ORTHOPEDICS + SPORTS MEDICINE
Knee Replacement in Sarasota, FL
Total, Partial, and Robotic-Assisted Knee Replacement by Board-Certified, Fellowship-Trained Orthopedic Surgeons
Knee pain has a way of shrinking your life. The morning walk gets shorter, the stairs get harder, and the activities that make Sarasota worth living in, from the beach to the golf course to the pickleball court, start slipping away. When medication, injections, and therapy no longer provide enough relief, knee replacement can restore the mobility that arthritis has taken.
At Sforzo | Dillingham | Stewart Orthopedics + Sports Medicine, knee replacement is performed by board-certified, fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeons recognized by Castle Connolly as 2026 Top Doctors. Our team performs total, partial, and robotic-assisted knee replacement at our Sarasota location, and builds every surgical plan around your anatomy, your health, and the life you want to get back to.
Is It Time to Consider Knee Replacement?
Not every painful knee needs surgery, and our first recommendation is often nonsurgical. A complete evaluation determines whether your symptoms come from arthritis, a meniscus or ligament problem, or another condition.
Replacement becomes a consideration when pain regularly limits walking, stairs, or sleep, when stiffness or swelling keeps increasing despite treatment, when injections and therapy no longer provide lasting relief, or when X-rays show advanced arthritis in the knee.
Total Knee Replacement
Total knee replacement resurfaces the damaged areas of the knee and corrects the alignment that arthritis has altered. Although the procedure is called a replacement, the entire knee is not removed. Your surgeon removes damaged cartilage and a measured amount of bone, then positions metal components with a medical-grade spacer between them that becomes the knee’s new gliding surface.
Surgical planning accounts for your pattern of cartilage loss, leg alignment, ligament stability, and bone quality. Many patients are surprised how quickly walking begins after surgery, typically the same day, with a structured recovery plan from there.
Partial Knee Replacement
When arthritis is isolated to a single compartment of the knee, a partial knee replacement can resurface only the damaged area while preserving the healthy cartilage, bone, and ligaments everywhere else. For the right candidate, that can mean a smaller incision, a faster recovery, and a knee that feels more natural. Your evaluation, including standing X-rays of the whole leg, determines whether isolated damage makes you a candidate.
Robotic-Assisted Knee Replacement
Our surgeons perform knee replacement with Mako robotic-arm assisted technology. A CT scan of your knee is used to create a 3D model of your unique joint before surgery, allowing your surgeon to plan implant size, placement, and alignment around your specific anatomy.
During the procedure, the system creates a virtual boundary that provides tactile resistance, helping your surgeon stay within the boundaries defined in your surgical plan. Your surgeon guides the robotic arm and remains in control of every step and every decision. The goal is precise implant alignment matched to your anatomy, which supports a knee that feels stable and moves naturally. Dr. Charles Stewart has discussed how robotic-assisted surgery is changing hip and knee replacement on ABC7’s Suncoast View.
What to Expect: From Consultation to Recovery
Before Surgery
Your evaluation covers knee motion, strength, stability, and overall leg alignment, with X-rays identifying where the damage lives. A medical evaluation makes sure existing health conditions are managed, and our team walks you through preparing your home for an easy early recovery.
Surgery and the First Weeks
Most patients stand and take their first steps the same day as surgery. Early recovery focuses on controlling swelling, restoring motion, and walking a little farther each day. Many patients resume basic daily activities within several weeks.
Physical Therapy
Recovery depends on restoring the strength and movement needed to use your new knee well. Our physical and occupational therapy team coordinates your rehabilitation directly with your surgeon, in the same practice, so nothing gets lost between offices.
Prefer to Start Without Surgery?
Not ready for a replacement, or not a candidate yet? We offer nonsurgical options including activity modification, injections, and orthobiologic treatments such as platelet-rich plasma. Every option is presented honestly, including what the evidence supports and what it does not.
Why Patients Choose Sforzo | Dillingham | Stewart
- Board-certified, fellowship-trained surgeons, recognized by Castle Connolly as 2026 Top Doctors
- Mako robotic-assisted technology for precise, personalized implant placement
- Appointments built around you: morning, lunch-hour, or afternoon, often within the week
- If you call with a fracture or urgent injury, we work you in
- On-site physical therapy, imaging, and a team that walks you from consult through recovery
Dr. Stewart and his entire team deserve 10 stars. I am 17 days out from my knee replacement and I couldn't be happier!
— Cindy M.
Knee Replacement FAQs
Our hallmark is patient service. Appointments are scheduled around your preferences, morning, lunch hour, or afternoon, and urgent problems are worked in. Call (941) 378-5100 or request an appointment online.
Yes. We work with Medicare and most major insurance plans. Our team verifies your coverage before your visit so there are no surprises.
Robotic assistance is a planning and precision tool, not a different operation. Whether it fits your case depends on your anatomy and your surgeon’s evaluation. It is discussed openly at your consultation.
Most patients walk the same day, resume many daily activities within several weeks, and continue building strength for months. Your pre-surgery motion and your commitment to physical therapy both influence the result.
A total replacement resurfaces the whole joint; a partial replaces only one damaged compartment while preserving healthy tissue. Imaging and examination determine which fits your knee.
A replaced knee is designed to relieve pain and restore function. Most patients return to low-impact activities like walking, cycling, swimming, and golf. High-impact running and jumping are commonly discouraged to protect the implant.
Get Back to the Life Your Knee Took Away
Schedule an evaluation with our knee replacement team in Sarasota. Morning, lunch-hour, and afternoon appointments available.