Orthopedic device manufacturers have developed “gender knees,” which accommodate numerous shape differences between the average male and female knee, such as narrower shape and thinner density.
During total knee replacement surgery, or arthroplasty, surfaces of the thighbone (femur), the shinbone (tibia) and the kneecap (patella) are replaced with a metal-and-plastic implant.
“Traditionally, the implants have been designed based on men’s knees,” says Dr. Robert Bucholz, a professor of orthopedic surgery at UT Southwestern Medical Center (Dallas). “For women, smaller implants were used, but size did not resolve the anatomical differences, which sometimes accounted for pain and discomfort and an ‘awkward’ feeling.”
Orthopedic device manufacturers have developed “gender knees,” which accommodate numerous shape differences between the average male and female knee, such as: