Knee Replacement - A Lifesaver?

If a joint is shot I've been a proponent of getting replacement surgery sooner rather than later because I have seen what my patients do to compensate.  They adjust their gate which cause a whole new set of problems, they become less active, and because of the almost constant pain they either take tons of anti-inflammitories or they take narcortic pain pills.   By examining Medicare records over 12 years  researchers found  evidence that the length of life increases when patients get knee replacement.