Knee Surgery Question
- Thread starter Drew
- Start date
Al Bonkers
Member
I had a bad injury to a knee 3 years ago when I was 73, had to have open surgery to repair everything that was torn. Didn't get a replacement but had to go through the same rehab as the replacement guys. Took months to recover, and it wasn't until 2 years after that I could actually hunt like before.
Best thing I did, once my PT was completed, was to get a treadmill, both for the walking and because they are a great place (when motor is off) to do knee-bends, because your arms are supported by the TM's arms, so if your knee gets weak you can catch yourself with your arms and immediately take all strain off the knee.
Now my knees are so strong I do 10 minutes of knee-bends 3 times a week. You gotta keep those leg muscles well developed or you're just asking for a bad injury while hunting.
Best thing I did, once my PT was completed, was to get a treadmill, both for the walking and because they are a great place (when motor is off) to do knee-bends, because your arms are supported by the TM's arms, so if your knee gets weak you can catch yourself with your arms and immediately take all strain off the knee.
Now my knees are so strong I do 10 minutes of knee-bends 3 times a week. You gotta keep those leg muscles well developed or you're just asking for a bad injury while hunting.
Have any of you tried Voltaren gel? It might work. Besides having the looming knee problem, the back has spinal stenosis and osteoarthritis in C7 and L4/L5 (broken tail bone from football). Now the occipital nerve in the left side of neck has decided to go bad. Besides a cocktail of Excedrin/Advil/Tylenol, a rub-on ointment of something called Arnica helps for awhile. Like many have said b4, growing old ain't for sissies. If this was the Old West, and I was a horse, the outcome would likely be pretty grim!
Are you on any anti-inflammatory medications like Diclofenac or Celecoxib they help me a lot. For 15 years I limp around on knees that were bone on bone. It cause me to have lower back issues because of the way I walked and have leg cramps every night. Last summer I when under the knife and got both knees replaced. It was the best decision I made. I was amazed that after 8 weeks almost pain-free and back to normal activities.
airmedic1
Well-known member
I have a couple of knee braces that have metal hinges on the side and are adjustable with Velcro. They help but are uncomfortable to wear. I saw an add for EXO sleeves and bought a pair of the 3mm ones. They seen to help me as much as anything and they are comfortable. The hinged one slide down and these sleeves don’t seem to migrate down like those others. I just ordered another pair while they are still on sale.
I’ve come to realize that I’m not going to be able to do those 7-10 mile days anymore until I get my knee replaced but I’m hoping I can still go 3-5 miles each day if I’m careful and go slow!
I’ve come to realize that I’m not going to be able to do those 7-10 mile days anymore until I get my knee replaced but I’m hoping I can still go 3-5 miles each day if I’m careful and go slow!
birddude
Well-known member
Speaking of knee replacement. I know more than one person who still struggle with pain and walking. Is there anyone on here with a replacement can attest?
airmedic1
Well-known member
I know a few folks who have had trouble including my golf league partner but his wife told me he didn't do rehab like he was supposed to. Two others are grossly obese which I'm not. I bet it's entirely possible to do your rehab and still have issues but I'd like to be able to ride my bike again and walk without pain. Maybe it's a golden carrot being dangled in front of my nose but the possibility of movement without pain is very appealing.
birddude
Well-known member
I think mental toughness has a lot to do with it. I ran into an older guy (mid to late 70's) and his son on a trail in the Nat. Forrest a couple years ago. He had both knees and one hip replaced. He had two hiking staffs, but he was moving along quite well. I remember thinking that a fellar would be mighty lucky to be that tough!
Mosby
Well-known member
A friend of mine had a knee replacement. Horrible pain after surgery. They figured out that the glue they used dissolved and they had to redo the entire replacement. The rods were moving in his leg. Evidently, that was not an uncommon issue with a specific brand of glue. Second is better than the first but he still has a lot of issues. I would have sued but he didn't.
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Mosby
Well-known member
I blew out my left knee in 1975. Had some bone chips cleaned out in 1995 but nothing since then. They took everything out back then, so I have bone on bone. I have bad knee days and bad knee weeks but I can go for long term periods without any knee pain. I went for a walk this morning on the beach and it was bothering me but it worked itself out. Braces caused more problems for me than benefit, so I stopped trying. If I overdue it on a hunt, it will swell and hold fluid but I live with it. I am sure I would qualify for a replacement but I just don't see the need at this point. No guarantee I won't have equal or worse issues and I can't think of the last time I couldn't sleep or go hunting because of knee pain...which are my criteria for a replacement.
Goosemaster
Well-known member
I know a guy who injured his knee skiing 30 some years ago, and has to wear a metal brace everyday.
The shot is cortisone- works well to start with but effectiveness is reduced with successive shots
Had both knees replaced- 10 yrs apart-worked well for me and was at 90% in 6 months
Most problems I know of are from not following doctors orders and also not following thru on the physical therapy
Some have a higher pain tolerance- mine is quite high after 50 years of marriage
I feel a lot of it is what shape you are in before the surgery. There is a lot different knee replacements some have the spike that drive in the lower leg and others that don't have the spike. Most of the surgery is done by robotics that cuts between the muscle and doesn't cut tendons. I choose a doctor that use one without the spike. I was able to walk out of hospital the day of surgery with a walker. The first three days are very painful and it's hard to get comfortable to sleep for about a month. After 6 days I was walking without the walker, 10 days riding a stationary bike. 3 weeks I was walking a mile or more everyday.
airmedic1
Well-known member
I hope you stay that way, I really hope you do! My knee pain came on gradually and I ignored it until one day I noticed it hurt all of the time and it didn't feel stable. I was hoping they could fix it orthoscopically but that's not an option for me, bone on bone requires a replacement.