• Alleviate pain: Osteoarthritis causes uneven wear and tear on the cartilage in the knee. The goal of osteotomy is to shift weight away from the damaged area and onto the healthier side of the joint, reducing pain.
• Delay or prevent knee replacement: In some cases, osteotomy can postpone the need for a total knee replacement by several years.
• Improve function: By realigning the joint, osteotomy can improve your range of motion and make it easier to walk, climb stairs, and participate in activities.

Who is a candidate?

• Generally younger, active adults with osteoarthritis affecting only one side of the knee joint (unicompartmental osteoarthritis)
• Individuals with a leg alignment issue like bowlegs that contributes to uneven wear on the knee
• Those who haven't found adequate pain relief with non-surgical treatments like medication, physical therapy, or injections.

Types of knee osteotomy

• High tibial osteotomy (HTO): This procedure focuses on the shinbone (tibia). The surgeon makes a cut in the tibia and adds a wedge of bone or closes the wedge open to correct the alignment and shift weight to the healthy side. This is most common for bowlegged deformity.
• Femoral osteotomy (FHO): This procedure less common and involves cutting and realigning the thighbone (femur) for knock-kneed deformity.

Recovery

Knee osteotomy is usually an outpatient procedure or requires a shorter hospital stay compared to total knee replacement. However, recovery can take several months, involving physical therapy to regain strength and range of motion in the knee.

Recovery from Knee Replacement

Recovery from knee replacement surgery typically takes several months. You will need to participate in physical therapy to help you regain strength and range of motion in your knee.