Facing TKR ...many worries

[Ellejay]

One other thing to consider- the more inactive you become the more easily the weight goes on, I put on a couple of stone in the couple of years that it took for my knees to deteriorate, and it goes on a lot easier than it comes off. I've just returned from the gym, I go three times a week and cycle or swim on the days I don't go. The weight is slowly coming off, but not as fast as I'd like!

 

[Lovestoread]

All of us are hesitant at first when we hear we need TKR. I had that "stuck" feeling in both knees due to torn meniscus. My original surgeon did the arthroscopies that helped for a bit. And I mean a bit! Afterwards needed Synvisc shots, which helped for about two years. I didn't know at the time that if you are bone-on-bone, surgery to remove or "clean up" the meniscus does little than to accelerate the need for TKR. My surgeries were two years ago and I have made a wonderful recovery! I was always a walker (4-5 miles a day for 20 years) and went to the gym anywhere from 3-7 days a week. Our vacations consisted of hiking in National Parks and going to Disney World. Although I haven't been back in the parks, (due to scheduling problems with work) I just returned from Disney World where I was on my feet from 7:00 am to 11:00 pm each day....and walking the whole time and going down water slides, etc. Other than not being able to scrub floors and showers/tubs ( and that's because it just feels too strange for me to kneel and then lean forward) I can't think of anything I can't do that I did years before my knees got bad!


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[KarriB]

I agree with @Lovestoread, it's a good excuse to not scrub floors on our knees. Thank heaven for swiffers. I also keep nothing under the furniture because I can't get down there to get it. The other day my kindle slid under a chair and I had to kneel to find it.

 

[ritaxis]

I had been putting off the surgery though I had known I was bone on bone for a couple of years. There wasn't much pain except when I did something extraordinary. But what flipped the switch for me was a nice walk on a large, only modestly-steep hill. I just could not deploy my feet well at all. I wasn't going to fall that time, but it was so slow and tedious! I'mkind of half-sedentary, but I do love walking in the hills! At six weeks after the first of 2 TKRs I'm not ready to walk down steep hillsides, but I can feel it coming.

For me the choice wasn't giving up some activity to relieve pain: it was investing some time in discomfort to achieve my former levels of activity again. I don't know exactly when I'll be ready, but I've got my eye on some nice long walks.

As for my bike, I'm still only on a trainer for a few minutes at a time, but honestly if I'd had this done sooner I think I'd be closer to really riding by now. As it is, it's a matter of time, and working my way back into it.

Short version: my suspicion is that rather than sacrificing mobility, you'll be preserving mobility for the future.

 

[trailspud]

Yea, I love to bike!
Reading your reply gave me some good news in you saying you are able to do the things you did before surgery. This is all so new to me, just this past week I saw my OS and he said my bone on bone and arthritis in my knee was indicative of needing a TKR. My knee has 'changed' from 'my normal'. It is in a 'stuck' position/feeling, that I have always been able to undo by bending my leg a certain way to get it 'unstuck'. Now I can't. I know I can't live with this new change in my knee. It is discomfort 24/7, but not pain. It does keep me from being my normal active self now.

If you are at this point then it's time. Is your OS a top-notch, high volume specialist in total knee replacement? I would check that out and maybe do a second opinion with a different OS in that category (high volume specialist).

If, and you should, have a good outcome then in due time you will have better function than before. You will have no issues hiking or cycling. I went a few too many years with functional restrictions before my TKRs and my muscles had weakened. After my TKRs, my cardio gym levels rose (ex: 1200+c/hr to 1400+c/hr on one machine). I think primarily due to increased muscle strength and function. I got back to hiking. I've gone as long as (roughly) 20 miles w/3,500' climb and drop w/o problems. I just haven't gotten into cycling, but there are many who have posted in this forum of doing some semi-serious cycling. There are people racing w/total knees.

It is a tough recovery, but you are healthy and fit and should do well.

 

[Clipless]

Hi @Lisi , lots of us are cycling after TKR. It took me a while, but I'm back to road, mtb, and hiking with a nice, strong knee- instead of the old weak one with bones grinding together, ugh. Be sure to visit the Cycling thread in the Social Room forum. Tell us all about your bikes and where you like to ride!

 

[Josephine]

One of my main concerns is that I am/was very active...mt and road biking, hiking and power walking. Anyone here post TKR and able to do just about everything they did before?

You need to read in here - any number of inspiring stories Stories of amazing knee recoveries

My knee has 'changed' from 'my normal'. It is in a 'stuck' position/feeling, that I have always been able to undo by bending my leg a certain way to get it 'unstuck'. Now I can't.

I call that the 'stone in the shoe' pain which erratically comes and goes. Sometimes it lasts for an hour, sometimes for a week but I knew what caused it so let me share that with you.

Arthritis has the effect of making our joints crumble like an old concrete step.

It breaks down, creating lots of grit and debris. Generally this stays in the pouches at the side of the joint but every so often, a bit gets into the weight bearing part of the joint and then we get that extreme pain and can't bear weight on the leg at all! Pain killers do nothing, nor do things like braces. We are just conscious of this horrible burning pain that all of a sudden goes away!

It's every bit as disabling as the constant bone-on-bone pain so many others suffer and is a very good indicator that a joint replacement is needed.

To assess your need for replacement, print off the form in this link, read the instructions and fill it in
Score chart: how bad is my arthritic hip/knee

 

[ironclm]

I race bikes and my surgeon said there is no problem and going back to racing after TKR. He is not keen on the possibility of crashing but I told him that the knee is probably the least of my problems if I crash. He laughed and agreed.

When I lived in California I raced with a guy who has had both knees replaced and has been world champion in his age group (70-74) after TKR.

Good luck.


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[billette]

I have had similar concerns. I am (well was) extremely active and compete in sport internationally - currently I am a shadow of my former self with bone on bone for a year which has been so debilitating and life changing that I am scheduled for my TKR next week. My surgeon has said that I should be able to return to my sports and gym sessions at the same level but to have some patience with recovery and there are no guarantees. He has err'd on the side of caution with running - although running was never my primary activity I used it to supplement my other sports but am happy to drop that.
Overall I cannot cope with the pain anymore and the change in my professional and personal life - hence why my surgeon its best to operate now as waiting serves no purpose for anyone

Good luck