I remember the first time I sat across from a patient who was being evaluated for a knee replacement. Her Orthopedic Surgeon sent her to me for liposuction to make the knee smaller because they didn't think the tourniquet would fit around her thigh. This happens more often than most people think. Either the patient has too much skin or their thigh is too swollen from fat accumulation that the Orthopedic Surgeon doesn't think they can safely do a knee replacement.
More common than that scenario is a patient that has already had a knee replacement or multiple knee scope procedures and they STILL have pain. They will often describe it as "pulling across the knee" or "radiating pain on the inner knee."
This is one of the challenges with patients that have lipedema. If you don't know what lipedema is or if your doctor isn't familiar with it, they will call it "knee pain" and assume it's the knee joint itself or the cartilage.
For many patients, it isn't just about the physical discomfort; it was the emotional toll of feeling the frustration of not being able to find someone to help them feel better. As someone deeply committed to connecting with every individual's story, I've grown passionate about bringing solutions to those living with lipedema and helping them understand that sometimes "knee pain" isn't related to the knee joint and it's painful fat from lipedema.
So, What's Lipedema All About?
Picture this: an often painful, symmetrical accumulation of fat, especially around the legs, that doesn’t budge with your typical diet and exercise. Frustrating, right? Now, add knee pain to the mix. This abnormal fat, as it gathers, puts strain on the knee joints. Over time, this can evolve into a persistent, nagging pain and even potential joint damage.
Patient with lipedema can develop pockets or balls of fat around the knee that add pressure when you're crouching or on your knees. In addition, as fat accumulates above the knees on the lower thigh, the heaviness can begin pulling on ligaments which your body interprets as a strain or pressure that manifests as pain. Patients will often come in lifting up the skin and fat above their knee and tell me that it makes them feel better to have the pressure off.
I'm always amazed at how a patient knows what they need to have treated even if their doctors don't know how to diagnose lipedema!
The Light at the End of the Tunnel: Surgery
When I was first introduced to the concept of using liposuction to treat lipedema, I was intrigued.
We're always taught in our plastic surgery training that liposuction is a body-contouring procedure and is not a weight loss procedure. So it's easy to get it stuck in your head that if your BMI is high or if you have heaviness of an area that liposuction won't do much for the pain around your knee. The challenge is that the knee isn't a static joint: the dynamic movements can cause pressure or heaviness to occur in different positions due to the pockets pushing on the ligaments and joint during movement, crouching, or while exercising.
The benefits of performing liposuction are:
- Reduced Pressure: By gently removing this stubborn fat, we're lightening the load on those knees. Many patients tell me the relief they feel is like night and day and occurs sometimes immediately after surgery.
- Rediscovering Movement: After the surgery, it's not just about the visual transformation; it's about regaining that ease in movement, the ability to crouch and bend the knee without feeling as much pain.
- Decreasing venous insufficiency: Reducing bulk, fat, and fluid from the pressure can relieve pressure on your lymphatic vessels and also your veins. This reduced pressure allows for more lymphatic flow and less pressure on the veins that can contribute to varicose veins.
Hearing Real Stories
In my journey, both personal and professional, stories have been the primary focus of my decision to work with patients that have lipedema. We create custom treatment plans for each patient for lipedema surgery journey because everyone has a unique story and set of goals.
If you're the kind who finds solace in real experiences, we've got a touching testimonial on our YouTube channel. It's an authentic reflection of the lipedema journey from a brave individual who chose to share their story.
Wrapping Up
If you're just beginning to unravel the mystery of lipedema, please take a look at our other posts and videos. There are solutions, and there are people who genuinely care. At The Elston Clinic, it's always been about understanding your journey, your pain, and your goals. Lipedema has been misunderstood for way too long, and it’s an honor for my team and me to offer hope and relief to our patients.
So, now that you've heard a bit about the world of lipedema from my corner, I'm eager to hear from you. Click here to book your free virtual consult and tell us about your story!