Knee pain and shoulder pain are the most widespread problems. According to the World Health Organisation, 528 million people suffer from knee pain, out of which 73% of individuals are more than 55 years old. On the other hand, shoulder pain is the third most common problem people experience. 

This clearly implies how common knee pain is. Because of its traditional surgical options, people ignore the proper treatment and rely on pain-relieving medications. Undoubtedly, medication brings temporary relief, but for the long term, it’s important to treat the root cause of the pain. 

When non-surgical treatment fails to relieve pain, orthopaedic doctors recommend arthroscopic surgery, which is minimally invasive with a faster recovery rate. This blog walks you through the benefits of arthroscopic surgery for knee and shoulder injuries.

What is arthroscopic surgery?

Arthroscopic surgery is a joint pain treatment in which orthopaedic surgeons make small incisions and insert tiny cameras to get a visual imprint of the patient’s knee or shoulder, then repair the damaged joint. Knee and shoulder injuries require precise treatment; doctors prefer arthroscopy as it provides minimal invasive treatment.

Which knee and shoulder problems can arthroscopy treat?

Knee and shoulder arthroscopy is not only a minimally invasive technique but also effective in treating orthopaedic problems with precision. Here are some common problems arthroscopy can treat:

• Loose cartilage or bone fragments
• ACL injuries
• Meniscus tears
• Rotator cuff tears
• Labral tears
• Cartilage damage
• Shoulder impingement
• Shoulder instability and recurrent dislocations

Suffering for too long can only make your pain worse. It’s important to consult an orthopaedic doctor at the right time, so that your knee and shoulder injury is diagnosed early and treated before it affects your quality of life.

Top Benefits of Arthroscopy Surgery

According to NCBI, approximately 869 orthopaedic surgeons noticed that arthroscopic surgeries were much more effective for joint problems, and adopted them over traditional surgical options. Several benefits include:

• Smaller incision

Arthroscopic surgery requires only a small cut, as the whole diagnosis and treatment can be done via a small incision. This further reduces the chance of damage to surrounding tissues.

• Less pain after surgery

Fear of surgical pain is the biggest reason most people ignore surgery and depend on temporary treatment alternatives. However, in the case of arthroscopic surgery, only small incisions are required, so the individual experiences less pain after surgery.

• Faster recovery

According to Dr Kishore Kumar Panda, arthroscopic surgeries work better than conventional surgeries, because of less invasive and tiny cuts, patients recover faster and get huge relief from crippling pain. 

• Minimal scarring

Open surgeries leave scars that are hard to disappear, but because of the small cuts, the scars also remain small and less noticeable.

• Lower risk of infection

When the incision is small, there is a low chance of infection, and it further helps the individual to recover faster and healthier.

• Shorter hospital stay

This is the major change arthroscopic surgery brings in individual life, because of minimally invasive surgery, now individuals don’t need to stay in the hospital for a longer time, as in most cases, orthopaedic surgeons allow them to be discharged on the same day.

• Faster return to daily activities

Arthroscopic surgery proceeds in such a precise way that it doesn’t make large wounds, and because of this, patients heal faster and return to their routine activities. While patients also need rehabilitation after arthroscopy, as it helps individuals eliminate remaining swelling, inflammation, and reconstruct surrounding muscles.

Recovery After Arthroscopy Surgery

According to PMC research, individuals who were treated with arthroscopic surgery recovered earlier than those who went through open surgery. The recovery after knee arthroscopy typically takes around 6-8 months. Within the initial 1 to 2 months, individuals can resume normal activities, and within 3 to 6 months, they can start strength-based exercises or sports-related activities. 

While the recovery after shoulder arthroscopy took 3 to 6 months, it can even take years for complete recovery. Your incision starts to heal within 1 to 14 days, and within 4 to 6 months, you can regain full strength to perform overhead activities and sports activities. 

Overall, arthroscopy surgery recovery time differs as it depends on the individual’s health and the severity of their knee and shoulder injury. Apart from that, physiotherapy after arthroscopy also plays a critical role in recovery time as it helps individuals to regain their movement and bring stability to their joints.

Conclusion

Whether you are looking for a treatment for a shoulder injury or a knee injury, the scope of benefits of arthroscopy surgery is enormous. With its less invasive and speedy recovery, it helps individuals to get faster relief. Possessing 15 years of experience in shoulder and knee injury treatment, Dr Kishore Kumar Panda is a well-established orthopaedic doctor you can contact.