wanted to evaluate the injury and see if it has progressed or not to know if surgery was needed.

• What difference does age make in terms of the healing process?

As your body ages, your muscle mass decreases.

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So, being that your muscle protein rebuilds and repairs slower than a young person, this results in actual decreased physical strength. The recovery rate is directly related to the speed in which the body can grow new cells to repair itself.

• What is osteoarthritis?

Osteoarthritis is a disease of the joints. It is one of the most common diseases nowadays. Unlike many other forms of arthritis, osteoarthritis does not affect other organs of the body. The most common symptom is pain in the affected joint after repetitive use.