Age Question

[brs0660]

That is an interesting statistic about the medium age for replacement being mid50's.

I started a thread around this topic on the Social page...because I have some odd ideas about why the age is so young...BTW I am in the over 50 group

 

[Judles]

Halfway to paradise????? :sct::sct:
:rant::pnc:

 

[cindy88fan]

I had my first knee surgery at age 15. The OS I had at that time said it looked like a firecracker went off inside and he took out my cartilage and repaired everything else. Then 5 years later I had surgery on the other knee. This time he did an arthoscopic and again took the cartlidge out of that knee. So at the age of 45 I had BTKR due to being bone on bone for so many years and having numerous spurs all over the knee.As far as being back to normal...can't remember if I was ever "normal" but I do know this, I feel so much better now! It was the best thing I could have ever done!!! I am almost 11 weeks out and doing great. I use my cane when I amm outside and that's it.

 

[cindy88fan]

I had an appointment with my OS Tuesday for a check up and he said a very wise thing. Your new knees will last longer if you use them. You don't use them...you loose them and that is so very true!!!

 

[dcdowden]

I am also somewhat surprised with the younger ages of many knee replacements given many surgeons still seem to be giving some of my friends the advice to wait as long as possible. I am 57 and I am 7 weeks post replacement of my right knee which was seriously damaged 13 years ago in a car accident. My knee recovered well enough after the accident for me to play golf, walk through airports, museums and such but I never was able to play tennis or ski after that. I had both hips replaced last year due to osteo-arthritis which runs in the family. I tore a meniscus in my knee a couple years ago to finally led me to go ahead with the TKR. Hips were pretty normal at about 5 or 6 months - I still have a ways to go before my knee is normal - hopefully by 5 months again. So far so good.
Doug

 

[Josephine]

Well, there are various facets to this:

1. metallurgy: we know a lot more about the materials used in implants now, cobalt chrome, stainless steel, titanium, ceramic, polyethylenes. We also know a lot more about the interaction of bearings of same or different materials and the impact on the human body

2. implant manufacture: has increased in sophistication beyond all recognition to what it was 40 years ago! It's very sophisticated and improving all the time.

3. surgical skills: surgeons have a lot more information, improvements, research and training into the technique of joint replacement. They go into every little detail these days, bearings, stress shielding, cement security, implant durability, etc., etc., where years ago they just talked about JR in the general! However, not all surgeons avail themselves of this information and training, so when you are making you selection, ask them how often they attend symposia and when they last attended one. Most all of the surgeons who tell people to wait as long as possible are ones who are not keeping themselves up to date and are still working on old opinions.

It's because of all this that the age limit is gradually coming down. When I was first trained, you had to be over 70 to have a THR! 69 was just not considered so bad luck! There was a lot of nervousness about how long these new flangled things would last. But now we know there are people who've had their joints in for 40 years and even longer. Remember, that means they had their JR done in 1969 when the science was barely out of its infancy! I wouldn't be at all surprised to soon be hearing reports of JR's lasting 50+ years and those that are being put in today - well, I won't be around to hear the results but I think it's looking pretty good!

 

[moe]

I was 6 weeks shy of 43 when I had my RTKR in January of this year. When my Dr. sent me into Boston to see an OS I would have bet anything I would be told I was too young. He said I may have been young but I had the knee of a 70 year old. I tore my ACL when I was 14 in gym class! I still wonder why the gym teacher though I could jump spread eagle over the vault! :sct: Obviously I was no gymnast! My knee is very sturdy now and I definitely feel more stable when walking but recovery has been challenging some days with the stiffness and the constant bending to see how much ROM I can get.

 

[grclark50]

Hello,
I am 60 had the rtkr in Mar 09, the left in Apr 09 and now Oct 09 I am like a new person. No pain at all other than an occasional tweak here and there. I can do anything I want to do and it feels good. I had osteo in both knees.

Thnks
GRC

 

[1jt@atime]

Hi,

I've been a member for a long time but not posted for a while. I was hit by a drunk driver when I was 26 and I got all crunched up, big time. Once I got into my 40s I started falling apart again. I had my first knee replaced when I was 46, my second when I was 47 and will see my surgeon this week to schedue my first hip replacement at the age of 48. I've got a few more joints to go so I may be on this site for a long time.

 

[cindy88fan]

Wow Karen, you have been through a lot. Bless your heart!

 

[Jamie]

Hi, Karen....so nice to have you back on the forum!

 

[Josephine]

Hi,

I've been a member for a long time but not posted for a while. I was hit by a drunk driver when I was 26 and I got all crunched up, big time. Once I got into my 40s I started falling apart again. I had my first knee replaced when I was 46, my second when I was 47 and will see my surgeon this week to schedue my first hip replacement at the age of 48. I've got a few more joints to go so I may be on this site for a long time.

Karen!

Wonderful to see you! So you're back on the 'operating list' again, huh? Me too!

 

[tom67]

Hi Karen, pleasure to meet you! Tom

 

[backbay38]

Jo's primer a few posts back on how joint replacements/surgery have changed is just invaluable -- summing it all up. Jo I think you should take that post and put it up front somewhere prominently. It answers so many questions.
Stephani

 

[Josephine]

It's in the Information Centre - Recurring Information! implant longevity

 

[newfie girl]

I am 58 had osteo arthtitis for past 16 years , first os said i was obese and needed to lose weight and come back in 10 years which kind of put me off. Three years ago told i could go on the list and about 18 months ago told i was walking bone on bone and could have two new knees. Have just ahd the first one and recovering well the next one in about 6 weeks

 

[Jenniferne]

I have had a Arthroscopy done on my left knee in Feb then a TKR was done on my right knee in April and a TKR done on my left knee just 4 weeks ago. My age is 50. Sad thing is it runs in my family my sister who is 4 yrs older has both her knees done and my brother also has both his knees done. I am so thankful we only have two knees

 

[HyperZen]

I am 42. Was in a car accident at 16 (in 1983) - shattered pelvis, dislocated left hip. Left knee was put in traction for 50 days (held at 45 degrees) to ease the hip back in place, so my knee issues are a biproduct of the traction and the wonky gait I acquired by virtue of the fact that my left hip is not quite in alignment with the right, etc, etc, etc.

It has taken me years to find a doctor to do this procedure for me. I have heard for at least 10 years that I needed to be 60+ to have this done, but I persisted. I have been living with stiffness and pain every day for as long as I can remember...maybe 10-15 years? Had arthroscopy in 2004 to remove bone spurs and fix the ligament and meniscal damange done by them. Then had synvisc injections following. Been bone-on-bone for many years and finally last year could not walk my dogs around the block without limping and feeling like the knee was going to come apart.

Had my LTKR on August 13 of this year. Right now I am not the poster child for it, as I am having a difficult time regaining flex and having a big struggle with my PT...searching for a new clinic as soon as I get the transfer of my script from my OS. I had severe knock-knee deformity that was somewhat corrected by the procedure and I personally think my tendons and ligaments are going to take a while to stretch and accommodate their new position. But I figure I went from my knee being frozen at 45 degrees for two months after the accident to eventually getting it back to 0 extension and over 130 degrees of flex, so I can do this.

Check back in 6-9 months and I hope to be a much happier, and more mobile, camper. :pray:

GOOD LUCK!


Jill
LTKR 8/13/09

 

[Texas]

So sorry Jim...I agree with the tendons and things that takes a long while..........I sure hope you feel better soon you deserve it wow you have really been thru it..............take it easy.........best wishes........) please ck in and let us know..........

 

[BigRed]

I had my first kneecap dislocation back in 1958. I continued to have dislocations of the kneecaps in both knees periodically. In 1967 and 1971, I had full open-knee surgery on my right knee to try to clean out the splinters and tighten the hold on the kneecap. Dislocations continued and In falling due to dislocation I broke my right knee twice - once the patella and once the tip of the femur. I have had daily osteoarthritis pain since my late teens.

In 1973 I was told I was a candidate for knee replacements and I should try to wait until I was in my sixties to get them done. I had both knees replaced on June 25th at the age of 61. I probably waited too long before having it done because my knees were so incredibly damaged and the pain over the years caused me to favor my knees resulting in serious damage to my left ankle. I am still not walking as well as I had hoped but my pt said that looking at my history it is amazing I am able to walk as I am.

I am in less pain than prior to surgery and that is a good thing.