Knee Replacement for competitive 1.20 Rider?

[event2sj]

I know there have been several threads about riding after knee replacement surgery, but I was hoping anyone with experience (either personal or anecdotal) might take a few moments to comment.

I am 51, fit and riding a very full show schedule- about 8-10 shows/year. I show jump in the Level 5’s and event at the 2* level with two different and amazing horses. I am blessed to be in great health except for one knee which was injured in a sports accident when I was 15.

Like others, I have been putting off knee replacement for as long as possible, but chronic pain is necessitating surgery sooner than later. I know there have been previous posts from riders with knee replacements who post-op appear to ride for pleasure- maybe trail riding or just for fun. But I haven’t seen any posts from competitive riders with knee replacements. I am not a GP rider, but there probably are some riders at a very high level- or even just competitive 1.30/1.20 riders- who have had knee replacements and tried to continue their careers.

I’m curious how a) it has affected your riding/competitiveness and b) has anyone had to have a revision (do-over) surgery as a result of riding?

[Soaponarope]

Sorry I can’t comment on riding after joint replacement. But, I have nursed my mother through both knee replacements and a shoulder replacement, also nursed my husband through hip replacement and a recent revision. For the best outcome I would get the surgery done sooner rather than later because the older you are and the more damage to the knee that accrues the harder the replacement will be. As far as function of the knee, I would think you would have full use of it. The main thing would be to talk to your ortho and maybe even a good physical therapist in advance about what your knee needs to do as a rider. Good luck!

[Peggy]

Not a knee, but there was an side bar in last week’s COTH magazine about a Grand Prix rider who had a hip replacement.

[Midge]

I have a friend who had a knee replaced well into her 60s and showed in the four foot hunters after that. As best I can tell, it didn’t affect her at all.

[Horseman15]

Not a rider but the ex wife’s boss played basketball before and then again after a double me replacement. That’s a sport pretty hard on the knees. He was in his mid 50’s when he had it done.

[NancyM]

Gary Stevens (jockey) returned to race riding after a knee replacement quite recently. A successful return to a fantastic career. That would give a person hope in your situation I would think! And was back riding races about three months after the surgery.

[sockmonkey]

My experience is a fluke, so take it with a grain of salt. I had bilateral partial replacements (femoral-patellar) in May 1999. The left one went bad during rehab and I had to have it revised to a total replacement in Nov '99. Went bad again, and replaced AGAIN in 2001 right after I graduated vet school. I went back to riding in 2002, lightly. It wasn’t bad at all. Never really hurt when I was on the horse, just a bit ouchy once I got off. Then I got a better horse, and started doing more.

I was told by my orthopod that I should never ride again, but I found that the more I rode the stronger my thigh muscles got which help support the knee, so it can only help.

You really need to keep exercising to keep those muscles strong because that knee will not be as strong otherwise. I found that over fences I lost some strength and I wasn’t as comfortable over the higher fences any more. But that was just me.

My left knee has been replaced a total of four times and I’m only 55. I’ve given up. I still can ride, but not at the level I once could. If I could turn the clock back, I would have waited at least another 10 years. Not necessarily for riding, but for work and quality of life. But remember, my replacement just didn’t work out.

For those whose replacements work out, they have been very happy. They are lasting longer these days - more like 20 years instead of 10 - 15 yrs. My right knee is going on 16 yrs and needs to be revised.