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Gender Knees
August 22, 2007
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More than 400,000 knee replacements are performed each year, and two-thirds of those patients are women.
In the last year, women received twice as many knee implants as men.
Oddly enough,
while knee implants are available in different sizes, there’s never been one designed
specifically for women. That is, until now. Orthopedic surgeon John Fifer says,
“There’s no question that the gender specific knee addresses a specific need. That
particular female with a narrower knee so you don’t have over hang, it saves on
tendonitis, so you have less pain. There is a quicker rehab and a functional result.”
Dr. Fifer also says that the new implant isn’t just a smaller version of the traditional
one. It’s been engineered to specifically match the anatomy of a woman’s knee. “It’s
a little thinner on top, it’s a little narrower and it’s got an angle on top that
specifically addresses the female knee.”
Studies are currently being done on the gender-specific implants and initial data
shows they’ve increased the implants longevity.
Studies suggest women live an average of 5 years more than men, so the implants
now available for women will benefit their age and health.
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