Kinematic Alignment Total Knee Replacement
The UNOVA Hip & Knee Center offers kinematic alignment knee replacement surgery, which resurfaces arthritic or damaged knees through a technique that allows the surgeon to replicate the knee’s natural pre-disease alignment and orientation. 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 standard technique used for a total knee replacement. It is an insertional technique that utilizes special instruments created for this new and different philosophy about knee alignment. No longer are we placing the knee in an arbitrary position that we formally considered “ideal” although the position did not match the orientation of all the population’s knees. Using the outdated total knee technique often led to the need for ligament releases to re-balance the knee after the bone was cut. These releases lead to increased pain in the post-op recovery period and can help explain why 18 – 25% of total knee patients in the past were not fully satisfied with their knee replacements.
Through Kinematic Alignment, we are restoring the knee to the most natural position for that particular knee’s ligament and muscular structure. This means that we can now insert the knee while maintaining the ligaments in their natural position, getting rid of the need for ligament releases. The procedure allows the knee to move through 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.
Advantages of Kinematic Alignment
There are many advantages to kinematic alignment knee replacement:
- The technique preserves more of the patient’s own bone and ligaments, which allows for better implant fit and alignment
- A more natural feeling knee
- Less pain during recovery
- Shorter recovery times
- Faster return to normal living activities such as golfing, biking and gardening
- Improved range of motion, immediately after surgery and throughout recovery
- Better flexion to allow for more natural kneeling
Using the kinematic alignment technology, we are able to spare two key ligaments, the medial and the lateral collateral ligaments, this helps ensure proper alignment and a more natural feeling knee. These ligaments are often cut or released during “conventional” knee replacement surgery.
With kinematic alignment technology, each patient’s surgical procedure is specific to that patient since each knee’s alignment and orientation are patient-specific. This technique requires special training. Dr. Thomas McCoy at the UNOVA Hip & Knee Center, has performed over 1,000 of these procedures and has also taught surgeons both nationally and internationally this technique.
If you are considering a total knee replacement, we invite you to learn more about the unique Kinematic alignment technique and experience the UNOVA Hip & Knee Center difference for yourself.