How knee replacement gave a grandmother freedom from 28 years of pain

By Saloni Singh

The choice was not an easy one for 68-year-old, Mrs. Rajvati Singh. The options in front of her were: either get a knee replacement surgery done or continue enduring the pain. In 2021, she decided to take the risk despite the fear of the surgery failing.

The cost of the surgery was four lakh rupees. However, the comfort it promised was enough to take the risk.

When asked about her initial struggle with the knee pain, she recalled, “When I was 40 years old, the pain in my knees started. Initially the pain was mild, but as time went by, I started experiencing severe pain. It was as if someone was hitting my knees with a hammer. I experienced complete stiffness in my knees in the mornings. It was really painful.”

At first, she thought that the pain was mainly caused by the consumption of dairy products, citrus fruits, chickpeas and beans. But later as the pain persisted, she understood that it was something serious.

The pain curtailed her movement. She could not stand for a long time, sit in a cross-legged position, or even travel for long hours.

Mrs. Singh said, “To get relief, I started taking pain killers.  I tried homeopathy, even Ayurvedic medicines. These medicines provided temporary relief only. Finally, I visited my family doctor for advice.”

Dr. Kapil Tyagi, an orthopedic at Yatharth Hospital, conducted some tests, analyzed the X-rays and concluded that she had osteoarthritis, a type of arthritis that occurs when flexible tissue at the ends of bones wears down.

Dr. Tyagi recommended knee replacement surgery on the first visit itself. He also wanted the surgery to be done at the earliest opportunity.

The surgery was successfully conducted by Dr. Sanjay Gupta, an orthopedic surgeon, at the then Jaypee Hospital. Talking about her biggest fear regarding the surgery, she said, “It was about the success rate of the surgery. I was worried that I would not be able to walk or move if the surgery failed.” She did not want to be bedridden and depend on her family members.

Her son, Mr. Vivek Singh, recalls, “I was there with her all the time. She was very anxious and worried about the surgery.” When the surgery was over and she was shifted to the ward she broke down.  Her eyes filled with tears at the thought of the knee pain vanishing.

After the surgery, physiotherapy played an important role in her recovery. The exercises were simple yet effective. These included ankle pumps, heel slides, and gentle knee bend. The physiotherapist visited her every day for about a month. He gave her instructions regarding the use of walker, and the body movements she could perform.

She completed her post-surgical recovery in four months. And the first activity which she could perform was walking without the help of a stick or walker, comfortably. Everyday activities also became easier for her.

As per the latest data, approximately 2.5 lakh Indians undergo a knee replacement surgery every year. Many are senior citizens with the average age for knee replacement between 50-70 years.

(The writer is a first-year student of media at KCC Institutes in Greater Noida.)

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