Riding with end-stage knee osteoarthritis

[timmy]

Really?! You could feed within days of TKR? That is so encouraging!

My horses live out with a run in shed & have a water source. I’d be fine with hiring someone to pick up manure for awhile. The PA I see for knee injections is a horsewoman. She was adamant that I couldn’t set foot in the barn for 6-8 weeks.

Thanks so much for sharing your experiences!

[McGurk]

@timmy,

I’m quoting from my earlier post:

@McGurk

After the first TKR, I was discharged from home PT early because the therapist would arrive and find me doing farm chores; in one case, I was driving the tractor when she arrived. I was riding again 4 weeks post op from both surgeries, albeit, on the guest horse, a dead broke QH with a tiny trot. After the second one, I was discharged from the hospital after one night because I had already hit all the post op goals. I was planning on sleeping downstairs in the recliner when I got home, but I was able to manage the stairs and sleep in my own bed instead.

I was 50 when I had my left knee done, 56 when I have the right done. Second one was easier because of nerve block and twilight sedation. I absolutely was out walking around the farm, etc., the day after the second. I think I only had a week of at home PT before transferring to regular PT.

YMMV, my results are not typical I know. But I would ask a bunch of follow up questions of your PA about WHY she’s recommending you stay out of the barn for 6 - 8 weeks, what risks she’s concerned about, etc.

[Bluey]

I am mid 70’s, so that may require a different protocol than mid 50’s.
I also was told, one knee at the time, I would be walking right away, but only on good flat ground and with support initially.
One reason why not going out or to the barn was not until incisions are healed, because the main cause of failure in those operations are infections.
Keeping all very clean on the knee and around it was critical.
Incisions healing should only take some days, not weeks.

I too would ask more questions about aftercare.

[timmy]

I’m 65 & pretty active. The PA did mention the risk of infection. She also said walking on uneven ground is risky because your proprioception is off.

[McGurk]

Risk of infection is pretty low once the incision has healed and/or the sutures are removed, which is usually around 10 days.

[Spudsmyguy]

I’m going through something similar right now. Over a year ago my right knee started to hurt out of the blue. I thought I had maybe torn a muscle and it would get better but it never did. It would hurt off and on but now it’s constant. Had an x-ray and just last week an MRI. Found I had a partially torn meniscus and some arthritis going on. On further examination of the MRI, there may be a possible bone chip. So surgery is going to be scheduled as soon as they get clearance from my insurance company to remove the bone chip and possibly repair or remove the meniscus tear. It’s been so bad I can barely ride and my horse is starting to lose top line and is back to being a bit of a butt from being on vacation for a while. I’m hoping this is going to work but it’s putting a definite crimp in my lifestyle at the moment.

[anon38350891]

@Spudsmyguy

It’s been so bad I can barely ride

You have my heartfelt empathy. Waking up every morning and wondering how much your knee is going to hurt is no fun. An angry meniscus can really raise hell.

I’m glad you are getting into surgery with it, and I’m hoping for a good outcome. If it’s any consolation, now at 5 months out from when “my meniscus got really sad and went bye-bye”, I am almost back to where I was before the injury. The osteoarthritis isn’t going away, but I think the meniscus shreds worked their way off somewhere more harmless.

[Spudsmyguy]

Thanks. That’s why I’m asking for some ideas on how to word a partial lease contract on my horse. I don’t like him sitting around idle and he’s too nice to waste. I try to get out and lunge him a couple of times a week but we’re both bored with that.

[MsM]

For those riding with pain and dreading dismounting. The mounting block works for dismounting too! I have back and hip issues and recent breast surgery meant sliding down the side of the horse difficult. I trained my horse to line up at the tall mounting block we have. He was already good about it for mounting so teaching him to line up for dismounting was super easy as he was motivated!

If I cant use the mounting block or other sturdy object, I have also gotten him used to me dismounting from the other side (probably more difficult for me to learn!) as that makes it easier to protect the hurting side of my body.

Never tried flipping the stirrup over, may have to give it a try!

[Spudsmyguy]

@MsM

I trained my horse to line up at the tall mounting block we have. He was already good about it for mounting so teaching him to line up for dismounting was super easy as he was motivated!

I do the same thing; my horse is way too happy to stand there so I can get off. Makes dismounting so much easier.

[Kyrabee]

Another mounting block dismounter . I have had surgery on both feet and they do not like dropping 3 feet to the ground. No they don’t . My current barn has nice mounting blocks but also some very nice rocks that work well. I started to teach my mare all the finer points of mounting stuff (come get me, stand still or else, I can work off both sides) from the time she was 2 even though I didn’t throw a leg over until she was 4. My bad hip (prior to replacement) had me mounting and dismounting from the right.

Susan

[endlessclimb]

My mother had both knees replaced last year, about 3 months apart from each other. She’s nearing 70.

Her #1 comment is “why didn’t I do this sooner?”