DH is a horseshoer and rides cutting horses. We just found out that he has to have a total knee replacement and wondered about riding post-op. The doctor of course says “no riding, you could get hurt,” but the doctor doesn’t ride. DH’s horse is older, very broke and safe, but is very keen in the pen.
Any input, experiences would be appreciated.
TIA!
First get a second opinion. I was told I needed a total knee replacement in 2005. I still haven’t had it done. Found a doc who decided I would tell him when I needed it. I’ve got good ROM better than my x-rays show that I need and I ride. Posting is painful but not on the knee that was I was told I needed a TKR on. Also find a doctor that understands horse people. The Ortho practice here is used to little old ladies who get double hip replacements who want to know when they can ride to the hounds again. Never is not an acceptable answer.
Total knee replacements are not always a good fix. My husband regrets his every minute of every day and wishes he could go back and explore other options or just wait it out because it is less stable and hurts way worse than the bad knee ever did.
But, that being said, my husband (stubborn Swede that he is) does everything with his replacement that he ever did before, except run. And he is a very active person. He doesn’t ride horses, but he climbs up and down tractors and ladders all day every day. We do have a friend who does run on his. But he’s probably wearing the soft parts out, and that is something to consider.
My tkr has been !00% successful. I’m a member of the “Why did I wait so long tribe.” Recently I got tangled up in a dog rope while running and landed hard on my new knee on concrete. Didn’t even hurt, except the skin abrasion. I have a friend who had simultaneous double knee replacement last spring. She’s been fox hunting all year and is planning a Shore to Shore endurance ride (over 250 miles) this summer. Guess it depends on your doc as to whether or not you can ride.
I’m planning tkr #2 this July.
I think the need for the replacement is real. We looked at the X-rays and honestly, if he was a horse I would have considered euthanasia…jk!
He had 2 other orthos look at it over the last 2 years and both recommended a total replacement. One of those doctors does combined driving, so she has a pretty good idea about what’s involved with horses. :lol: We’re not using her for the surgery, but I could call her and ask what she thinks about riding post-op.
Thanks for the input!
My husband’s need for the replacement was real too. But when they put in the appropriate joint for the ACL deficiency, they ruptured the deteriorating PCL and didn’t notice. So he now has a knee that basically bends both ways. And nerve pain from the surgery(ies). And 12 years later he is only 60 with only one possible surgical chance to rectify the situation.
I wish your husband all the best and hope he gets many years of use out of his replacement. Surgery is such a crap shoot, but odds are he will get several years of pain free living and that will be great.
[QUOTE=sunkistbey;7982901]
I think the need for the replacement is real. We looked at the X-rays and honestly, if he was a horse I would have considered euthanasia…jk!
He had 2 other orthos look at it over the last 2 years and both recommended a total replacement. One of those doctors does combined driving, so she has a pretty good idea about what’s involved with horses. :lol: We’re not using her for the surgery, but I could call her and ask what she thinks about riding post-op.
Thanks for the input![/QUOTE]
Oh my need is supposedly real,Bone on Bone old ACL repair gone. Actually the top part of my tibia was replaced with a piece of my hip over 20 years ago. Every doctor who looks at it feels I’m a candidate but I at least found one who was willing to work with me. I get shots every 4 to 6 months and have percocet and vicodin PRN though I seldom use it.
I’ve had an ankle fusion done a while back and regretted it. So I am leery of a TKR, especially since I keep asking people who are two year or more out from having it done if they would do it again and I only hitting about 25% who say they would. My neighbor’s was botched and she had to sell her home and move to a flatter part of the country and live in a one level house. I know someone who had to give up their business after having one.
I’m an engineer, I feel when you fix something it should work better than it did before the fix and so far with TKR’s I’m not seeing that happen much. I’d rather deal with the pain than under go a major change in lifestyle because of a “fix”.
I’m in the why didn’t I get it done sooner club! I was back riding at 8 weeks with the blessing of my surgeon. I really think it depends on your doctor, from what I’m seeing there must be some bad surgeons out there. I have at least 6 friends that ride that have done this and they are back showing in the adults at WEF and HiTS.
Hey Hattie thanks for your post, so glad you and your friends had good outcomes.
The surgeon we picked is very good and actually treated me for a broken foot 2 years ago. I know some surgeons are knife happy, but I don’t think this one is.
DH has been limping along on NSAIDs for a couple of years now and he has had it injected twice with little relief. Percocet and Vicodin are not an option for him as a horseshoer. 
It’s great to hear the good results, but also the cautionary stories. Keep them coming!
Go talk to the Driving Doc, she does GOOD work, had good advice even if you don’t use her. I am on her “list” of folks needing knee replacement in the future, she says call when I can’t stand it. So far, I am holding it off with knee shots, and they are doing a good job. But looking at my X-rays, I know she is right about needing to fix the knee.
Ask MANY questions of your surgeon, how they will be doing the procedure. There are “ways” to do things so you heal faster, but may be harder on the Surgery table for the Dr. to do. Friend got a replacement done, Dr. just cut everything top and bottom, to put in the new joint. Took an extra 3 MONTHS and much Rehab, to get her moving almost normal again. Plenty of pain as well. There are OTHER PROCEDURES that still get the job of replacement done, with lots less patient pain and healing needed to be back on your feet and moving well. The cutting method is on the list of Ortho methods as “acceptable” but sure is NOT the best choice from patient point of view.
That same Dr. was supposed to do my brother’s rotor cuff surgery, when I hauled brother to the Driving Doc, and found a LOT more stuff wrong in shoulder than just the rotor cuff, that needed fixing. Used the same diagnostic pics as first Dr. She is GOOD, did the shoulder surgery fix-up work and he is quite happy with results. She might have some recommendations of Drs. if you ask. Not sure what her methods are, but gosh the patients all seem to get back going in much shorter times than folks worked on by other Drs. She knows how horse folk want to get back at it after being fixed!!
You also might ask her about certain knee models that will hold up to his needs better than other models.
I expect our husbands know each other, both are Farriers.
I’ve had 4 knee replacements — I’m anatomically gifted — had the first two in my 40’s and wore them out. Now, at close to 60, I’m sound and can do darn near anything on #3 and #4. However… I chose to stop riding. I"ll hop on a horse or mule once a year or so, but that’s enough for me. Things that involve direct concussion to the leg — like running, jumping — are things you really can’t do again. Riding is fine, but just don’t fall. 
What gives me the worst trouble is having to get down on the floor and back up again — I cannot kneel at all, it’s very painful, and while it doesn’t damage anything, it hurts big time. I also have arthritis in a lot of other places, and have the problem of every time I bump a joint, arthritis sets in if it isn’t there already, so I do try to be a little careful. I had a great surgeon, and that does make a huge difference. But if he wants to ride afterwards, no reason that he can’t.
Thanks for all the great information!
Goodhors, I have actually used the Driving Doctor (love that name) in the past. She did knee, hand and elbow surgery on me. We’re not using her this time for reasons that have nothing to do with her competency. She is an excellent surgeon.
Sunkist, I figure it was a convenience issue, not close to you. She is very good on the hands, and other parts too! She has worked on everyone in our family, sometimes more than one repair of parts as they wear out or get damaged. Never hurts to ask other Drs. about “repair parts” before jumping in. We did the same with teeth implants after one of husband’s customers was talking about failures with certain company models of implants in customers that had to be redone. Customer was testing them thru a University. We sure didn’t want to pick the wrong implants, need to get the job redone!
