I was a gymnast as a teenager. Around age 25 I dislocated my left knee. 4 years later I fell and injured it. Now I'm 45 and my doc says I need a knee replacement. I opted for PT instead. Its been 2 months with no change, no relied!!! It mostly hurts constsntly. Any suggestions? Please😊
Have it replaced, you are young enough to benefit hugely from a new and mobile knee.
They don't do this surgery if you really don't need it.
I had both mine done, my right one dislocated constantly and the left knee was so painful I could hardly walk.
Apart from morning stiffness, they are good, and I would do it all again if needed,
I agree. But get a total not a partial (guess you don't have much choice now). Had both mine replaced (totals) and they're great.
Hi Diane, I am 50 and my knee has been bad since I was 43, only decided last year to give me a knee replacement. One consultant said partial woud do but the one who performed the surgery said unless no damage to one part he would be doing a total knee replacement. When operated on he found whole knee was in a very bad way so I had total 12 weeks ago. Although it has been a tough road so far I am coming out of the tunnel and enjoying no arthritic pain, it still gets achey, uncomfortable and stiff but listening to my friends on here that is the norm and can take well up to a year to fully heal. Good luck, sue
Hi Diana,
A tough question. I am 8 weeks post a TKR. I'm doing fine, I am very happy with progress so far and if it stays like that I'll be over the moon.
At this point I am happy I had it done.
However, my surgeon (who I respect greatly) encouraged me to try everything else and said that all channels should be explored before opting for surgery.
I am not familiar with your situation, so I would look at all options, listen to the professionals and then make you're decision.
My own experience so far is that I am very happy that I had it done. I am 56 years old.
Best wishes,
Alan
My Ortho also had me try several things first. I did physical therapy, cortisone and synvisc shots. I am now 11 weeks bilateral tkr and very happy. They do tend to get stiff and have aches which I'm told is nerves waking and healing. No bone on bone pain anymore...such a relief! I'm 59 and look forward to my years now
My Ortho also had me try several things first. I did physical therapy, cortisone and synvisc shots. I am now 11 weeks bilateral tkr and very happy. They do tend to get stiff and have aches which I'm told is nerves waking and healing. No bone on bone pain anymore...such a relief! I'm 59 and look forward to my years now
The knee replacement is a means not an end. The easy part is the operation your work begins after the operation. Flexibility and strength are important as we age but doubly for us old guys with knee replacements. Get healed then get a good coach or trainer and work your ass off for the rest of your life.
You're so right about this.
I'm recovering from a different surgery, and not been on my feet much for weeks, my knees have really stiffened up.
Keeping them flexible is so important.
Diana , I should have said during 7 years before op I had lots physio different injections and key hole surgery to try hold off total knee replacement but as nothing else could be done had to go for tkr.
Hey Diana -
I was also a gymnast from grade school through my first year of college. I had my hip replaced when I was 45, just had my left knee replaced at 50 two weeks ago and will have to do my right knee some day soon. So, my suggestion would be to listen to your doctor and your own body. When my Doctor said I had to have my hip done it was something that I really already knew because I had years of pain before I went in to the doctor. Usually an x-ray will let you know how much bone on bone you have and your pain level will also indicate whats going on. Now I did have steroid injections a year or so before I had surgery. The injections did help with the pain and my be something that's available for you and will help you. Good luck with whatever you decide to do.
Hi bpaschke,
How are you doing 2 weeks out?
A new knee cap only? Interesting. When I was 41 I had an MRI done and the doctor said my left knee was in need of a replacement and my right knee wasn't far behind (result of running on a steel deck when I was in the Navy and not changing out my running shoes every 6 months). I thought I was too young and did the math...if it last 15 years and I can go through the prodedure twice, I didn't want to do it too soon and be left in a wheelchair when I still wanting to explore the world. I suffered, and I do mean suffered for 9 years, until I couldn't walk normal and had a horrible limp that was causing sever hip and back pain. I had both knees totally replaced in the same surgery - might as well feel miserable all at once and not spread it out Besides, not sure the other bad knee could survive all that would be forced upon it. 1.5 years later I'm kicking myself for waiting so long. While they aren't perfect like the knees I was born with, they are so much better than what I'd been forcing myself to live with. But it's been work. And now I have found out that my knee cap in one knee is bad - that's not something that is normally replaced at the same time as the knee (though in my opinion, if you are going to call it a total knee replacement, that should include the cap). I say go fo it.
I managed to put of my bilat knee replacements for 5 years with cycling, swimming, glucosamine, chondroitin and msm. There's a reason why the docs say you need a tkr. Much good luck to you.
You are young enough you should bounce back in a hurry. Different studies offer different results as far a the life of the prosthesis. I've know people who got 20 yrs out of there's.so 15 to 20 years you may have to have a revision but who knows with technology what will happen. You need your life back without pain because living in pain isn't a real life. Start working on quad strength as soon as possible. Go to you tube and pit building your quads and it will tell you and show you The latest and best method. Good lunch. Stay with this forum for all sorts of solutions to any and all issues concerning recovery
Hi Al! Thanks for asking! Doing really well....ahead of all progress guidelines for PT. Just got my staples out last Thursday and the Dr.was pretty impressed. One thing he noticed though is I'm considerable more swollen than where I should be at this stage and was considering draining the knee and decided to wait until next appointment. Since I have an inflammator disease he thinks it's just in my DNA to be this swollen. I've managed to take only 13 pain pills this week. I feel very blessed that I can even take them...reading on this site and seeing other people that can't take them has given me a profound amount of gratitude to be able to have them. Like other people with tkr I have a fair amount of pain with keepingy my leg straight but I'm working on it daily. So Irish Al how and the heck are you doing?
Nice reply Papa smurf to Diana... couldn't agree more.
Wow my doc didn't even tell me shots were an option!!!! Thank thank you
You rock papa! I appreciate your input💋💖💋💖
It's not a shot. It's a ateroidinjection that goes deep into the joint. They are temoray and don't work for everyone. Only a qualified physician can determine that. If a knee is too far gome they are wortless but I've know n people that got 6 months out of them.