Kinematic Alignment
The Joint Replacement Center at UM BWMC offers kinematic joint replacement surgery. Kinematic alignment joint replacement replaces arthritic or damaged joints with a custom-fit knee. The result is a faster and less painful recovery, a quicker return to normal living activities and a more natural feeling knee.
Kinematic alignment is a departure from the normal paradigm of how a standard knee replacement is performed. It is an insertional technique that utilizes special instruments created by a different philosophy about alignment. No longer are we placing the knee in a position that we formally considered "ideal," rather we are restoring the knee to the most natural position for its ligament and muscular structure. The procedure allows the knee to go in the range of motion the way nature meant and most importantly, patients who have had this after conventional knee replacement say it feels like a normal knee and less artificial.
What are the benefits of kinematic alignment?
There are many advantages to kinematic alignment joint replacement:
- It preserves more of the patient's own bone and ligaments, which allows for better implant fit and alignment
- Less pain
- Quicker recovery times
- Greater range of motion after recovery
- Quicker return to normal living activities such as golfing, biking and gardening
- Greater range of motion, immediately after surgery and throughout recovery
- Better flexion to allow for more natural kneeling
How is kinematic alignment different from traditional knee replacement surgery?
Using the kinematic alignment technology, we are able to spare a key ligament, the posterior cruciate, which helps ensure proper alignment and a more natural feeling knee. This ligament is often cut during traditional knee replacement.
With kinematic alignment technology, each patient's surgical procedure is expertly planned in advance and specific to that patient. Specialized instruments are used to make bony cuts that restore the knee to its pre-arthritic alignment. This technique requires special training.
For more information about kinematic alignment or joint replacement surgery, please call 410-553-8170.