Health

When you visit with your orthopedic surgeon, several important pieces of information will be gathered. The medical history, physical exam, and imaging studies such as x-rays are all key components to diagnosing your knee arthritis and to decide if a surgical procedure is appropriate for you.

The “history” is the story of your knee pain. The surgeon will inquire how long you have had pain, its severity, how it affects you ability to function and perform daily activities, previous treatments, and your past medical history. Feel free to express how your knee pain affects your quality of life and what your expectations are after treatment. These are all important pieces of information that your surgeon needs to know in order to understand your perspective on your knee pain.

The orthopedic surgeon will then perform a physical examination of your knee. It is important for your surgeon to see how you walk, the alignment of your legs, how your knee bends and straightens, where your knee hurts, if there is any swelling, if your ligaments are stable, and if the muscles, nerves and blood vessels in your legs all work well. The physical exam allows the surgeon to make a diagnosis and to determine if surgery is necessary, and which surgery is most appropriate for your knee.

Imaging studies are an important part of your visit with the surgeon. X-rays allow the surgeon to see the alignment of the knee, the degree of cartilage wear, the presence of bone spurs, and if there is anything unusual with the bony anatomy.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) tests are sometimes performed to assess the soft tissue structures, ligaments and cartilage of the knee. When an x-ray beam is shot through the knee, the bones catch the beams and appear bright on the x-ray, but the beams pass right though the soft tissues and cartilage, so these are not visible. The MRI is a good test to look for meniscal tears, ligament injuries, and to look at the articular cartilage. This is particularly useful if the plain x-rays do not show any significant arthritic changes.

Once the surgeon has been able to hear your history, examine your knee, and review the imaging studies, a diagnosis can be made. Once the diagnosis is made, the surgeon can then discuss the treatment options with you. After the surgeon discusses the treatment options and makes a recommendation, you will need to decide which course of action to take.