@EalingGran
-Long boring post warning.-
Part of the very first meeting with my doctor focused on jogging/running post procedure. This very topic has been at the forefront of my mind the entire time. That is with exception to the two month period post-op when I wondered if I was ever even going to ambulate properly again. I certainly don't miss those days and really appreciate all the support here as well as that of my PT's. This truly is a test of mind.
Back on topic. He has no problems with people running on his prosthetics provided that they were running before the procedure. I was, even though it hurt. When people haven't ran in 15 years and want to run again he urges caution. His position is based on bone density, and tendon, ligament, and muscle strength among a slew of other things age and activity related. Also, he believes that people who were running pre-op are going to run post-op regardless of his advice as long as it doesn't hurt to do it.
He told me that a lot of people are running with tkr's and that many doctors are reconsidering the risk v rewards of tkr and active lifestyles of younger folks against the historical use of an abundance of caution post-op in older populations.
I asked how many tkr's he a does a year and how many he has had to revise due to failure from jogging/running. He averages ~300 tkr's anually, for 12 years, and has never had to do a revision from running alone, not one; however, he thinks one of his patients that does ultra-marathons may need a new spacer eventually.
I told him that I had done a 50ml race once and have done a few 50k races too. Marathons, plenty, but I have no desire to go those distances these days. My favorite race distance has always been half marathons. Anyway, my running goals now are fitness/mindfulness runs up to 5k, maybe an occasional 10k for fun, but to almost certainly have a weekly average of running 20mls or less in total. I'm willing to forgo competitive running for simplicity. Because running is the only time that everything in my head goes away and it's just me, focused on heart rate, controlled breathing, and stride and footstrike. He told me to go for it. To be totally honest, if he wouldn't have I probably would have looked until I found a doctor that trusted the prosthesis he/she uses and thier own skill enough to say, yes.
His guidance: zero jogging prior to 12 weeks, start with slow short distances like I am doing when walking (100yds), to expect it to suck and swell until the six month point. After six the month point he said I can go into low mileage base building with longer distances, but to expect swelling and discomfort to continue out to 9 months.
One of my fears is that the cement bond will break and that I'll have to deal with revision due to tibial plateau movement. The doctor, and his team, have repeatedly reassured me that it just isn't going to happen and that they have never had it happen without some other type of causation, but that it certainly has happened at other practices due to mixing or time errors and improper application. He explained to me how the cement he uses works, how he uses it, and that he trusts it fully.
Over the last four months the doctor and I have discussed jogging thoroughly. I am proceeding cautiously and do not recommend jogging post tkr to anybody else. I have little doubt that it may be risky moreso due to falls and slips. There is also a large group of people that ran pre-op that do not return to it after. I may be one of those too. I just don't know yet, but I'm going to figure it out.
United Kingdom
Good on this!
We're so lucky to get a second chance.
