Sports and TKR

[jarabas]

Reading this thread with great interest, as I am also in love with outdoor sports. I hope to be able to return to skiing, hiking, scuba diving, cycling, and racing sailboats. My surgeon thinks skiing on broad groomed slopes will be fine, but no moguls. Same idea with hiking-- flatter hikes should be fine, no rock climbing. He's not as familiar with diving, or sailboats. Anyone have any insights?

 

[newlybionic]

Just another thought to add here. I was told at age 50 I would need a TKR but the doctor who was taking care of me said he wouldn't do it until I was 60. I originally hurt that knee when I was only 18. In that period of time especially those last ten years wore down my other knee and it now has arthritis and torn meniscus. So keep in mind what you might be doing to your good knee. That has to also be part of the equation.

 

[referee54]

Kelly @skigirl is quite a skier and is also an instructor---she can report best to you about moguls and such. I have read of many folks who have returned to hiking, but I am not sure how much rock climbing that they are doing.

I do not believe that scuba diving should be a problem once you get the muscles around your new knee strengthened---strength and stamina are two of the last aspects to return. I do not see why sailing would be a problem, either, but there may be some concessions or alterations to your sailing that you may have to make due to the new knee.

 

[trailspud]

I hike, walk fast, cycle, do gym work (mostly cardio), and started running once per week last summer (3-5 miles). I haven't played ball sports, but I'm sure I could play some lazy half-court basketball or tennis if I wanted to.

I happened across the following web page in my search to see anything new on the subject. Dr. Stone has been trying out the frontiers for decades so he is far from conservative, but I've heard his philosophy elsewhere:

https://www.stoneclinic.com/blog/total-knee-replacement-athletes

 

[jarabas]

Trailspud--thank you for the encouragement.
Referee, I appreciate your feedback as well.
I'm a sailing instructor. I need to be able to move around a daysailer with a bit of agility --hop up on the foredeck and down into the cockpit, push up from the low side to the high side with my legs. However, we have an adaptive sailing program at our school, and have worked out ways for paraplegic sailors to get on the water. I think as long as I can walk up and down stairs and have reasonable balance, I'll be okay.
With diving, I have two concerns--carrying heavy gear into and out of the water, and swimming underwater with the added weight of my gear. I found this advice on the DAN site:
broken link removed: https://www.diversalertnetwork.org/medical/faq/Diving_After_Joint_Replacement_

 

[referee54]

think as long as I can walk up and down stairs and have reasonable balance, I'll be okay.

Stairs and steps and balance will not be a problem at all.

With diving, I have two concerns--carrying heavy gear into and out of the water, and swimming underwater with the added weight of my gear.

I cannot write of diving, but I do work at a farm and lift and hoist quite a few heavy crates during the course of the day.

I also heat my home with a woodburning stove, so I am felling trees and cutting them up. Some of the logs that I have to split can be quite heavy.

 

[MartialKnees]

I'll find out soon enough. I'm very active as well and asked my surgeon about return to martial arts after my scheduled BTKR. He said..... "You will find you may have certain restrictions on what you do". I told him I have no intention of sparring / fighting because... well.... I don't now. After a full year recovery I'll slowly work back into it. Focus on my forms (katas) and hand techniques. Kicking in a CONTROLLED manner without power. I'll save the power in case I need it on the street. Skip the bag work with my legs.

I understand running is not a good idea because of the repetitive forces placed in the knee. Jumping in excess is also not good. I'll eliminate the jumping kicks.

IMO no need to stop doing what you love but you must modify to preserve the life of your new knee(s).

 

[skigirl]

Thanks @trailspud for a thought provoking article. Here is my take on things---I do everything I used to do when my knees were bad---most of the time, I am better at it too. But, I spend time in the gym working on muscles and balance. I am in pre ski conditioning right now and it is grueling. You cannot expect to ski or hike or cycle if you are unfit---you will have to build up your fitness first.

I had a dexa scan recently and my bones are 175% of a normal 71 year old woman. You have to use your muscles. And, do not kid yourself, you have to first allow your knee to heal---for the first month and then, slowly begin to regain your fitness. If you try to rush things you will end up with tendonitits or some other form of pain. Work on things slowly, this is a long recovery, even for us who are athletes.

I skied almost 100 days last year---I ski moguls on powder days but don't do much bumping on icy days. I ski mostly blacks--and mostly off piste . I often ski a half day since I am an artist and have lots of work to do in my studio too. I frequently cross country ski with friends in the evening---we ski and then drink wine, so I am not sure it is truly a fitness thing!!!

 

[MartialKnees]

Thanks @trailspud for a thought provoking article. Here is my take on things---I do everything I used to do when my knees were bad---most of the time, I am better at it too. But, I spend time in the gym working on muscles and balance. I am in pre ski conditioning right now and it is grueling. You cannot expect to ski or hike or cycle if you are unfit---you will have to build up your fitness first.

I had a dexa scan recently and my bones are 175% of a normal 71 year old woman. You have to use your muscles. And, do not kid yourself, you have to first allow your knee to heal---for the first month and then, slowly begin to regain your fitness. If you try to rush things you will end up with tendonitits or some other form of pain. Work on things slowly, this is a long recovery, even for us who are athletes.

I skied almost 100 days last year---I ski moguls on powder days but don't do much bumping on icy days. I ski mostly blacks--and mostly off piste . I often ski a half day since I am an artist and have lots of work to do in my studio too. I frequently cross country ski with friends in the evening---we ski and then drink wine, so I am not sure it is truly a fitness thing!!!

You are my new hero! Skiing 100 times a year after replacements and I'm worried about some kata's with light kicking??? LOL Awesome.

 

[skigirl]

I am glad that you feel relieved. I will caution you again though, recovery does not take one month or even two---I started to feel more like myself in month three, but there are many---including athletes who would say month six!!!

So, slow and easy at the beginning. I did use a pt---but one that was always gentle. I never took pain meds for pt as I think that is an easy way to hurt yourself and not even know it. I did almost nothing but massage and stretching for the first month. Then gentle exercises. At month three I began to step it up quite a bit---but, even I, who was physically fit prior to surgery===my surgery was on the last day of ski season, could not rush my recovery.

We have had martial arts folks who want to jump right back in---and it is too easy to sprain something or have tendonitis. Take it slow and easy and you will be back before you know it.

 

[MartialKnees]

Absolutely. I've already discussed this with my master. Based on what I read it can be nearly a year before healing and strengthening is 100%. I will not return until then. It took me 7 years to reach my black belt test...and it is next Tuesday knee pain and all. Waiting a year will not be that bad in the grand scheme.... Martial arts is a lifelong journey. I'm in no hurry. I'll do it right. Thanks for the advice!

 

[jarabas]

Thanks Skigirl.
I also appreciate hearing your story. Do you find that your balance or ability to crouch or unweight is different in any way? Just curious. Any tele in your history--it was my fav until my knees started giving way a couple seasons ago?