More Knee Replacements at Younger Ages Save

The National Hospital Discharge Survey shows that between 2000 and 2010, more than 5.2 million total knee replacements were performed in the United States. By 2010, the operation had become the leading inpatient surgery performed on adults aged 45 and over. Moreover, the rate at which middle-aged and older Americans got their knees replaced almost doubled over the study period.

People aren't putting off the procedure for as long, either. In 2000, the average knee replacement patient was about 69 years old, but by 2010 that age had dropped to just over 66. Women were significantly more likely to get a new knee compared to men. In 2010, about 65 of every 10,000 women aged 45 or older got a knee replacement, the research showed, compared to about 45 of every 10,000 men of similar age.