TKR TKR on bowlegs

MoxieB

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I am going to have a total knee replacement due to having medial bone on bone on my bowlegged knees. I am concerned about my legs being straight after a lifetime of bowlegs, particularly on the new alignment of muscles and tendons that have been used to my bowleggedness. Will this cause additional discomfort and/or physical therapy to get the muscles to adapt to the new alignment after the TKR? I would appreciate hearing from anyone who has had this done. Thanks.
 
@MoxieB
Welcome to BoneSmart, glad you joined us! :welome:
With medial bone on bone, your bowleggedness has been increased You should be more comfortable after your TKR's as your normal alignment is restored.
Suggest you ask your surgeon this question, so he is aware of your concerns.

Please post your surgery dates, a moderator will add it to your signature for you. Having the exact date will help us properly advise you. Thanks!

New BoneSmart members like you are in various stages of their journey to joint replacement. Making the decision whether or not to have surgery and preparing for surgery can be easier once you have done your research and know what lies ahead. Here are some tools that can help you decide what is best for you.

If you are at the stage where you have joint pain but don't know for sure if you are ready to have surgery, these links may help:

Score Chart: How bad is my arthritic knee?
Choosing a surgeon and a prosthesis
BMI Calculator - What to do if your surgeon says you're too heavy for joint replacement surgery
Longevity of implants and revisions: How long will my new joint last?

If you are at the stage where you are planning to have surgery but are looking for information so you can be better prepared for what is to come, take a look at these links:

Recovery Aids: A comprehensive list for hospital and home
Recliner Chairs: Things you need to know if buying one for your recovery
Pre-Op Interviews: What's involved?


And if you want to picture what your life might be like with a replaced knee, take a look at the posts and threads from other BoneSmarties provided in this link:

Stories of amazing knee recoveries
 
@MoxieB I have (had) very bowed legs. I had a TKR on my left knee on 10/13 and the leg was straightened out. So far, that is the only part of this experience I am happy about. I do not know if this is the reason my recovery is difficult, but I am sure there was much more "banging" to straighten the leg than if it were not so bowed. So, now I have one straight leg and one bowed leg.

Good luck with the surgery. Let us know how you are doing. I will tell you that you will most likely have to buy new shoes to go with your new leg, because of the wear patterns on the old ones. Keep us posted.
 
Hello @MoxieB - and :welome:

If you have it, please will you tell us the full date of your knee replacement and which knee it is, so we can make a signature for you? Knowing the exact date will help us to advise you appropriately in the future.
Thank you.:flwrysmile:
 
Thank you all for your replies. I don't have a date scheduled yet, going day by day for now. I wish TKRsharon an improved recovery and hope that time and perhaps gentle PT will help.
 
@MoxieB I had TKR in 2015 for bone on bone, have been extremely bow legged since childhood and the doctor corrected my left knees bow legginess during surgery. I just had my right TKR January 6, 2021 for bone on bone, corrected bowleg also. For the first time in my 73 years I have two straight legs! I do not know if the surgery was more difficult or if the recovery is any different because of him correcting the bowlegs. I do believe that after the first surgery my gait was slightly off due to my left leg being straight and a tiny bit longer but I still waited 5 years to have the second leg done. The recovery is difficult, bow legged or not, but totally worth it.
 
Although I am not looking forward to the recovery phase I AM totally enthused about having straight legs and no more pain from having bone on bone. I hope that you continue to have a good recovery. Thank you for your reply.
 
Hi @MoxieB I was very bow legged due to many football injuries to my knees ,my first tkr two years ago straightened my leg and I am very pleased with the result as I often forget I have had the operation.
I had tkr on my right leg only two weeks ago and although painful I’m recovering well and I too am looking forward to having two straight legs and you never know we both might gain a little more height!
Good luck with your recovery
 
I was in the same situation- now 19 days post-op. I learned a lot in the first 24 hours about this! In the first ~12 hours post surgery, the nurses put ice packs on the top of my knees only. Well, trying to sleep that first night, I couldn't sleep because of the excruciating pain- not in the knees themselves, but in my CALVES! The night nurse then asked a telling question- "were you bow-legged prior to surgery?". "Yes, very much so". Off she went and came back with two more 7-1/2 x 15 ice packs to place under my calves. A short while later, I was able to get to sleep!

I also right there in the hospital bed ordered 12 of the cardinal 7-1/2 x 15 gel ice packs to greet me at home- using 4 at a time, that quantity gave me 3 rotations. So now I ice three times a day after my PT routine. Good luck!
 
Before surgery I could easily fit my closed fist (at its widest) easily between my knees when my heels were tight together. My legs were immediately straight after surgery.

Recovery is a challenge, a roller coaster ride of good and bad days for a month or so. There were no extra problems because of my new legs, having them straight was a blessing.

I had to re-learn to walk properly, and to pedal my bike. This wasn't so hard.
 
I may be having surgery in August. I'm wondering what any of you think about having both knees done at the same time or is that completely crazy to consider? Thanks.
 
If your surgeon is willing and you are deemed a suitable candidate, then go for a bilateral TKR.

The first few weeks of recovery are a bit harder than with a single TKR, but you would have the benefit of only one surgery date and only one recovery.
 
@MoxieB, do you have any osteopenia or osteoporosis? My twin sister has severe bowlegs and is doing PT now before considering any surgery. They have her in an OA brace when she walks, dances, or exercises. She is 73, 74 in September.
 

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I do have osteopenia. I have been doing strengthening and stretching exercises for upper and lower extremities for many years so my strength is pretty good. One other issue is that I now have a Baker's cyst on the back of my right knee that can be bothersome if I walk on it too much (over a mile). And I wonder how that will be handled either before or during the knee replacement surgery.

Thank you, Celle for your input about simultaneous TKR. I will discuss that with my surgeon.
 
One other issue is that I now have a Baker's cyst on the back of my right knee that can be bothersome if I walk on it too much (over a mile). And I wonder how that will be handled either before or during the knee replacement surgery.
@MoxieB, I also had a Baker's cyst prior to my TKR. I think it dissolved during surgery? Then I had to have a revision and it came back to a lesser degree.....not as bothersome though.
 
One other issue is that I now have a Baker's cyst on the back of my right knee that can be bothersome if I walk on it too much (over a mile). And I wonder how that will be handled either before or during the knee replacement surgery.
Your surgeon won't touch the Baker's cyst during surgery. It's at the back of your knee, a place that surgeons avoid if they can, because of the large number of big blood vessels and nerves there. Some call it "tiger country".

This article explains about Baker's cysts (with illustrations) and other knee bursae.
Baker's cysts and other knee bursae
 

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