Riding after a Knee Replacement
#51
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I was skiing last year and noticed a guy changing his pants in the men's locker room. He obviously had had a TKR. I asked him how it was going. He said he was skiing bumps today to "loosen up the scar tissue" because he was going on a 2 week ski vacation soon. That sounded pretty hopeful to me. I had a meniscus snip a few years ago and breaking up the scar tissue was by far the worst of it.
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#52
Senior Member
I was skiing last year and noticed a guy changing his pants in the men's locker room. He obviously had had a TKR. I asked him how it was going. He said he was skiing bumps today to "loosen up the scar tissue" because he was going on a 2 week ski vacation soon. That sounded pretty hopeful to me. I had a meniscus snip a few years ago and breaking up the scar tissue was by far the worst of it.
#53
Senior Member
Thread Starter
For me the first 6 weeks were the most difficult (painful) part of the rehab so far. My PT was telling me today once you get past breaking up the scar tissue it's not coming back especially if you keep stretching and riding the bike.
#54
Resident smartass.
I think my lucks just about run out and I'm looking at the prospect of needing a knee replacement. I've had a gamy knee for quite a few years but I've been able to manage it to the point where it hasn't affected my riding. In the past two weeks things have taken a big turn for the worst. I've tried everything I can think of to quiet it down including massage, working trigger points with a foam roller and manually. I've been taking anti-inflammatories and icing it without much improvement. In the past I've had prolotherapy and PRP injections.
I went to the Ortho on Friday and had x-rays and a CT scan. Based on the x rays, still waiting for the results of the CT scan, he seems to think the only real fix is with a knee replacement. He's calling me on Monday after he looks at the scan. I've already got a hip replacement and that doesn't limit my cycling at all but the hip is a much more stable joint than the knee.
Has anyone had or know someone who's had a knee replacement who's an avid cyclist and if so how has it affected your cycling? Thanks for reading this.
I went to the Ortho on Friday and had x-rays and a CT scan. Based on the x rays, still waiting for the results of the CT scan, he seems to think the only real fix is with a knee replacement. He's calling me on Monday after he looks at the scan. I've already got a hip replacement and that doesn't limit my cycling at all but the hip is a much more stable joint than the knee.
Has anyone had or know someone who's had a knee replacement who's an avid cyclist and if so how has it affected your cycling? Thanks for reading this.
Nice to know that everything went well for you.
#55
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Thread Starter
There are a number of threads here dealing with this. I tried to recount my experience in this thread so you could go through it for an overview. Even though I'm still not finished with my recovery and rehab I would be happy to answer any specific questions that you have. If I don't have the answer and sure someone else would be able to shine a light for you.
#56
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About 6 years ago I had bilateral unicomparmental knee replacements done. That was a piece of cake...was back on the trainer immediately, back on the road in about 30 days. Never really did any PT. But then about 3 years ago both knees got infected. Septic shock...the whole 9 yards. One operation to wash them out and get rid of the infection, and when that didn't work, both knees were explanted and replaced with temporary mobile spacers. Those were supposed to last maybe a year. No one really knows though...that's only been done a handful of times around the country. Eventually, one or both will fail and have to be replaced with real total knee prostheses.
That operation kept me down for about 3 months and it was a tough recovery. Now, I ride about 80 miles a week on my road bike and about 20 miles a week on our singletrack (IMBA Silver level).
Biking isn't just possible after major knee surgery...it's likely.
That operation kept me down for about 3 months and it was a tough recovery. Now, I ride about 80 miles a week on my road bike and about 20 miles a week on our singletrack (IMBA Silver level).
Biking isn't just possible after major knee surgery...it's likely.
#57
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Thread Starter
About 6 years ago I had bilateral unicomparmental knee replacements done. That was a piece of cake...was back on the trainer immediately, back on the road in about 30 days. Never really did any PT. But then about 3 years ago both knees got infected. Septic shock...the whole 9 yards. One operation to wash them out and get rid of the infection, and when that didn't work, both knees were explanted and replaced with temporary mobile spacers. Those were supposed to last maybe a year. No one really knows though...that's only been done a handful of times around the country. Eventually, one or both will fail and have to be replaced with real total knee prostheses.
That operation kept me down for about 3 months and it was a tough recovery. Now, I ride about 80 miles a week on my road bike and about 20 miles a week on our singletrack (IMBA Silver level).
Biking isn't just possible after major knee surgery...it's likely.
That operation kept me down for about 3 months and it was a tough recovery. Now, I ride about 80 miles a week on my road bike and about 20 miles a week on our singletrack (IMBA Silver level).
Biking isn't just possible after major knee surgery...it's likely.
As far as cycling goes I'm at nine weeks post TKR and have been riding on the trainer. I rode a bit over 8 hours last week for an equivalent of 132 trainer miles. Yesterday I did my first ride on Zwift since the surgery for 2 hours. Longest ride to date.
#58
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Any bacterial seeding into the bloodstream can do that, and it can happen from something as simple as brushing your teeth, causing some level of bacterial showers into the bloodstream. It usually doesn't, it's very rare, but it can happen. Something to discuss with your doctor. I would never let that possibility stop me from having the surgery, but you need to know about it as part of the informed consent process.
#59
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Any bacterial seeding into the bloodstream can do that, and it can happen from something as simple as brushing your teeth, causing some level of bacterial showers into the bloodstream. It usually doesn't, it's very rare, but it can happen. Something to discuss with your doctor. I would never let that possibility stop me from having the surgery, but you need to know about it as part of the informed consent process.
You still have the spacers in, and you can ride with those? Wow. You are one strong individual-it's worth mentioning though, that some people don't recover from an infection like that. Some lose their legs, a friend of mine ultimately died from it.
#60
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Yes. March 2015. Mobile spacers, not fixed spacers, meaning the liner is just glued on top of the tibia and the other component is glued to the femur. No stem or bony ingrowth. It's not a common way of doing it outside of the Mayo Clinic. My orthopedist was a Joint Fellow there. I suppose I could have died from sepsis but I got timely and aggressive treatment. The recovery was a long three months, and I lost a huge amount of quadriceps strength. Doing great now, quads still not up to par but biking certainly helps, especially the mountain biking. I can't climb like I used to, but I can climb and am not that far of the pace that the other 66 year-olds are setting. I do have a riding buddy that's 71. He's a machine on those climbs. On those rides, I just count myself lucky to be out on the trails at all.
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I've heard of using spacers in the case of infection, but had no idea that they could be mobile.
I'm 66 too, and 5 months out from TKR that did not go well, but you are an inspiration!
I'm 66 too, and 5 months out from TKR that did not go well, but you are an inspiration!
#62
Senior Member
Thread Starter
The time frame referred to was concerning a total knee replacement. That procedure does not involve casting the leg. I would think the procedure you had done was something else. Apples and oranges.
#63
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Scar tissue is scar tissue.
Adhesions are adhesions.
So yeah, it’s not apples and oranges as folks don’t only have a 2-3 month time frame to address scar tissue and adhesions after knee surgery. Whether the scar tissue is due to a knee replacement or due to a ACL/PCL/LCL/MCL + medial meniscus repair and reconstruction(my case).
Adhesions are adhesions.
So yeah, it’s not apples and oranges as folks don’t only have a 2-3 month time frame to address scar tissue and adhesions after knee surgery. Whether the scar tissue is due to a knee replacement or due to a ACL/PCL/LCL/MCL + medial meniscus repair and reconstruction(my case).
#64
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Thread Starter
Yes. Been there, done that with adhesions after my surgery - the aggressive part (one PT pulling up to open the knee capsule while another one pushes the heel to my butt to break adhesions).
All of which occurred after 2-3 months. Hence my initial reply about the inaccurate time frame.
All of which occurred after 2-3 months. Hence my initial reply about the inaccurate time frame.
#66
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#67
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I went to the doctor yesterday and found out I'm going to need a TKR. I'm 55 and my left knee is totally worn out and causing a lot of pain lately. he said when I can't bear it anymore we will talk about replacement. kind of nervous about it being so young.
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See if you're a candidate for a unicompartmental knee replacement. That's a piece of cake. Recovery will be fast, pain will be gone. If it fails, replacing it to a total knee is very straightforward. Be cautions about the credentials of your orthopedic surgeon.
#69
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I had my right knee replaced 12 weeks ago today at age 65. My recovery is going well. Extension is pretty much normal and flexion is up to 130 deg. Still going to PT, starting next week going to once a week. I'm riding the bike 6 days a week. Still on the trainer riding on Zwift and was up to over 9 hours last week or 171 trainer miles. Still need to strengthen the quad but it's coming, up to 120 lbs with the repaired leg on the leg press machine. Baring any setbacks I should be in good shape by spring (fingers crossed)
If you can live with it hold off on the surgery but when it takes over your life it's time to go under the knife. As was pointed out choose your surgeon carefully and treat your rehab like it's your job and you should be fine. One other thing you could try to buy some time are Synivic injections. They didn't really help me but I know people who swear by them. Best of luck.
#70
Procrastinateur supreme
Good to hear that you're on schedule and are killing the PT. Leg press is impressive after only 12 weeks, I think. I'm up soon for a knee after much shilly-shallying. 68 yo me is telling myself "if you don't do it now, you're just not..."
#71
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Thread Starter
Sounds as if your living up to your tag line. The last thing I wanted was another surgery after dealing with another one a year and a half ago to correct a mal-union of a pelvic fracture which also necessitated a revision of my hip replacement. That was ten miles of bad road to say the least. It just got to the point where I couldn't put it off any longer. It's good to be on the other side of that mess.
#72
Procrastinateur supreme
I'm with you there! I had three foot operations on my right foot, and a left Achilles rupture which took 11 weeks on my back before healing. So I'm a bit shy about surgery, to say the least! But it sounds as if you're through the tunnel and ready for the slow incline up to normalcy again.
#73
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I had mine at age 46.
#74
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#75
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