A surgical method through which the internal structure of a joint is audited for diagnosis or treatment by using a tube-like seeing instrument named arthroscope, the process is thus known as arthroscopy. It was prominent in the 1960’s with the onset of fiber optic technologies and now it is popularly used all around the globe. Generally, it is practiced by orthopedic surgeons in an outpatient setting, which means that patients can return home on the same day as soon as the procedure is completed.
Symptoms and Causes of arthroscopy
Arthroscopy can be caused by some sort of infection, clots in veins that is Thrombophlebitis, an artery damage, excessive bleeding or hemorrhage, some allergic reaction due to anesthesia, nerve damages, orongoing pain in the foot or the calf and may be due to the numbness at the incision sites. It can also cause swelling and pain in the knees.
Risks associated with arthroscopy
With each and every disease, there is or are some sort of risks associated with it but are rare and each and every surgery as risks including the excessive bleeding during the procedure, infections at the influenced area of the surgery, some breathing difficulties, allergy due to medications during the surgery, etc.
Some risks which are specifically mentioned for a knee arthroscopy are such as infection inside the joints, stiffness or rigidness in the knee, bleeding inside the knee joint , formation of blood clots in the leg and some injury or damage to the cartilages, ligaments, blood vessels, meniscus or nerves of the knee, etc.
Rehabilitation
It has some goals that includes protecting the knee from overstress and allow healing, regaining full motion and full muscle strength. With these gals, some of the activities which are assigned includes of:
- Walk on legs and can bear weight as you are able to and try to avoid walking in heels or limping. Also, avoid walking for longer distances for 4 to 6 weeks after surgery.
- Put ice on the knee to reduce pain and do this for 3 times a days for about 15-20 minutes. Remember, always place a towel between the skin and the ice to prevent skin injury.
- Leave the strips of tape in place as they will slowly and gradually loosen, also you can wrap an elastic bandage around the knee if necessary.
- Do not place a pillow below the knee because it can lead to knee stiffness.
- Good control with single leg stand.
- Good control and no pain with functional movements, including step up/down, squat, partial lunge.
- Good control and no pain with sport and work specific movements, including impact.
Exercise program
You can ride the stationery bicycle for about 20-30 minutes daily. You can also do quadriceps setting- to maintain the muscle tone in the thigh muscles and straighten the knee, heel propping, heel slides, straight leg lift, short arc lift, standing hamstring curl, standing toe raise, hip abductions, etc. avoid the use of stair- stepper machines.