Knee Replacement Fears

[notlost]

I put off doing my knees last year, and I’ve got one TKR scheduled for August, and the second for January. I’ve read as many threads as I can here. I’m suddenly really fearful that I won’t be able to ride post-TKR, and I’m thinking of putting it off again.

Right now, I can ride without too much pain–it’s walking, getting off, etc. that really hurts. I have no cartilage in my left knee (and no ACL), and very little in my right. I tried stem cells, but I have an auto immune disease (disseminated granuloma annulare), and all the stem cell all went to my skin–cleared everything up for 6 months, then it came back, but no knee change.

I’m terribly knock-kneed, and another poster talked about how that made the TKR unsuccessful. My realtor had her body reject the glue, and basically her TKR was unsuccessful. I’m starting to get pretty freaked out.

Those of you who’ve had TKRs on one or both knees, do you have any trouble riding?

Ugh. I guess I need to hear success stories!

Thanks–

Becky

[MidlifeCrisis]

2 years out on July 5. Ride 6-7 days a week. Best thing I ever did for myself. Focus on the positive.

[McGurk]

I post on pretty much all the knee replacement threads.

I had my left done 8 years ago, my right done last year, after exhausting all other conservative therapies, including HA injections, cortisone injections, arthroscopy, physical therapy and wearing braces.

I was not born knock kneed, but as each knee progressively lost cartilage, I became knock kneed. My surgeon encouraged me to get the right one done because the deformity was so bad that he was afraid I would have a slip or fall and blow out all the soft tissue in the knee.

Both of mine were wildly successful - major reduction in pain, major increase in function.

After both, I was back on the horse again at 4 weeks, doing mild walk-trot trail rides, back at work at 6 weeks, at full function at 8 - 12 weeks.

I am old, overweight and not very fit, but I was religious about doing the exercises prior to surgery and doing the PT after.

So my vote is do it, and you’ll wish you had done it sooner. It doesn’t even have to be a lot of time out of the saddle.

[Foxglove]

Had both knees replaced at the same time 4 years ago (some surgeons won’t do both at the same time; but b/c I had a nurse living with me --adult daughter–and I was in great shape --ie not over weight and physically active the surgeon did both at the same time). I was back in the saddle 8 weeks later, hunting out with the hounds (jumping) six months later, and did a 250 mile ride in 14 days one year after surgery --FYI I wasn’t the only 2x TKR on the ride --there were four people who had both knees done.

My only concession to the surgery is that I do wear polo knee protectors when I hunt --I go through woods at speed and fear hitting trees with my knees. The polo knee protectors are designed for riding and protecting one’s knees.

I am 100% pain free --I have no arthritis!

Consider joining the forum on bonesmart.org --nice group and lots of support.