TKR New, young, and afraid

Shortstuff26

junior member
Joined
Feb 23, 2022
Messages
51
Age
39
Country
United States United States
Gender
Female
Hi, I’m new to this forum but SO thankful i came across it. I am a 37 year old female and was just recommended a TKR by a reputable knee surgeon here in OK, USA. Prior to 10 months ago I never even thought this could be a possibility for me as I was a healthy and active runner. I’ve been running for twenty years on pavement with NO signs of pain. Then after a hard run both my knees swelled up and i had intense pain. I was seen by an orthopedic doctor and was treated for 3rd degree MCL strains and 2nd degree quad strains bilaterally with physical therapy. Fast forward 9 months the pain in my knees was only getting worse and my knees were feeling unstable. I was referred to a knee surgeon who took X-rays of my knees and told me I needed knee replacements. I believe I am STILL in shock. He told me that “ I would know when I was ready” to have surgery and that we would start with cortisone injections in both knees. I am afraid of the unknowns after surgery and I feel like I’m too young to be in this predicament. Any young members that could share their thoughts and experiences is greatly appreciated.
 
Hi and Welcome to Bonesmart!

We have had members here with TKR in their 30s.

I would definitely get a second opinion, and maybe even a third, before moving ahead with this surgery, just to be sure, and to find a surgeon who you like and trust. Be sure you are seeing surgeons who only/mostly do hips and knees, as they will have good experience and that’s important.

Best wishes as you gather information. Stick with us here, you’ll alway get good advice and information from Bonesmart.

Here’s some pre op information for you:

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:
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:
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?

And if you want to picture what your life might be like with a replaced knee, take a look at the posts and threads from other BoneSmarties provided in this link:
Stories of amazing knee recoveries
 
Hi, @Shortstuff26 ..... welcome to the BoneSmart community. I'm glad you found us. Hopefully we'll be able to provide you with information that will help ease your fears about the diagnosis you have received. I think it's a shock for most people to hear they need new joints as most of us just don't think about something like that as a reason for pain.

Your surgeon is correct to give you some cortisone shots to try and settle the inflammation down. If it works (sometimes it doesn't), it should give you a little relief as you evaluate your options going forward. We see people here on the forum your age and even younger who need their knees replaced. Here are a couple of threads to start you off:

Young Total Knee Replacement - Athlete Recovery

Is walking on one crutch damaging?


It might be helpful for you to talk with a couple of other surgeons who are totally unconnected with your current doctor (different clinic and practicing hospital) to get confirmation of what you've been told and options for treatment. If you hear from everyone that your knees are bone on bone, then you should feel more confident that this is something you need to do so you can live the life you want to. It's pretty easy to see on an xray when your knee's cartilage is gone, so have the surgeons point that out to you. The fact that you're now experiencing some instability is also a pretty good indicator that your knees are not in good shape.

Knee replacement surgery is one of the most successful procedures performed these days. Of course you want an experienced surgeon who does hundreds of TKRs each year if at all possible. Knees can be a bit tricky to balance the ligaments properly, so experience counts. Be sure and ask how many each doctor does annually.

You can expect your replacement knees to last at least 20 years and it's possible it could be longer. Things change and improve quite rapidly in the orthopedic world and the newer joints that will probably have greater longevity are too new to have the historical data to say for sure how long they will last. It's even possible that they could function quite well for you for the rest of your life. No one knows at this point.

So do some reading here and post any specific questions or concerns you have. We'll be here for you!
 
Thank you both for your responses and information. The injections helped some as the pain was very intense prior to receiving them. I don’t have pain while walking just a feeling of something rubbing and I’ve started to wear a knee sleeve on both knees to help me feel more stable. I have pain More so at rest. I feel this constant burning sensation that isn’t alleviated by advil or Tylenol. Icing seems to be the only thing that temporarily gives me relief. My right knee stays swollen constantly and inhibits me from achieving full ROM. Making it hard to descend stairs. I have to do one leg at a time. I can no longer kneel without feeling discomfort. And i can’t squat as low as i once could due to the swelling in the right leg. Cold weather makes my knees worse! Getting a second opinion is a great idea thank you for bringing it up. I’m going to i initiate that process
 
If anything, a second opinion may just confirm what you already know. Please don't let anyone tell you that you are too young to have surgery. If it's needed, you are too young to wait. It's all about getting your quality of life back. And from what you posted, it sounds like the list of activities that are now limited due to your knees is growing.

Please keep us updated!
 
Hi @Shortstuff26 and welcome to Bonesmart!

The above advice is excellent. I thought I would chime in as I had my first TKR at age 42, not much older than you are. Mine was not due to any athletic prowess or injury but was winning the genetic lottery of having arthritic knees at a young age. My knees popped and creaked when I squatted even in my 20s. Weight was also a factor for me as I never really lost my "baby weight" and kept gaining over the years. My right knee wore out first and was bone on bone by the time I was 42.

My surgeon was not deterred by my age but said I needed to get it done so I could get my life back. My kids were 15 and 11 at the time. He was an older surgeon but one that had been highly recommended by folks I knew in the medical community, kept up on the latest techniques and had done thousands of replacements. He said with the newer technologies (and this was 2010) new knees were lasting 20-30 years. I had a pretty middle of the road recovery, maybe sped up a bit by the fact that I was younger. I just wanted to let you know that if you are having a ton of pain and can't do the things you used to be able to do, having your knee replaced at this age is not the end of the world and you will get your life back. It took 11 years for my left knee to finally wear out and I had it replaced last Aug. Being able to walk and live my life without knee pain is a dream!

Good luck as you navigate your journey. We are here for you if you have any questions or concerns.
 
@Susie-Q Thank you for responding. I hate that you had to get it done at 42 but I’m glad to know I’m not a unicorn! My friends and family think it’s impossible that i would need a replacement at my age and have not offered much support. I definitely agree that my quality of life is of most importance! Your first knee is still going strong? No issues?
 
@Shortstuff26 You might want to ask family members if they have ever had problems with their joints. In my case my hip problems were due to inheriting issues passed down in my family. Congenital issues aren't anything you can fight unfortunately.
 
I am and have always been bowed legged. So is my mother who also suffers from arthritis in her knees but didn’t develop it as young as me. No one else in my family (that i know of) has joint problems. I would be the first to ever have a joint replacement.
 
Hang out here with us, Bonesmart has a wealth of advice, information and support.
We will offer helpful suggestions, :idea:

Cheer your accomplishments :happydance:

And send hugs when you are feeling down. :console2:

Best wishes!
 
Thank you @Jockette :)
I work in the medical field and I hear a lot of people say they “would NEVER get a TKR” especially PT and it really scared me. I’ve been reading ALOT on this forum and I’m seeing that there is a lot of people of who come out of this surgery just fine. Not only fine but are able to get their life back! I’m so thankful that so many of you share your experiences. It’s so helpful. More than you probably realize
 
I’m sorry you know so many who say that. There are many more happy outcomes than poor ones.

I believe the choice of how to rehab may have a lot to do with those statements, especially if they know someone who has had a really hard time with aggressive PT. Just so you know, right up front, it is not necessary to do a painful rehab to get a good outcome.

We believe we should listen to the knee in recovery, and if an exercise causes pain, then we are not yet healed enough to do that particular exercise. Back off on it and try again at a later date, or skip that particular exercise. No pain=more gain.

When you are in recovery, you are not training for some athletic event, you are healing. Another of way of saying it is, you are not unfit needing training, you are surgically injured, needing healing. Unfortunately, too many PTs have us in training mode, which is counterproductive. Choose your PT carefully, and if you don’t like them, find one you like better. There are many good ones out there!
 
I agree with the bonesmart approach. @Jockette It makes sense that you would need to heal injured muscles. The PT where I went to rehab my injuries also follow a no pain policy. They believe pain isn’t necessary to rehab injuries. When I decide to do surgery I will go back to them. I have also decided that will NOT let the opinions of those who have NOT been down this road affect me! I can’t take directions from people who aren’t on same journey as me. Thank you all for the info. I will continue to follow the journey of others. And when it’s my time I know i can count on good people here at this forum
 
Your first knee is still going strong? No issues?
Yes, my first knee is still doing great, no issues at all. I figured by the time I might need a revision (if I ever do) things will be even further advanced than they are now.
I have also decided that will NOT let the opinions of those who have NOT been down this road affect me! I can’t take directions from people who aren’t on same journey as me.
That's a good decision. How can anyone who has not been through one possibly know what it's really like? Stick with us, good luck in your journey, we are here for you. :flwrysmile:
 
One thing to keep in mind about even the posts here on BoneSmart. We will see a heavier balance of people with post op pain or other issues than what the general population experiences. Around 800,000 knees are replaced each year in the USA alone. Most of the people who have the surgery do just fine in recovery and go back to their normal lives without even thinking about searching for forum like BoneSmart.

Of course, we always hope that people DO search for information and find us either before they have surgery or immediately afterwards so we can answer questions for them and offer the benefits of talking with people who are recovering right along with them. But always keep those numbers in the back of your mind. This is a very successful surgery for the vast majority of people.

You are very wise to just smile and go on your way when people who really know very little about knee replacements try to talk you out of surgery. You're going to be just fine.
 
Hi! I'm 35 and had two partial replacements in a last year. I think that knee replacements aren't just the domain of the older age anymore. Younger people want to live pain free life too!

That's said, I'd get a second opinion and maybe inquire if a partial replacement wouldn't be a better choice for you. My doctor at least told me that for people our age partial is usually more recommended. But of course I don't know your personal situation! Just know that you're not alone. :)

But don't make my mistake - I arrogantly thought that because I'm young ill recover fast. Well it wasn't exactly right haha. Everyone is different and recovers differently but I think the age doesn't matter in that case.
 
Actually, the recommendation for a partial knee replacement versus a full TKR don't have anything to do with age. It is based on how much arthritic damage is present in your knee.

If you see a surgeon who does partials, make sure that he or she also does the full knee replacements as well. Partials can work well when arthritis is only present in either the lateral or media compartments of the knee. Sometimes a surgeon can only truly evaluate the damage when inside your knee during surgery. If they find additional arthritis, you want one that could appropriately switch to a full TKR. But it never hurts to discuss partial replacements with any surgeons you see.
 
@Freya34 hi, thanks for responding! I’m so glad to know I’m not alone. Like @Jamie mentioned unfortunately I’m not a candidate for partial because i have arthritis in all compartments. The knee surgeon who i see does do partials and is also a reconstructive surgeon (revisions). I have started the referral process and will be getting a second opinion. I’m staying positive and staying active until I decide what to do next. Thank you all for your encouragement, information, and vulnerability when sharing your personal experiences!
 
I am and have always been bowed legged
So WAS I. I could stand heels together and get my fist between my knees. Horizontally, not vertically. Now straight.

BTKR in 2011, still perfect.

Here are the thoughts I eventually arrived at:

- if your knees rule your life , it's time
- take charge, don't be dictated to; it's your knee, your future
- don't believe in either horror stories or miraculous recoveries that happened to 'a friend of a friend'
- there is no such thing as too young or too heavy or even obese for TKR
- choose a specialist surgeon who does several hundred TKRs a year. Ask the nurses, if you can; they know who's best
- all replacement knees are very similar, don't believe that a special new one will give magical recovery -- it's the skill of the surgeon that counts
- if you need two done, think carefully about the time gap between surgeries, it's not a trivial decision
- try to plan for at least 12 weeks off work
- your recovery is your time to be selfish and idle; plan to embrace this, you'll need it
- don't think you can work hard (even if you're an athlete ) to speed recovery, healing works at its own pace
- look at our FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) thread and for full reference the Library index.

- finally, if there's any part of this that you aren't clear about, ask here; it's what BoneSmart's for.
 
Hi @Shortstuff26 thought you might be interested in some before and after photos. The scars are still a bit new and I'm told they will fade but I've decided to wear them proudly. I rarely wear dresses anymore anyway and anyone who thinks negatively of me because of them isn't worth associating with.
 

Attachments

  • 20210602_124713.jpg
    20210602_124713.jpg
    133.7 KB · Views: 97
  • 20220221_141700.jpg
    20220221_141700.jpg
    108.6 KB · Views: 106

BoneSmart #1 Best Blog

Staff online

  • Jamie
    Staff member since Feb, 2009

Members online

Forum statistics

Threads
65,179
Messages
1,597,054
BoneSmarties
39,363
Latest member
HikerWalker
Recent bookmarks
0
Back
Top Bottom