How to Decide Whether You Should Have Knee Surgery

So, you have been told that you need knee surgery, and your really unsure about having it. Maybe you have had knee surgery in the past, and you don't think another surgery will help. Maybe you just don't think you knee injury is bad enough to make surgery an option. Just because a doctor tells you that you need knee surgery, doesn't always mean they are right. Here are some things you can do, to make an informed decision.

Things You'll Need

  • Internet
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Instructions

    • 1

      Go with your gut. If you are a little worried about having knee surgery, don't just do it because your doctor told you to. You can go and get a second opinion from another physician, you don't have to go with the first opinion you get. Find another orthopedic doctor and make an appointment with them.

    • 2

      Ask questions about the surgery the doctor wants to perform. Ask the success rate,specifically his/her success rate, so you can make an informed decision. You also need to find out how long the recovery time is, and what kind of therapy you will have to do after surgery. Don't be afraid to ask questions, this is your knee, and you need to be informed.

    • 3

      Do your research. Here again, you can't always believe what your doctor has told you. Find out what kind of surgery your doctor wants to perform on you, and then do an internet search on it. Check out what the surgery requires, and see overall what the success rate is. You should also check out the many forums online, people post their stories about their surgery, and you can see if it was successful for them. If it wasn't, you can find out what complications other people have had.

    • 4

      Make you decision. Based on your questions, and research done, you can decide for yourself if you should proceed with surgery based on your information. Good luck on your decision.

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