Dear all, hello from Germany here. Fortunately, I am not about to have a knee replacement surgery. Unfortunately, though, it is likely I will need to have two knees replaced in a few year's time, which would mean the age of mid-30s... A string of bad luck (meniscus damage in left knee, followed by an ACL in the right knee due to an awkward step) resulted in 2 surgeries 7 years ago at the age of 25. This year, however, pains are back in both medial compartments. MRIs show that the medial condyle bones (left and right) have remodeled themselves as they appeared to have been overloaded following the surgeries. I am sporty, but a bit varus from my birth and hence the result. Obviously, I am terrified thinking of the prospects. The pain will be intensifying until I can no longer stand it and I will need replacements. Of course, I am trying to delay this by all my means, spending lots of time on gym and paying attention to what I eat and how I move. Yet, I don't see the knees last for too long (particularly the one with the restored ACL)...
Perhaps, I am wrong on this. Therefore, I wanted to ask you the following:
1) For those who had managed to squeeze a few more year from your aching knees, please share your experience and recommendations...
2) Do you think I should let the surgeons go into my knees a few more times to try and improve them? For instance, removing the bone that has grown into the joint space on the edge of the femur chondyle bone?
3) What kind of knee technologies you would encourage me to pay attention to? I read about Mako and some proven ones. I am going to look for doctors who work with those technologies and hope that long years down the road they will know me good enough to do the procedures without problems.
4) The most important question. What is there possible after knee replacement? My dream has always been retiring and working in a garage around cars, perhaps have a small farm, flying an aircraft. Do you think I could still do this? And more importantly - do this pain free?
5) How much movement will be allowed on those new knees to make them last for decades? It is clear that 10-15 years won't suffice for me...
Sorry if some questions are nagging and basic for you, but any help in understanding those would be so much appreciated...
Perhaps, I am wrong on this. Therefore, I wanted to ask you the following:
1) For those who had managed to squeeze a few more year from your aching knees, please share your experience and recommendations...
2) Do you think I should let the surgeons go into my knees a few more times to try and improve them? For instance, removing the bone that has grown into the joint space on the edge of the femur chondyle bone?
3) What kind of knee technologies you would encourage me to pay attention to? I read about Mako and some proven ones. I am going to look for doctors who work with those technologies and hope that long years down the road they will know me good enough to do the procedures without problems.
4) The most important question. What is there possible after knee replacement? My dream has always been retiring and working in a garage around cars, perhaps have a small farm, flying an aircraft. Do you think I could still do this? And more importantly - do this pain free?
5) How much movement will be allowed on those new knees to make them last for decades? It is clear that 10-15 years won't suffice for me...
Sorry if some questions are nagging and basic for you, but any help in understanding those would be so much appreciated...