Dr Azam Badar Khan (ABK), known as Dr KNEE, is a renowned Knee Replacement surgeon from India who has been practising in Dubai for over 20 years.
Born in Bihar, Dr Khan comes from a lineage of doctor and continues his father, Dr Badar Khan’s legacy in orthopaedics.
He received his medical and orthopaedic training at Banaras University in India and then completed further sub-specialization, earning a Fellowship in Pelvis and Acetabulum from the USA and a Fellowship in Total Knee Replacement from ST. Petersburg.
Besides being a distinguished knee replacement surgeon, Dr Azam is also a humble philanthropist. He is the founder and an active member of the Let’s Walk Again foundation, which focuses on helping patients with knee pain.
Indo Thai News Special Correspondent Abhimanshu caught up with him on the sidelines of PBD 2023 at Indore, India. Excerpts from the conversation:
ITN: Tell us a little bit about your experience at PBD 2023.
ABK: The experience has been amazing so far. I have come with a purpose here and hope to spread awareness about the health issues related to knees and what leads to knee replacements. PBD is a great platform for connecting with such a diverse crowd.
ITN: What motivated you to become a knee surgeon?
ABK: I come from a long line of surgeons. My grandfather was a doctor, my father is an orthopaedic surgeon, and my sister is a doctor. Thus being the eldest in the family, I had to carry my family legacy and tradition.
What made me love my profession is that being a doctor, you can do a lot of good. It gives you a platform to spread awareness among people and make a difference in the world.
ITN: Tell us more about your awareness campaign and the good work you have done through it.
ABK: Throughout my career as an Orthopaedic Surgeon, my primary interest has been the KNEE, not only in surgeries and replacements but also in the overall health and well-being of the knee. If you look at the data from around the world, you will discover that knee problems have increased daily.
Patients can take preventative measures to protect their knees before reaching the point of requiring knee replacement surgery. With this belief, I started my campaign, ‘Let’s Walk Again’.
ITN: Could you provide further information about your “Let’s Walk Again” campaign?
ABK: With this campaign, I want people to start walking again. See, knee problems are the most widespread medical conditions yet the least spoken about or debated upon.
I want people to understand that there are several things that they can potentially do. That’s where Let’s Walk Again comes through, in which we counsel people suffering from knee issues and help them understand the recovery process.
ITN: Where can one find these camps?
ABK: I have been trying to do it globally. I will also use the PBD platform to spread awareness about the campaign.
By god’s grace, I have successfully arranged Free Knee Replacement Camps across various locations, including Kargil and Leh in India, Africa, and UAE.
ITN: How would you advise our readers on ways to care for their knees and reduce the likelihood of requiring knee replacement surgery?
ABK: One of the most important things we usually ignore is the significance of direct sunlight. By this, I mean that you need to expose yourself, even for 15 minutes in the entire day, to direct sunlight along with a nutritional and healthy diet.
Osteoarthritis, also known as degenerative arthritis or wear and tear arthritis, is not restricted to a specific age group. Even though we have an active lifestyle and there is a growing focus on fitness, the knee remains to be ignored.
ITN: What would you like to leave our readers with?
ABK: I would like to tell everyone that whenever you feel that early arthritis has set in or is detected by your doctor. That is the time you need to start taking care of your knee. Take control of your well-being, and do not look for quick solutions.
By detecting and treating arthritis in its early stages, you can prevent it from progressing to a moderate or severe phase where knee replacement surgery may become necessary.
However, there comes a point where you must determine whether the issue has progressed to the degree that necessitates surgery or whether you prefer to live with the pain. I have encountered individuals who endured pain for years, only to experience a realization of regret once they underwent surgery.
As a surgeon, I aim to have my patients standing and walking within 6 to 12 hours of the operation. The recovery process can be relatively easy if you have properly maintained your muscles before the surgery.
Everyone should incorporate muscle-strengthening exercises in their daily routine, and you will start noticing the difference.
Four more must-read articles from Indo Thai News
The Triple Bottom Line: Prioritizing People, Planet, and Profit!
Fostering Friendship and Goodwill: The Indian Cultural Association, Nigeria