The doctor went over the results of my MRI last week:
…and as you can see I’ve got some torn cartilage and meniscus in my left knee. I’ll have arthroscopic surgery on it next week, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Because of advancing arthritis, in another 10 years or less I’ll have to have a knee replacement. So I was wondering if any of you gone through a knee replacement and if it made things better?
My Dad had knee replacements on both knees (not at the same time) at 70 years of age and has done great for the next 12 years. The key to really successful knee surgery is in having great rehabilitation and taking the rehab seriously and doing it right. He got out of two weeks of rehab after the first knee surgery and built a barn the next week by himself. It's not something to fear or put off - he suffered for 5 years or so and was almost a cripple before having the replacement. He said he wished he had done it at the first sign of needing it.
Deb's BIL had knees replaced at over seventy years of age and is getting along fine.
I would always ask if the cold weather would bother him, but he never seemed to have
any problems along those lines.
My brother plays tennis with an 80 year old man who recently had both knees replaced.
Don't have experience with knee replacements. My father in law had both hips replaced (in Bend by Knute Buehler). I think the rehab advice given above is excellent.
I'm thinking if they clean the meniscus up and dust and polish some of the arthritis you could push it another 6 or 7 years. Check into Sinvisc injections after a year or two if the pain starts returning.
5 surgeries on my right knee and 1 on the left (that one was in conjunction with the 5th on the right) Doc keeps telling me that I am going to need a replacement on the right, but has been able to polish things up.. My mechanic on the project here in Nome had both replaced this last winter, says they feel a hell of a lot better than before and that, no, he doesn't trip the metal detector at the airport!
Good luck!
-JD-
Thanks for the replies guys. Those are encouraging reports. Jeff, a guy I work with who had arthroscopic said the same thing as you – adhering to post-surgery physical therapy is the key to getting back on track. Paden – the dr. mentioned in passing that there was some sort of knee lube they can use when it starts to unravel and Sinvisc must be it. Not a big fan of needles, so I might bring a zerc fitting off one of the trucks in the yard a see if he can install while he’s messing around with the knee.
My Sister had both knees replaced at the same time. They sent her home with a device that continually and slowly raises/bends the knee and then straightens it out. She would put one knee on it for a while and then the other knee. She was still in her 40's then. Like Jeff said, therapy is the key.
My Mother had both knees replaced but at different times. She had more problems than my Sister but age may have had something to do with it. My Mother scheduled both surgeries during the summer so there would be less interference with bowling and square dancing lessons. Her and my Step Dad are square dancing in a parade tomorrow.
I had orthoscopic surgery on my right knee about 8 years ago. It's the same knee that kept me from joining the Navy in 1977. It will eventually have to be replaced.
It seems to run in the family. The surgery is nothing to fear. Ask the doctor about kneeling down. I seem to remember something about kneeling being a problem on the new knee joints. I could be wrong, my wife says I usually am.
James
Man, those Oxfordians have it all. Shoes, comma, dictionary and knee score.
> I could be wrong, my wife says I usually am.
James, I'm thinking my wife might be related to yours...
> > I could be wrong, my wife says I usually am.
>
> James, I'm thinking my wife might be related to yours...
I guess it's possible, But you already know you are probably wrong again.:-)
My wife had a knee replaced 3 years ago and still doesn't have full mobility, because she waited too long before she had it done. She had a lot of muscle damage that she is still working on to free things up.
Advice is don't wait until it is too bad. That can make recovery much harder.
B-)
My wife has had arthroscopic surgery on both knees, in her late 40's, early 50's, , no major problems, generally "good as new".
A good friend's wife had both knees done, in her mid-fifties, she is better than before, but not 100%. I'm thinking if she had to quantify it , it's about 75% or 80%. As stated elsewhere, the rehab seems to be the key to recovery.
