If your knees crunch and creak when you climb stairs, feel achy and stiff in the morning, swell or feel like they lock up or buckle, you’re probably experiencing the symptoms of osteoarthritis. If it’s been going on long enough, your doctor may have suggested you consider a total knee replacement.

Before you agree to surgery, you owe it to yourself to get all the facts about total knee replacement surgery and what it can do for your health. Fortunately, help is here thanks to Total Knee Replacement, a new guide from the experts at Harvard Medical School and you can download and begin reading this report right now. 

In concise, easy-to-understand terms, this information-packed guide walks you through everything you need to know from why knee joints wear out to deciding if knee replacement is right for you to the types of implants available to the risks and complications of surgery to your recovery and your life with your new knee.

Harvard Medical School experts including the guide’s medical editor, Scott D. Martin, Associate Professor of Orthopedics created Total Knee Replacement to reveal: 

• Why you may not want to have a knee replacement if you’re under 60. Artificial knees typically last 15 to 20 years—sometimes longer. And you want your first knee replacement to be your last. So, considering the average life span for Americans, waiting until age 60 means most older adults who get a new knee won’t need to have it replaced.
• Is knee replacement your best option? If you’re at the point where X-rays show you have advanced arthritis or other damage, you have significant pain daily, pain and swelling aren’t going away with rest and medication, or you’re having severe side effects from the medication, then it may be time to consider a total replacement. But Total Knee Replacement also brings you six other options to surgery, as well as procedures that can help you delay the need for total knee replacement.
• How to find the best doctor. At a minimum, you’ll want to make sure your doctor performs total knee replacements at least 100 times a year at a hospital or clinic where knee replacements are common. Your surgeon should be board-certified in orthopedic surgery and fellowship-trained in joint replacement. For the full list of questions to review with your doctor see page 10 of your new report.
• Important surgical decisions you need to understand. With over 150 implant designs available, you’ll want to make sure you know which is your best option. Metal-on-plastic is the most common type and has the longest track record for safety and implant life span. However, there are many other types such as ceramic-on-plastic, ceramic-on-ceramic, and even metal-on-metal—and each has its pros and cons.
• How to have a successful recovery. Once you and your doctor decide a total knee replacement is for you, you’ll want to set yourself up for the best recovery possible. Since the surgery is usually elective, that means you’ll have time to prepare. You can take advantage of prehabilitation to strengthen the muscles that support your knee and make sure you have essential home items in place like a stable shower bench or chair, secure stair rails and a stable chair and footstool where you can elevate your leg. And in most cases your doctor will have you begin rehabilitation as soon as possible.

Whether your just beginning to consider a total knee replacement or have surgery scheduled, Harvard Medical School’s Total Knee Replacement guide is a must-have that will help you make the choices to keep you active and healthy for life.