Tom Willemann Health Tips

"Regular Health Tips From Physical Therapist Tom Willemann..."

Use the Form Below to Get Them All Sent to You for FREE

Total Knee Replacement with a Hybrid Joint

Tom Willemann |

If you are scheduled to undergo knee replacement surgery, your surgeon has three procedures from which to choose. An artificial knee can be held in place, or fixed, using a cemented, noncemented or hybrid procedure. Your surgeon will decide which procedure is best for you.

The cemented procedure

In this procedure, a grout-like material is inserted between the bone and the prosthesis. As it hardens, it creates a strong bond that holds the artificial knee in place. This allows you to bear weight on the knee immediately. The disadvantages are that the prosthesis may loosen and/or bits of bone cement may shed into the joint, causing inflammation and destruction of bone. Both conditions require surgery to correct.

A noncemented procedure

A noncemented procedure uses a porous prosthesis coated with material that stimulates bone cells to grow into it. The prosthesis and the bone are held together with screws while new bone grows and joins the implant to natural bone. Until this happens, you may be more restricted in weight bearing to enhance ingrowth of bone, making the recovery period longer. Short-term outcome studies have shown that noncemented fixation has success rates comparable to those using cement.

The hybrid procedure

The hybrid procedure is designed to minimize the problems of both the cemented and noncemented procedures. The connections between the lower leg (tibia) and the prosthesis, and the kneecap (patella) and the prosthesis are cemented because this is where most noncemented joints fail. The connection between the thighbone (femur) and the prosthesis is not cemented because a strong cement-free joint tends to form here.

These three types of knee fixation all require different rehabilitation strategies to produce the most functional pain-free joint. We can work with your surgeon to develop a rehabilitation program that increases motion in the knee following surgery, prevents the muscle loss inevitable after surgery, rebuilds muscle strength and prevents stiffness of the new knee joint.

Personalized Physical Therapy Services in Wyckoff and Ridgewood NJVoted the Most Attentive Orthopedic Physical Therapists in Bergen County

Results-Oriented Back Pain, Neck Pain, Knee Pain Treatment and Solutions

Affordable and Personalized Physical Therapy Clinic serving Wyckoff and Ridgewood NJ

Tom Willemann

Tom Willemann

Tom Willemann is a premier physical therapist based out of Bergen County, New Jersey. He holds an MS in physical therapy from the University of Miami, is credentialed in the world-renowned McKenzie Method of Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy (MDT), and holds an OCS (Orthopedic Clinical Specialist) certification. As of 2018, there are approximately 14,000 ABPTS certified specialists in the nation and less than 400 of them are located in the state of New Jersey. Tom is the owner and director of Apex Orthopedic Rehabilitation in Paramus. He opened the clinic, which specializes in spine and sports injury prevention, in 2004 after many years of experience in the field. Tom’s caring interest in others and his strong belief in continuity of care, combined with his clinic’s ability to find solutions for the most difficult orthopedic problems, have earned Apex Orthopedic Rehabilitation its excellent reputation with patients and medical professionals in northeastern New Jersey and beyond. A true “family man,” Tom takes pride in his clinic’s warm and welcoming environment.
Share This