Health Articles

Missouri Baptist Medical Center Physicians,

Today U.S. News and World Reportreleased its ranking of top hospitals. We are excited to share that MoBap was ranked #2 in the St. Louis Metro Area (only behind our sister hospital BJH) and #3 in Missouri (up one spot from last year).

Recovering from total knee replacement surgery can be a painful, grueling experience. The good news is many patients experience a new lease on life after knee replacement that allows them to enjoy golf, running, dancing, and many other activities that were painful to experience before the surgery. The recovery period can be several weeks long and of course, every patient’s situation is unique.

If you’re facing knee replacement surgery, you probably have this question on your mind: how long until I’m back to normal after knee replacement surgery? The impact of knee replacement surgery is different for every patient. Your current health condition, medical history, family background, diet, age, and even stress level can play a significant role in your recovery.

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality reports that over 600,000 knee replacements are performed in the U.S. each year. (AAOS) While partial knee replacements and total knee replacements may seem near-identical, the comparison is more ‘apples to oranges’. There are three main compartments of a knee:

Approximately 19.5% of all U.S. adults say they suffer from knee pain. (The American Academy of Pain Medicine) If you’re reading this, we’re guessing you’re part of the 63 million Americans who experience knee pain on a consistent basis. It affects your work, your everyday movement, and even what type of new activities you’re willing to try. “Oh, I couldn’t do that. My knee hurts too bad.”

St. Patrick’s Day is almost here! Shamrocks, leprechauns, pots of gold, and of course, green beer are all in season as the luck of the Irish sweeps across St. Louis. There are all sorts of legends and interesting tidbits about St. Patrick that may surprise you.

Have you ever seen a football player take a blow to the hip and the player immediately uses both hands to press on his hip? The team doctors rush out and help the player limp to the sidelines. A few minutes later the sideline reporter gives the report that the player sustained a ‘hip pointer’. It’s at that moment when you wonder, “What is a hip pointer?”

It happened. You’re jogging along the Katy Trail or walking up the steps at work and ouch- you feel a twinge of pain on the outside edge of your kneecap. The small divot on the outside is now tender to the touch. Oh no, did you tear something in your knee? Our brains can easily go to the worst possible scenario when we experience pain. How do you know if your knee pain is a small ‘tweak’ or if you may have torn a ligament? Thankfully, the answers are often obvious.