TKR Left TKA Incoming!

[BeachGal714]

Hi! I've been reading this forum for a while, even before seeing my ortho doc because I knew a total knee would be in my future. I'm 47 years old and so ready to get back to life here in sunny southern California!
I played soccer for about 23 years, in addition to field hockey, softball, volleyball, and rowing. Soccer was the bulk of my life for a long time though. I watched as my teammates tore ACLs and had arthroscopic repairs and all kinds of knee injuries and never had any injuries myself for all those years. In Jan 2022 I sat down wrong on a chair at work and that was the beginning of the end for my left knee.
It is a worker's comp case. What a bummer (sort of). I did bracing and PT for months and then 2 cortisone shots and then 3 "grease" injections and finally arthroscopic surgery to remove a torn medial meniscus and clean up cartilage that was literally hanging in their like curtains. I came out with zero cartilage on 4 places in the knee joint. We did post op PT and I told my Dr that it was not improving, but I wanted to get back to full duty work. So I agreed to work out on my own terms and keep to a desk job. Prior to the injury I had a goal of hiking a 14er in Colorado and had been doing hikes on my trips out there leading up to it. Since the injury, I have been unable to even go on relatively easy hikes.
Last week I reopened the workers comp claim and saw my Ortho again. He X-rayed both knees to check the progress of my severe arthritis. Since the medial compartment is literally gone resting on bone and my patella is also resting on bone we both agreed it is time.
So I don't have a surgery date yet as I have to wait for the workers comp insurance to authorize the surgery but I am gathering all the info I can and mentally and physically preparing as I am able. The one thing I haven't located on this site yet is any information anyone may have on prehabbing for the surgery. Looking forward to sharing this journey with you all.

 

[Layla]

Hello and Welcome to BoneSmart. Thanks for joining us! Please let us know once you schedule surgery and we will add the date to the signature we created for you. I'll leave some pre-op reading for you below.
Lots of comfort to you!


KNEE PRE-OP ARTICLES

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:

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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:

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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?​

Regardless of where you are in the process, the website and app My Knee Guide can help you stay organized and informed. The free service keeps all the information pertaining to your surgery and recovery in one place on your smartphone. It is intended to be a personal support tool for the entire process.

And if you want to picture what your life might be like with a replaced knee, take a look at some stories of amazing knee recoveries

 

[Layla]

And...some exercises.

Exercises for pre-surgery patients

 

[mendogal]

I did a year of "prehab" because it wasn't yet clear I needed a L TKR - we were trying conservative treatment, including arthroscopy for acute torn medial and lateral meniscus... however the knee was ultimately too unstable.

Things like short arc quads were out because they hurt! My issues were compounded by years of inability to do good lower extremity weight training because of existing traumatic arthritis on the R knee (years post ACL from a martial arts injury). R knee pain had been a limiting factor for a few years.

My focus that year was on maintaining function without pain. There were two knee-sparing exercises I focused on with both legs
:
straight leg raises, 30-50 as tolerated twice a week
clamshells for glutes, with resistance bands around lower thighs, 50-70 as tolerated twice a week

Had I known about quad sets I definitely would have been doing those as well!

 

[BeachGal714]

Thank you for the links and advice!

 

[Susie-Q]

Hi @BeachGal714! Fellow "younger" TKR person here. I was not quite as active as you in my younger years, although I used to play a lot of volleyball in my 20s, then kids came along and my life became dedicated to raising them. I always had "crackly" knees, even as a young person and over time they just got worse. First the right, then the left 12 years later. I had my first TKR at 42, the second at 54.

Good luck in preparing for a surgery date. We are here for any questions/concerns you have all the way through your journey!.

 

[Layla]

Best Wishes tomorrow, BeachGal!
Please join us on the Knee Recovery Forum when you're feeling up to it.
We'll have some Recovery Guidelines to share along with lots of support to offer.
Hope to see you there soon!
@BeachGal714

 

[mendogal]

I'll be looking for your post in the knee recovery area!!!