Treatment
Knee surgery at SSOC Novena spans keyhole arthroscopy, ligament reconstruction, joint-preserving realignment and partial or total knee replacement — recommended only when conservative care has had its fair chance, and explained fully before anything is decided. This page explains when surgery enters the picture, what the options are, and how the decision is made — with you.
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Later than most people fear — the majority of problems in this region are treated without an operation. Surgery earns its place in specific situations:
Everything else starts — and usually ends — with the non-surgical ladder. Surgery is the tool we reach for when the diagnosis proves it’s needed, not before.
The operations we perform for this region, in plain terms:
Not sure which applies to you? That’s normal — the operation follows the diagnosis, and the diagnosis is where we start.
Every surgical recommendation here has to pass the same tests: a diagnosis confirmed on imaging that matches your symptoms; a fair trial of conservative care first, except where delay costs function; the least invasive approach that genuinely solves the problem; and a full, unhurried explanation of options, risks and recovery — with second opinions welcomed, never resented. The decision is always made with you, never for you. A consultation is not a commitment to surgery; it’s how you find out what you actually need.
Less often than feared — most knee pain, including early arthritis, is managed without an operation. Surgery earns its place for structural injuries that cannot stabilise themselves — a torn ACL in a pivoting athlete, a locked knee from a displaced meniscus tear — and for advanced arthritis that keeps limiting walking or sleep despite proper conservative care.
Keyhole arthroscopy treats meniscus tears, cartilage damage and loose bodies through tiny incisions. ACL reconstruction rebuilds a torn ligament for a stable, pivoting knee. And when arthritis is advanced, replacement resurfaces the joint — partial if the damage is confined to one compartment, total if it isn’t — with robotic-assisted techniques for precise implant positioning.
No — many tears, especially degenerative ones, settle with physiotherapy and time. Surgery is considered for tears that lock the knee, cause persistent mechanical symptoms, or occur in young patients where repair can preserve the meniscus for the decades ahead.
Not at all — it’s the last option. Most knee arthritis is managed with activity modification, strengthening and weight management for years. When surgery is needed and the damage is confined to one side, younger patients may be offered an osteotomy, which realigns the leg and keeps the natural joint, or a partial replacement, which resurfaces only the worn compartment. Total replacement is reserved for knees truly worn through.
It depends on the operation. Arthroscopy typically means walking the same day and desk work within days to weeks. ACL reconstruction is a months-long graded programme back to sport. Replacement patients are walking the day of or after surgery, with steady milestones over the following weeks — each timeline is laid out honestly before anything is decided.
Related: Knee pain · Physiotherapy
Same-day appointments are usually available. Call or book online — our team will take it from there.
