when is knee replacement required - #19342
I am a 58-year-old who has been dealing with serious knee pain for a few years now. At first, I thought it was just part of aging or maybe overdoing it at the gym, but it’s gotten to the point where I can’t even walk a few blocks without feeling like my knee is on fire. I’ve tried everything from physical therapy and cortisone shots to over-the-counter pain meds, but nothing seems to work. I got an X-ray last month and the doc said something about osteoarthritis, but now I’m clueless. I mean, when is knee replacement required? Like, is there a specific point where I should just accept that surgery is my only option? I keep hearing different things, like some say if you can't walk or climb stairs, that’s a sign, but I can still do that… albeit with excruciating pain. Other folks mention waiting until you really can’t handle it anymore. I’m honestly just scared of surgery, but I also want to be able to enjoy life again without limping around or avoiding activities. If anyone else has been in this similar boat, when did you finally decide to go for a knee replacement? Like, is there a checklist or something I should be considering? I don’t want to jump into anything but also don’t wanna wait too long and regret not taking action sooner. Thanks for any input!
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