Gender-Specific Knee Implants | Arthritis Information

Now women facing knee replacement surgery can choose an implant designed to fit the narrower shape of their knees and offer greater flexibility and comfort.

According to Consumer Reports, more than 600,000 people in the United States have hip or knee replacement surgery each year, 70% of them because of osteoarthritis. A 2006 survey showed that even though recovery can be long and sometimes painful, 82% of people who had this kind of surgery were very or completely satisfied with the results.

Women account for nearly two-thirds of the knee-replacement procedures performed each year. These artificial knees have functioned well for both men and women. The anatomy of a woman’s knee, however, does differ in some ways from a man’s. Called the Gender Solutions High-Flex Knee, a women-specific knee implant addresses these differences.

Women’s knees are narrower from side to side and are shaped more like a trapezoid than a rectangle (the shape of a man’s knee). The bone in the front of a woman’s knee also is less prominent than a man’s. As a result, according to the manufacturer (Zimmer, Inc.), a conventional artificial knee may feel bulky to a woman. In addition, the angle between the pelvis and the knee is different in men and women. This can affect the way the usual artificial kneecap tracks over the end of the thighbone and may give a woman an unnatural feeling as it moves.

The Gender Solutions knee also has a high degree of flexion (up to 155 degrees), which may make movements like stair climbing easier. It’s important to note that this new knee is just one more option for women who need a knee implant. At this point, there is no actual scientific evidence that it is superior to other types of artificial knees when implanted in women. [This information was reported by the Food and Drug Administration, May 2006.]

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I researched and talked to many people about the gender difference in size, shape, and flexion of knee replacements. After talking with 2 different orthopedic surgeons, a physical therapist, web research, and many people that have had knee replacemets, the difference between the knees is minute and isn't noticed after implant. For the most part the "new female knees" don't make any difference in recovery or how it operates. According to several medical people it's another money maker for whoever is manufacturing them.

The most important aspect of knee replacement is the experience of your surgeon and the placement of the knee implant. If there are problems after surgery regarding feeling unnatural as it moves, it's due to not being placed properly. Some surgeons use lasers and computers to place implants and for me that was important. I found a surgeon who used this technique. I recovered and had full extension 3 weeks after surgery. I'm now 10 months post op and my knee feels like a normal knee with full flexion. The only thing I'm not allowed to do is jog or squat and that's true no matter what type of knee you get. I'm sure that there will be others who swear that the new female knee is the way to go but from what I found, it doesn't make any difference unless your extremely petite. My surgeon had a choice of 10 different knee sizes and the decision is made at the time of placement. Lindy

With all due respect, I too have talked to numerous orthopaedists and also some women who have had the implants. They all concurrred that it did make a marked difference.
I was especially impressed with the women I talked to because they had already had one knee replacement with the "old" hardware. I've talked to three seperate ortho's and they all agree that while some people may not notice any difference, the women that have gotten the gender specific implants liked them a great deal.

It really does make sense to me. Men and women are built differently, have different shaped skeletons and have different stress areas(hence the ACL issues)

I'm glad your knee replacement went so well :)Lynn492008-04-22 13:47:14i do not know about knee replacements. but when i saw a surgeon about my wrists
they said they only replaced a womans wrist as the mans grip was stronger..
but a year on that changed and i am now being offerd a replacement..
anyways i was sort of hoping to read that they had developed new hips and knees
for women... that are hinged at the sides... This is WONDERFUL.

My grandma got the "lady" knee about 1.5yrs ago actually and she LOVES it. The last knee that was made for men hurt her all day, every day and she said she is almost completely pain free with the lady knee.

So i hope they start doing this everywhere.

"At this point, there is no actual scientific evidence that it is superior to other types of artificial knees when implanted in women."

This was at the end of the post that you made Lynn. Both orthopods that I saw said that the newest knee hardware non gender specific is satisfactory for both men and women. They both reviewed my MRIs, xrays and said that the non gender specific would work as well for me and last longer than the woman's knee replacement based on the level of activity that I'd subject the knee to. I didn't talk to anyone who had a woman's knee hardware used. They all had the non gender specific hardware placed and everyone I talked with was happy with no post op complaints, except for 1 incision infection. The one surgeon that I went to was at a knee specialty clinic that's attached to a large medical school and they promote heavily the woman's knee replacement. They suggested that I have the non gender replacement. The physical therapist who specializes in knee therapy said that he hadn't seen any difference in rate of recovery, flex. , or pain in patients who had the woman's knee replacement vs. the non gender.

All one can do is have a certain amount of belief and confidence in their surgeons and their recommendations. Once again, it may be one of those treatments that can go either way for the individual. Maybe the orthopods thought I had a "man knee" Lindy