Knee replacement surgeries are a daily occurrence for Dr. Stephen Zabinski and his fellow orthopedic surgeons at Shore Orthopaedic University Associates (SOUA) in Somers Point. “Knees are by far the most common of all joints that are replaced,” said Dr. Zabinski who has been performing knee replacement surgery for more than 20 years.  “Knees are also the joint most commonly affected by osteoarthritis. They are also the most subjective to sports injury and most affected by weight. Those factors can wear the knees away.”

Most patients will visit SOUA with complaints of discomfort from osteoarthritis, though there are many forms of arthritis that negatively impact joints and bones. Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis in the knee. It is a degenerative, “wear-and-tear” type of arthritis where the cartilage gradually wears away. It occurs most often in people age 50 and older, but may occur in younger people as well, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Dr. Zabinski added that genetics also plays a factor and said people who tend to sit cross-legged as they eat, or kneel often may have significant discomfort in their knee simply because they are putting a lot of additional stress on the knee itself.