Knee replacement - it's about time...

[crawler#976]

After 22 years of walking on a blown out left knee with 80% bone on bone contact the last two years, I'm gonna get it done. The Doc's wanted me to wait until I'm 50, but I figure 48 is close enough. I'm tired of the pain, no sleep, and total lack of exercise I'm getting. 10 minutes at a whack on a elliptical machine or even a 1/2 mile walk around the block causes me a day's worth of agony.

I'll be getting the 12MM rod remove from the old broken femur probably by the end of this month or early next in preparation for the main surgery. That will hopefully take place about 3 or 4 months after the bone has time to heal.

The unit that is probably going in is a Oxidized Zirconium type that is supposed to last nearly 20 years and allow a more active life style than the cobalt chrome ones do.

So, I'm kinda curious to see how others have faired.

How long was your recovery until you felt as close to 100% as possible?

How soon were you able to return to work?

Any tips, hints, advice?

Mark

 

[1leglance]

My grandfather from peru (wife's side) came to the USA a few years back to have both knees done...he got 1" taller
He is very active and works on the family farm/vineyard M-F, drives a tractor with a stiff clutch and is recover was tough but swift.
I know the hip folks have it worse than the knees...
More important than anything is to talk to former pts of your surg. to make sure they were happy.
Take pain meds post op to help keep you moving, not getting active again due to pain is a bad thing.
Use this as a chance to make any diet and lifestyle changes to need inorder to help your heart/lungs/circulation also.
Bump up your green leafy veggies and iron containing food a few weeks before surg so you have a great blood count going in, donate some of your own blood so you don't get a transfusion of old & cold blood.
just my thoughts watching folks who have this done on a daily basis and knowing I will need it down the road.
good luck

 

[The BN Guy]

How soon surgery? My uncle is getting a knee replacement next month. I hear ya about the pain!

 

[Scenic WonderRunner]

I hope it works out for you.....Mark

I know how much you enjoy the outback......and I always enjoy your trip reports!

God's Speed!



.

 

[Martyn]

My wife has no cartilage left in her right knee, I think it's from years of skiing.

They want to do a knee replacement but the worrisome thing is that they last between 15 - 25 years and replacing a replacement is very bad news.

What's interesting is the synthetic cartilage, and more interesting the replacement cartilage grown from your own cartilage cells.

I did some reading up on the replacement cartilage, they create a external framework that the cartilage cells grow in. It creates a new knee cartilage that can be attached to the bone.

Interesting but experimental at this time.

 

[Ursidae69]

I don't know anyone that has done it. I'm pulling for you though amigo. :costumed-smiley-007 Good luck.

 

[AZCPP]

Good Luck, Mark

After you recover I'll be glad to do a little hiking with you to some historical site's.

 

[awalter]

A friend of mine had both of his done at the same time a few years ago. He was in his early 60's & overweight. If I recall it was a couple of weeks before he got off the pain meds & a couple of months before he was totally out & about, & probably close to six months before he finished with physical therapy. Probably the best thing you could do Mark is shed a few pounds before surgery, should make your rehab go easier.

 

[desertgirl66]

When I had my fitness training business, I had a wonderful client---62 years old---he had both knees replaced at the same time! He was back working out in my gym after 4 weeks. The key to his surgery and subsuquential recovery, was that he was in pretty good shape to begin with, and got right back on track after he got the ok from his doctor and physical therapist.

Go for it, you will love to be able to walk again with much less pain :sunflower

 

[SOAZ]

No suggestions from experience. I just wanted to put in a good luck for ya.
From having some relatively minor knee injuries I know how frustrating loosing some ability/ range of motion can be.
Keep us updated and hopefully you can get back on the knee pretty quick!!!!
Looking forward to the next trip report. :26_7_2:

 

[goodtimes]

Good luck Mark! IMO, it is better to get the knee now while you can still enjoy it.

IIRC, Jonathan Hanson had his replaced recently....you might drop him a line and see what he has to say.

 

[flywgn]

Hey Mark,

I have several friends to have knee (as well as other joints) replacements. All say they wish that they had had them done earlier. Good on ya'.

Hope all goes well.

We're in town (P'cott) for a few days. Nice weather here compared to the Snake River Plain.

Again, here's to healthy joints and more exercise.

Allen R

 

[Streakerfreak]

Just wanted to wish you good luck man!

 

[DaktariEd]

Sounds like you've already done a lot of homework. That's good. You want to go in with your eyes open and not expect miracles.

While the vast majority of joint replacements go very well, there is always a small number that do not fare well. In my experience it's the folks who are significantly overweight to begin with or who do not follow through properly in the rehab that seem to do poorly.

Overall, though, the people who get new knees just love them.

As for their "lifespan," it's really somewhat of a guess right now. When they were new, >20 years ago, we would tell folks they might only last 10 years. Now that people have had them >20 years, that's becoming the new "lifespan." With time, improvements in the technology will likely increase it further.

Best wishes for excellent results!

 

[crawler#976]

Thanks for the replies!

Yes indeed I'm gonna have to shed a "few" pounds - easier said than done tho...

As I've gotten more sedentary due to pain, I've gained a lot of weight in the last twenty years - it averages out to 3 pounds a year. I've weighed over 200 pounds since I was 19, and I came out of the USCG at 210, but then it was all muscle and callouses (and a few knots on my head).

Mark