PKR Jogging after a knee replacement (long term!)

[fiona4269]

Will do. I know the local running club had a group of walkers do the Dublin City Marathon last year. So will check out if they plan to do it again.

I know I am the clubs only partly bionic member. But love the company.

 

[Jennszoo]

I'm following tis thread with interest. I just took up running last year when I hurt my knee in Nov. Seeking out trmt led to the diagnosis of bone on bone arthritis and now 2 TKRs. I was a galloway runner - slow and steady pace (14-15mm) and intervals :30/:30 or :30/:45. I credit galloway with getting me to 11 miles training for my first half before the knee blew, when my OS coudnt believe I was even walking on my knees.

I'm not sure what my future holds. I def want to train back to 5ks and 10ks. Id like to try a sprint triathlon (the running portion is only 5k)'and some obstacle course races. Will I interval or just walk? Will I ever finish that elusive 13.1? Who knows.

 

[fiona4269]

Welcome. You will definitely get back to Galloway. We do 1 mile challenges at club training. When I started back first I could just about manage 11mm and the last night I managed an amazing 8.35mm. I wasn't able to do that with too good knees (well not for quite some time anyway). I was thrilled at the time. The day of the Quarter Marathon I managed a 10mm constant jog for the entire thing. Wasn't a walk in the park by any means. I suffered afterwards. But, reckon it was worth it. I have my first marathon medal with a TKR and have no intention of stopping. I think you should think long and hard about the obstacle part of what you want to do. This could be your undoing. Your knees don't do sudden changes in direction anymore.

And yes you will do that elusive 13.1. Might give one a go myself. Jog walk sound like the way to go.
Good luck.

 

[Jennszoo]

Yeah I did one obstacle course run and it was very low key. Do the obstacles you want, skip the rest. I wouldn't go hardcore, just something to have fun with my kids who've become obsessed with American Ninja Warrior during my recovery.

I wonder what I will be capable of when walking/jogging is no longer painful. It will be a fun journey.

 

[Josephine]

If a person wears out the plastic spacer how invasive is the surgery to have the spacer replaced? How does someone know the spacer needs to be replaced before you damage other parts of a TKR?

It's roughly about the same as the primary surgery but not so invasive - no bone cutting or anything. They just slide the old one out and slip the new one in!

I would also offer these observations about jogging on a knee replacement.
1. it's not so much of a problem in a total replacement but partials are another issue altogether and it's not advisable
2. i's much better to practice forefoot strike running rather than the usual heel strike. This Youtube is particularly instructive

 

[bill 3/20]

I was a marathon runner. My goal is to return to running, but not marathons. I have been doing strength training focused on quads and glutes and working with my PT to develop a running form that reduces impact on the knee. My PT says that when I am ready I can use the couch to 5k program. She says I must be able to focus on form with every step so that I am landing lightly and absorbing stress with glutes and quads. Right now, my pt assignment is slow motion running landing and balancing on one foot. I tried my first run last week. My goal was to run for one minute, but I only made 56 seconds and then quit because my knee started hurting. I am very sensitive about not pushing through pain on anything; if it hurts I stop. After this adventure, my knee stayed a bit hot and swollen for 5 days. I am now more or less back to normal, but I think it was too soon to try running. I'll give it a shot again in a few weeks.

 

[Jennszoo]

Thanks for the update. I plan to do mostly walking, biking, swimming for about a year. Sounds like 4 months was too soon for running. Hang in there.

 

[fiona4269]

I too was a marathon runner. The training for the quarter marathon was done as you stated. In short intervals and stopping if it became too painful. The short runs as in 3/4 miles were ok, but when I had to up it to the 6/8 to make sure I could cover the distance. Then like you the knee would protest and be extremely hot for up to five days. But I persevered and got through it on the day.

I have stepped back a bit at the moment, and I am just doing one five mile a week and walking other than that. I would love to do another half or full, but it is completely beyond me. My knee would never survive the training required. I will keep up the short one, simply because I enjoy the freedom of it.

PT's here have an absolutely no running policy, so mine is not too happy with me. But, I tell him I am too young to sit on the couch. OS tells me I will probably need another in 20 years, but heh lets test the thing.

There is nothing in the research to prove that the implant wears out any sooner by continuing to run on it.

@Jennszoo 4 months is way too soon. I started back at 12 months.

 

[DebM]

My OS says that running will decrease the longevity of the replacement ie. it will wear out quicker and therefore a revision may be needed. I would prefer not to run that go through it all again!

 

[Xopher1]

Well, after getting sidetracked by other things, this last couple of months I've really been trying to get a bit more fit and active, and as well as going to the gym semi-regularly, I've been out running again.

I'm pleased to report that my 15-year-old knee is coping fine with 3km or 5km runs every other day - I'm managing 5k in just a tiny bit under the half-hour.

I am actually having more issues with my "good" knee - I have a metal rod in the tibia which reaches the top of the bone, although it doesn't protrude apparently, and it is thought that I get the occasional rub against a nerve which is a bit of a surprise every now and then.

 

[ertuck]

As I have stated on here before, I row for at least 30 mins a day and I am booked in for R.T.K.R. on 21st Dec this year. I don't want to infringe any advertising rules that might exist on this forum but the machine I use is a well known American rower which is found in nearly every Gym worth its salt.You can change the amount of effort needed by reducing the air damper from virtually no resistance to the maximum to exercise virtually all the muscles in the body. There is no impact such as experienced in running or most sports.

 

[Celle]

If a person wears out the plastic spacer how invasive is the surgery to have the spacer replaced? How does someone know the spacer needs to be replaced before you damage other parts of a TKR? Just wondering I have a six month old knee and hoping it lasts about another 30 years!

It's roughly about the same as the primary surgery but not so invasive - no bone cutting or anything. They just slide the old one out and slip the new one in!

Josephine told you what usually happens. That is dependent on you getting some sort of warning that the plastic spacer is wearing thin - such as a feeling of your knee joint getting looser.

However, my experience was not as fortunate as that. I had a PKR that had lasted me for almost 11 active years and with which I travelled the world. I had no warning at all that the spacer was wearing thin.

One day, when I was in Canada on holiday, I was walking fast when the spacer broke suddenly. One minute I was walking and then next minute I was on the floor, in severe pain and unable to walk at all. The spacer had apparently broken into two pieces. One piece shot out of the knee joint towards the front, giving me pain beside my kneecap. The other piece shot out the back of my knee joint and is still embedded in soft tissue there. The surgeon was unable to retrieve it during subsequent surgery.

I had to travel home again to New Zealand using crutches and wheelchair and see my own surgeon. Since my PKR hardware was 10 years old, the company had revised the components and a spacer to fit my PKR was no longer available. Adding together the time it took to get home, see my surgeon, and find this out, it was almost 3 months before I could have a revision to a TKR.

During that time, I had the metal components of the knee replacement rubbing on each other and some damage was caused to them and my knee. Also, one of the broken pieces of spacer would occasionally get wedged back into my knee joint, locking my knee in a half-bent position. That hurt!

I wouldn't wish my experience on anyone, so if you are going to do sports that might impact the plastic spacer, do be sure to get your knee checked (surgeon's examination and X-Ray) regularly.

 

[Josephine]

How does someone know the spacer needs to be replaced before you damage other parts of a TKR?

Read Celle's post!

The spacer had apparently broken into two pieces.

And just in case you're still in denial, take a look at these worn tibial inserts!!

I'm pleased to report that my 15-year-old knee is coping fine with 3km or 5km runs every other day

You don't know yet how they are coping! The wear shown above can take from months to years to become significant let alone apparent. You have been so advised!