What are my alternatives to knee replacement?
Compare nonsurgical knee arthritis care, injection choices, and selected surgical alternatives—with evidence, limits, and questions for your clinician.
Read the guide ↗Medically reviewed by Charles A. DeCook, MD ·
← All optionsSpecialist review
Knee osteotomy
Realign the leg to shift the load.
What could it help with?
An osteotomy changes leg alignment to move load away from a damaged knee compartment. It can preserve the joint in carefully selected patients with correctable alignment. [1]
Who might it suit?
For: Selected people with one-sided wear and correctable alignment.
Not for: A general solution for arthritis across the whole joint.
Limits and important cautions
It is a bone operation with healing and rehabilitation requirements, not a routine injection alternative. Suitability depends on more than age or an X-ray alone.
What happens, how long, and what could it cost?
- What happens
- Specialist evaluation, imaging review, shared decision-making, and preparation for an operation.
- When might I notice a change?
- Recovery and rehabilitation take time; discuss milestones rather than a guaranteed recovery date.
- How long might benefit last?
- Long-term outcome and the chance of further surgery depend on the operation, implant, and patient.
- Repeat treatment
- Ask about routine follow-up and circumstances that could require revision or another operation.
- Activity and recovery
- Obtain individualized instructions for walking aids, wound care, work, driving, and rehabilitation.
- Ask for a complete estimate
- Surgeon, implant, hospital or facility, anesthesia, rehabilitation, and follow-up.
Use this as a consultation guide. A timeline is not a guarantee; the evidence and FDA sections below remain part of the decision.
THE EVIDENCE IN CONTEXT
Specialist option for selected anatomy
Read the 1 selected references
- AAOS: nonsurgical knee OA care ↗
Knee-specific guidance; evidence strength varies by treatment. It should not be applied automatically to hip disease.
FDA status
Procedure · implants regulated separatelyA surgical procedure; implants have product-specific regulatory status.
Site summary of FDA information · reviewed September 19, 2026. Refer to current product labeling. This is not an FDA endorsement of this site.What do professional guidelines say?
AAOS: May be considered in properly selected patients with one-compartment knee OA.
ACR: No recommendation for this specific use in the ACR osteoarthritis guideline.
Will Medicare cover it?
May be paid when medically necessary and coverage criteria are met.