arthritic muscle inhibition

[Josephine]

Do you know the type of prosthesis

Has nothing to do with it. It's the surgeon that counts!

PLus there is a famous US marathon runner called David Beardsley who has had both knees done and still runs! To the best of my knowledge he's been running on his TKRs for the better part of 6 years!

 

[amab]

I gave up running; have taken up swimming and biking. As challenging as running was; swimming (for me anyway) is much more of a challenge. My goal is to compete in an Aqua/Bike event next spring (2/3 of a Triathlon)..I've also noted improved conditioning and positive health results from swimming and my knees are happy!!!!

 

[RestAssured]

I have never tried a 1/2 marathon before, and never would have dreamed it would be possible! When @RunA42K , first mentioned it, my impulsive side took over and I "jumped on the bandwagon!"

Abby, my trainer, asked me if I had thought about trying a 10K first? Nope, just jump with both feet right in! I never realized how much training goes into preparing for a 1/2 marathon! I have a whole new respect for marathoners!

To think I thought, oh a couple of weeks and I will be ready!!!!

I am a lot closer now, but we have been following a program for 9 weeks! I still have 10 weeks to go!

 

[RunA42K]

Has nothing to do with it. It's the surgeon that counts!

PLus there is a famous US marathon runner called David Beardsley who has had both knees done and still runs! To the best of my knowledge he's been running on his TKRs for the better part of 6 years!

I do know that although Dick Beardsley runs a 1/2 marathon nearly every weekend with two knee replacements, he has already had to have one of them redone due to all the running. He accepts that though, knowing that excessive running will wear that TKR out. Dick Beardsley lives here in Texas in Austin.

 

[RunA42K]

I was obsessed with running long distance for many years. I ran 24 full marathons (26.2 miles running the entire distance) until my right knee said NO MORE! So from November 2010 till December 2013 I've had 4 knee surgeries on just my right knee alone. Scope, TKR, scope to remove scar tissue, then total knee revision. It took a very long time and I cried many tears but have finally come to terms that I can no longer run!

After my 2010 scope I kept trying to run but the pain was excruisiting! I had my first TKR in March 2011 and eventually ran several days a week up to 5 miles at a time. When that first TKR was 9 months old I ran a 1/2 marathon with virtually no training. Eventually the TKR was over grown with scar tissue and I could hardly walk to my mailbox, no ROM to speak of either. So 11 1/2 months ago in December of 2013 my total knee replacement was removed and redone with a brand new knee, a different kind and brand. I have an implant stem that goes 1/2 way down my tibia so I will never attempt to run again as I can risk fracture of my tibia.

Actual running on a full revision knee is not a good idea, but I did have several doctors tell me in the beginning after the first 2011 TKR that "a little" running was ok. I was told by an OS, don't run every day just for the sake of running. Don't run junk miles! In other words he told me...if there is a race I want to train for then cross train, bike, swim, elliptical, weight train, etc., then race day go run my event! I did this several times and it worked. It just was not meant to be for me though...two more surgeries on the same knee and I can say I am done with running! Running did not hurt my knees in the first place, but running is something I cannot continue to do.

So I bike now and I weight train. I love the weight training, and I'm trying to like biking, but I am addicted to exercise so I will do what my body/knee will allow me to do.

 

[RunA42K]

I have been told that it is not advised to jog/run on a tkr. I am 54 yo athlete, and would like to get my life back, but do not want to have revision. Have heard conflicting remarks on this. Has anyone with tkr been running/jogging, and if so how much and for how many years post op? If so. what type of prosthesis do you have and is it holding up? I am 5 feet 106#.

Thank you dearly for your replies

I just chimed in, please read above. I certainly was a runner before TKR, after TKR but after Total knee Revision...no more!

 

[RestAssured]

@lovemydog,

With my replacements, and now a right knee revision, I will not be running in the 1/2 marathon. It will be my first and probably only 1/2 marathon because I realize that doing very many would take a toll on my knees!

I am walking at a faster pace each day, and I am trying to beat the 4 hour time limit at the Houston Marathon to qualify as a finisher. That is my goal. I have so many things I am adding to my "bucket list", so 1 half marathon will be a major accomplishment for a former 435 pound couch potato!

 

[referee54]

I used to run a great deal. I reffed college basketball for seventeen years, and I loved to run to stay in shape. We have a great many running trails here in the Cleveland area, and I loved to get all sweaty---even in the dead of winter.

When I reffed a college hoops game, we would run about 4-5 miles at times during the games; the floor was unforgiving and there was a great deal of torque on my knees---that and genetics caused both of my knees to burn out at the same time.

I do run a very little amount when I umpire, but that is on a very forgiving surface. I have to admit that, at times, I do miss running, but I have turned into a passionate cyclist. I ride a great deal now and will get 120-160 miles a week in during the spring, summer, and fall months. In the winter, I use an indoor trainer as well as an elliptical machine.

While I miss running, I enjoy my pain-free lifestyle even more.

 

[Clipless]

As others have suggested, consider cycling (mountain biking, cyclocross, and/or road). You get similar endorphin highs as from running, plus assorted adrenaline boosts and the added benefit of covering a lot more ground.

 

[RunA42K]

I can tell you that as a runner who can no longer run, there is NOTHING at all that takes the place of running for me. Nothing serves up those endorphins like running. With that being said, I know I can't run so I do other things, not because they take the place of running, nothing can replace running, but because I want to be fit I do weight training and cycling. I would never suggest to you that you can get the runners high from anything else because you can't. Non runners just don't understand but that's ok, I just do what my body allows me to do now. I have quads of steel now, and at 62 years old I love going sleeveless because my arms/shoulder have muscle definition, no saggy no flabby! It's all in what you want to do to be the best that you can be!

 

[referee54]

I will also tell you that cycling literally and figuratively has taken me places that I never have gone before. I get 120-160 miles a week in the the three seasons that I can ride here in Northern Ohio.

I ride on several long charity rides every season, and this coming late spring/early summer, a friend and I are hoping to ride the trail from Pittsburgh to Washington DC, which is 335 miles in length. We plan on a six or seven day ride.

Eventually, we both would like to pedal across the USA---I would really like to do that, and have spoken to a some people who have successfully done it several times. I am excited even to be thinking about doing it!

I miss running---I really, really do--but cycling has given me something that allows me to ride with others and develop friendships, help others who have debilitating illnesses, and to allow myself to do things that I would not have even dreamed of doing even when I had good, original knees!

 

[lovemydog]

Hi everyone,

Thank you all so much for your quick and helpful responses thusfar. I am so grateful that my friend told me about this website. Was just wondering if anyone has had any experience with Dr Steven Haas, or the Hospital For Special Surgery in Manhattan NY?

 

[lovemydog]

Hi All,

I have my appt with Dr Haas on Tues Nov 25, and am trying to do all of my research. Have seen on posts that a lot of bruising occurs, and was wondering if anyone had used the homeopathic boiron pellets Arnica Montana after surgery to decrease bruising. I used it when I had other surgeries and it seemed to make a difference.

Thanks dearly for your help

 

[lovemydog]

Hi All,

Thanks again for the kind attention. I have 2 questions about icing:
1) I am aware that my knee will swell after I have been weight bearing on it. Has anyone ever tried wrapping the knee in ice packs while walking to help with this?
2) Also, I will be getting an ice machine. I used the Game Ready for my arthroscopic surgery and it worked well. Has anyone used anything else that they found helpful? The Game Ready had a lot of setting options ie temperature, time on and off, total treatment time, could program for multiple cycles, pressure, and it also had something like an air pump for edema. I just don't know if they are all pretty much the same as this is the only one I ever used.

 

[Celle]

I don't think you should take any oral medication that your surgeon is not aware of, so I wouldn't use them.

However, I have used arnica gel/cream on post-op bruising and I found it to be effective.

 

[LondonLady]

Hi @lovemydog !
The Game Ready sounds pretty fancy! If you are looking to purchase one, the brands that show up quite often on the board are Polar Cuff and Iceman. The Polar Cuff has a gravity-feed model or a pump driven one. I haven't had any experience with this brand, but many people here like them very much. I have an Iceman (there are also several models) which I recommend. It is pump driven, and has a temp control.

 

[Poppet]

Arnica is actually more effective as a topical application. Witch Hazel is also good. Both are astringents so they break up the blood within and around the bruise

 

[RedRider]

1) I do this occasionally with a few neoprene ice pack wraps and it seems to be effective, although tends to slip down the leg after a while.

 

[lunula]

Agree with above posters, use the gel directly on the bruise - it is effective. I actually tested it on a large bruise I had on my calf - used it on half the bruise and didn't on the other half - the Arnica side cleared faster.

I was taking the little pellets at one point (orally) until I read that it not only acts as a blood thinner (bad right after surgery!) but also can cause allergic reactions in people allergic to ragweed (which I am). It can also cause digestive issues, and considering all the other pain medications you'll be on, that's not good!

 

[tiredwife]

I would be a little leery in that put icepacks around the knee will probably keep you from bending it properly. Hubby actually preferred gel pack to his ice machine. Didn't like being tethered to something!