Too young for knee replacement?

[Josephine]

There was quite a big piece on our newscast yesterday about the 'toe-heel' running being safer and more natural than the traditional heel-toe. Some sports researchers had professional runners running that way and they all declared that they were more comfortable, got less tired and stressed with this technique. Machines also measured less stress and impact in the knee joint as the impacts were being direct out and backwards into the gastrocnemius (calf muscle) and hamstrings, allowing them to act like a spring as nature had intended they should. Interesting stuff.

 

[shr]

Romanov's pose running technique is a variety of heal-toe that has allowed elite runners to resume competition when facing retirement from injuries.

 

[Josephine]

Thank you for that link, shr. This is the main study. Very interesting.

 

[Jamie]

Great link, shr....I enjoyed actually seeing how this works in the videos.

 

[editor98]

Hi Angela,
Just read through your thread, and it sounds like you are in the hands of a surgeon who realizes that it is you who gets to make this decision. That is great! I did that series of shots this time last year and they did help me for about 3 months. After that I got about another 6 months out of therapeutic dose ibuprofen before that kind of lost its effect as well. LTKR in 6 days for me. I've had about a month between scheduling and the surgery--and I have doubted and second-guessed myself the entire time! I've pretty much quit the second-guessing--now I'm getting nervous! :biggrin: Doubts are the norm when deciding on elective surgery. Sometimes it doesn't really make it easier to know you are normal!
Good luck,
Niki

 

[Racewalker45]

Thank you Niki,

I really appreciate that. The more I look forward to no pain, the less I doubt my decision. I am ready!

Angela

 

[Josephine]

Please note that this post is to all readers and not aimed at either you, Angela, or Niki - just a generic warning to all readers ......

you are in the hands of a surgeon who realizes that it is you who gets to make this decision

While essentially true, don't forget that generally when surgeons adopt this view it is because it's outside their comfort zone, probably because they have had previous experience of, read about or heard from colleagues about cases that tells them that this attitude of caution is the most appropriate for both him and his patient. In other words, they're not adopting this stance just to be perverse but because they truly think this is correct. And it probably is - for them.

So a word of advice to all readers is that if you have to persuade, beg, urge, plead, cajole or otherwise talk him into doing it anyway, you are likely setting both of you up for problems. I've known many, many occasions when an otherwise excellent surgeon has started a surgery, dolefully admitting he was swayed by the patient's pleading and finally gave in. Those cases almost always had problems, some minor, some major (I am thinking of at least three significant cases here) but problems none-the-less!

So my strong advice is this: yes, of course you get to make this decision but not with a chap who's reluctant to do it in the first place! :wink1:

 

[binkie]

Angela, best of luck to you! When I think back how I've put off surgery, I realize I've wasted two years in which I could have been enjoying all the things I've given up.

Great point, Jo!

 

[editor98]

Very good point! I would not want to be in the hands of surgeon who didn't really think surgery was my best option but was going ahead with it anyway. The decision is hard enough when your surgeon (or two) does think it's the best option. There's always that nagging "should I wait" question.

 

[Racewalker45]

I concur! Great Advice!

 

[kneeper]

Yes, my doc laid out the knee situation and made a recommendation but didn't try to "talk me into" anything. I was very pleased to get the TKR recommendation. They were honest that their would be a potential for revision but probably the knee would last 30 years. Like you, racewalker, I figured who knows where I'll be or if I'll be around in 30 years. I wanted to be able to walk now.

 

[Racewalker45]

Hello,

I have had a bit of time to read posts and reflex on my last visit with the OS, and decided to get one more opinion. While I was pleased that this last OS did not tell me that I was too young for TKR, my gut tells me that he was not completely comfortable with doing this surgery, even though he agreed to do it when I was ready. With that said, I will be seeing one more OS (hopefully my last), to take a look at me and give me one more opinion. The way I see it, it can't hurt to get as much information as possible. I will make sure I ask all the questions outlined on this forum (very helpful). While I am at it, I will have him look at my hips too. I have had intermittent hip pain over the last 5 years that was attributed to my knees, but I am not so sure anymore. I also have bone spurs on my hip sockets, so something is going on there.

I have had two sets of Synvisc/Hyalgan shots and one round of cortisone shots in both knees with very little relief. I currently work with a personal trainer and we have been doing total body strengthening (with knee friendly exercises), so I am actually pretty strong. I feel like I have run out of options.

Angela

 

[Josephine]

That's the way to do it - one step at a time. In the end you will get the info you require to make your decision.

 

[Racewalker45]

I cannot express how helpful this forum has been for me.

 

[sheryl7]

Hi Angela, I wish you well on finding the right os who is comfortable in doing tkr.
take care..

 

[River]

Hello Angela, I see you are well on your way to making your decision, but one thing about being relatively young in having a TKR, that I haven't seen mentioned here, is that if you are in reasonably good health as well as being young, in my experience that could translate into recovering fairly quickly.

I had both knees replaced this year (separately: one in April, the other in Sept) and while I wouldn't call it a breeze, quite, and have hit a few blips, basically I am doing really well and everyone is pleased with me. And I am pleased with me! I can't be sure and I know some older people have just as good experiences (and some younger ones do confront problems) but I think in my case being reasonably young and healthy must have helped.

I hope things turn out just as well for you.

All the best

River

 

[Jazyb]

Hi Angela, Another good point my OS made to me about being on the younger side - the bones will be easier to work with as they will not be so deformed and not too past their sell by date. It's my knowledge that arthritis will have taken away a good deal of the bone. Also, other parts of your body will be deteriorating due to bad alignment from your knees. I know my left foot is looking odd as my leg is bowing slightly.

For me I'd reached a point of realising my whole body was suffering one way or another due to my knee. Take your time to think and you will come to the right decision for you. Good luck

 

[Josephine]

Just to 'put you in the picture' here are some xrays of knees damaged with arthritis

Now compare them to a normal knee and you will be able to compare the deformities. The less deformities there are, the easier the surgery can be performed and the better recovery you will have.

 

[Racewalker45]

Just an update: I saw a new OS today, in a practice that treats two of our professional sports teams here in Georgia. He looked at my films and acknowledged that I have arthritis (worse under the knee cap), but also noted that I have a "lesion" on my distal femur. He felt that I could have meniscus tears in both knees (I have medial pain in both knees), and ordered an MRI to rule it out the tears and assess this lesion on my femur. Overall, it was a good visit. The other good thing is that my hips are in good shape. I am very glad I went to get another opinion and am prepared for whatever these MRIs show. Let's hope my insurance cooperates.

 

[sheryl7]

Good luck to you, hope the insurance cooperates with you