Knee replacement.

[Travlr]

I cant get on my knees or jump down now so not much different.

Yeah... and someone mentioned physical therapy. DO IT. You don't necessarily have to go to a physical therapist because once you know the exercises you can do them yourself... but if you're a slacker by nature and don't do them you will regret it later. The PT hurts. Mainly stretching to keep the scars and healing tissue from lacking length and flexibility, You have to stretch the tissues as they heal.

 

[faster horses]

I've had both knees replaced. First one in November 2010 and the second one May 2011.
I am glad I had them done, I had a lot of pain before. One thing to watch out for is scar tissue.
The first PT fellow I went to was very concerned about scar tissue. I never had any scar tissue in that knee. I went to a different doctor for the second knee and to a different PT because I didn't think the first one challenged me enough. The second PT didn't say a word about scar tissue and lo and behold, I got scar tissue in that knee. I went back to the surgeon that did the second knee and he told me that I have 'patella clunk' and although they all knew about it, he had never had one in 20 years of practice. He said to correct it would be like a whole new knee surgery.So for 6 years I lived with it. When I went back to the first surgeon and talked to him about it, he said he could remove it with a laser. He also said that the knee that the second surgeon used is
prone to cause scar tissue. How would I have known that? Anyway, he took the scar tissue out and it's been better ever since. So my advice would be to ask about scar tissue and if the knee the surgeon plans on using is prone to cause scar tissue. I wish I knew the name of the knee, but I have forgotten.
I never went through much pain with either of my knee replacement surgeries. I kept every PT appointment. I did have a problem mentally learning to walk correctly, but the PT was patient and he got me through it. I too, wish I had done it earlier. I was 65 when I had it done.
Good luck to you!

 

[cbcr]

Had read where exercise is supposed to be good for helping the knees, but it didn't help. I was bone on bone. Knee was hurting terrible.

Had a shot put in which was supposed to last 3 months. Saw an ad on TV for stem cell therapy for knees. They had a free consultation so went to check it out. They xrayed my knee and told me that their therapy wouldn't work for me that I would need a knee replacement. My knee was so bad they didn't even think they could get 40% improvement.

Went back for the second shot and ask the doctor how long we had to wait to do surgery, he said 10 weeks. I told him lets get it scheduled. I got a new knee for my granddaughters birthday. getting my knee replacement was the best thing I have ever done. The walker kept getting in the way so I quit using it after the 5th day. The only issue i had was about the second week I started to have some scar tissue trying to develop. I worked thru that and everything has been fine. I bought a Teeter machine and I really like it, it has been easy on the knees but is good exercise. Because I had the Teeter, I was able to do a lot of therapy at home and it was a month before I went to physical therapy.

Had my knee replacement in November of 2021. I still don't get on my knee but just a few months after surgery I was up and down on ladders.
The surgeon that I had was really good. When he went out to tell the wife that everything went great, then everyone around her said that he was the one that had either done their surgery or someone in their family. The nurse i had in recovery said that she didn't know what my surgeon does different, but she said that it seems like his patients healed quicker that patients of some of the other surgeons.

I was 65 at the time of my surgery, and like I mentioned, the best thing I have done. Wonder why I waited so long!

The most important thing, DO THE THERAPY!

 

[bbirder]

Kenny, I had both of mine replaced (at different times) in my late 60's. Never regretted it. The PT is super important but also if you would strenghthen your upper legs before the surgery it will help alot. Those muscles support the knees. My surgeon suggested a lot of leg presses before surgery. Just don't volunteer to work anyones cattle for a while. If you let it be known I'm sure some neighbors will help with yours. Good luck!

 

[kenny thomas]

After almost 2 months, an MRI, and a cyst opened up the surgeon told me today that he can repair the damage to my knee and postpone replacement a few years.
Surgery June 29th. Im ready.

 

[Lucky_P]

Blew my right knee playing HS football back around 1972. Knee surgery in 1974, where they removed my medial meniscus(the cartilage pad between the end of femur & tibia). Had multiple episodes of my kneecap dislocating (painful!) over the years, even after knee 'repair'.

Had my right knee replaced in 2017 - within 2 weeks, I was re-setting gateposts, and helping my wife pull a big dead calf out of a heifer (we had to do a fetotomy, cutting it up into several pieces to get it out). I'm sure that both of those efforts would have been frowned upon by my surgeon and physical therapist - but you gotta do what you gotta do.
Did the rehab religiously, and lost over 60 pounds in the process (got back down to what I weighed in high school, 40 years earlier). Within 2.5 months, I went to CA to visit my daughter and managed several 15-mile-plus day hikes (Dipsea Trail, Marin Headlands) with her.
Knee, pre-replacement was not especially painful, but really unstable. It's stable now, but range of motion is significantly less than in the other knee. 6 years out, it's still not 'my knee', but better, I guess, than before. Maybe if it had been painful before, I'd feel more positive about it.

When they were taking radiographs, pre-surgery, the Dr. said, "That other knee doesn't look much better than the one we're gonna be replacing." So... I may be looking at another replacement at some point, but I'm in no hurry to do so.

Got my money's worth out of my employer-sponsored health insurance that last year before I retired... knee replacement in January, left rotator cuff reconstruction with cadaver dermal implant in June, right rotator cuff reconstruction in December... retired Feb 1 of the next year.