Charisse Green

Knee replacement recipient


“I can pick things up, bring my laundry up and down, I can stand, I can wash dishes and clean my house. I can take down my blinds, I can climb up on a stepladder. I’m on the dance floor boogying to disco music.

Charisse Green is a woman with a zest for life. An active matriarch, she loves her children without conditions, all five of them. The operative word here, however, is active, because as Charisse says, “You can’t be down and off your feet when you have an 8 year old.”

Before her surgery Charisse felt both the pain and the psychological limitations that come with it. Even the most mundane activities were becoming impossible. But it wasn’t just her body. The scope of her whole world was shrinking. “I felt so limited that my mind wanted to do something and in my heart I wanted to do something, but physically it just could not happen. Between the swelling and the limited mobility in the bending of my knee, getting up off a seat was even a chore.”

She tried alternatives to surgery but they did not help with the pain.

After years of enduring the pain and discussions with her doctor on the benefits and risks of surgery, she decided that a total knee replacement was the way to go. First she had to find a doctor she could trust, but fortunately she didn’t have to look far. Her sister had had her hips replaced and the surgeon she used made a strong recommendation. She quickly started on a program of rehabilitation but she also credits the skill of her surgeon and the design of the Stryker knee with her positive response to surgery. “Between my cooperation and commitment to physical therapy, the skill of the surgeon, and the implant itself it’s a very good combination. It’s a tri-fold thing and without one I wouldn’t be where I am today.”

So just where exactly is Charisse today? Happily engaged with her active life. “I can pick things up, bring my laundry up and down, I can stand, I can wash dishes and clean my house. I can take down my blinds, I can climb up on a stepladder. I’m on the dance floor boogying to disco music.”

Since the surgery, Charisse has lost weight, become active again and has a whole new positive attitude.


All surgery carries risk. See your orthopaedic surgeon to discuss your potential benefits and risks. Not all patients will have the same post-operative recovery and activity level. Individual results vary.


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Important information

Knee Replacements

Total knee replacement is intended for use in individuals with joint disease resulting from degenerative, rheumatoid and post-traumatic arthritis, and for moderate deformity of the knee.

Knee replacement surgery is not appropriate for patients with certain types of infections, any mental or neuromuscular disorder which would create an unacceptable risk of prosthesis instability, prosthesis fixation failure or complications in postoperative care, compromised bone stock, skeletal immaturity, severe instability of the knee, or excessive body weight.

As with any surgery, knee replacement surgery has serious risks which include, but are not limited to, pain, infection, bone fracture, peripheral neuropathies (nerve damage), circulatory compromise (including deep vein thrombosis (blood clots in the legs)), genitourinary disorders (including kidney failure), gastrointestinal disorders (including paralytic ileus (loss of intestinal digestive movement)), vascular disorders (including thrombus (blood clots), blood loss, or changes in blood pressure or heart rhythm), bronchopulmonary disorders (including emboli, stroke or pneumonia), heart attack, and death.

Implant related risks which may lead to a revision include dislocation, loosening, fracture, nerve damage, heterotopic bone formation (abnormal bone growth in tissue), wear of the implant, metal and/or foreign body sensitivity, soft tissue imbalance, osteolysis (localized progressive bone loss), and reaction to particle debris. Knee implants may not provide the same feel or performance characteristics experienced with a normal healthy joint.

The information presented is for educational purposes only. Speak to your doctor to decide if joint replacement surgery is right for you. Individual results vary and not all patients will return to the same postoperative activity level. The lifetime of any joint replacement is limited and varies with each individual. Your doctor will counsel you about how to best maintain your activities in order to potentially prolong the lifetime of the device. Such strategies include not engaging in high-impact activities, such as running, as well as maintaining a healthy weight. It is important to closely follow your doctor’s instructions regarding post-surgery activity, treatment and follow-up care. Ask your doctor if the joint replacement is right for you.

Stryker Corporation or its other divisions or other corporate affiliated entities own, use or have applied for the following trademarks or service marks: Mako, Mobile Bearing Hip, Stryker, Together with our customers, we are driven to make healthcare better. All other trademarks are trademarks of their respective owners or holders.


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