One cause of discomfort and stiffness in knees is wear and tear on the cartilage that cushions your knee bones. If this wear is confined to just a portion of your knee, then you might be a good candidate for a total knee replacement.

During a partial knee replacement, your surgeon replaces damaged cartilage and bone in just one portion on the knee. For those who qualify, this approach offers benefits over a total knee replacement:

• effects a smaller area of the knee joint
• requires smaller incisions
• lessens trauma to the bone and surrounding tissue
• uses smaller implants
• causes less pain and speeds recovery

After assessing your knee, your surgeon will decide whether a partial knee replacement would be the best option for you.