How much can a knee replacement cost - and how can I prevent it in the first place

How much are your knees worth?

£585million. That is how much it cost the NHS in 2014 for knee replacement operations (source).

That is around 90,000 operations a year at an average of £6,500 per op (with the average price in the USA a staggering $25,398). That is an insane amount. What is worse, is the fact that these operations have had to happen. Most knee replacements result from work related stress, strain and injury – so if quality kneepads were mandatory, and people were well protected, imagine the difference it would make to the amount the NHS spends on these operations.

But it’s not about the impact it has on the NHS, no. It’s the impact that a knee replacement has on YOU.

If you are a professional in the construction industry, then you’ll know better than anyone how demanding these jobs can be on your body. You are your number one asset. If your drill breaks, you can replace it with a brand new one. A bit of wood is warped? You can grab another from the store.
If you damage your body, well you only have one body. Although you can replace your knees, your hips and now even your face…it’s a pain staking procedure that will change your life forever.
*Find out why David & Colin said "Not wearing kneepads was a terrible mistake." *

With your body, it is hard to put a value on each part.

Could you still do your job if you lost a finger? What about if your eyesight started to get worse…would that affect how you do at work? The value of each of your body parts varies, with some much more valuable than others.
So what about your knees? How valuable are they?

You can lose a lot of money if you damage your knees.

It might be because you've had to take time off work or have had to give up your job (and also medical bills for people outside of the UK), but the money isn’t the big worry here. It is the lasting effects that damaged knees can have on your life. Think about it. No long walks along the beach without suffering. No playing football with the kids. No tending to the garden without worry. No sitting on public transport without worrying that you’ll thump your knees off the chair in front.

It is a pain that will be constant throughout your life.

"You will have regret hanging over you knowing now that you could have done something about it by wearing proper kneepads at work. These are just some of the reasons why you should never forget the value of your knees. Wear knee pads so you can enjoy life for longer, because I’m telling you now – you’ll be screaming at yourself in years to come if you choose not to."
- Gordon Hamilton (Victoria's Dad and the inspiration for Recoil Kneepads)

So how much are your knees worth? They are undeniably more valuable healthy, than damaged…so treat them with respect. Protect them properly and increase your likelihood of having a much happier life.

Find out how our kneepads offer a new type of protection HERE