Carbonfiberboy 

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.

McBTC

You've got the first 2 months after surgery to accomplish that (maybe... some in the 3rd month).

TCR Rider

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.

Fargo Wolf

I'm facing the same inevitable prospect of having to have my right knee replaced at some point, so would love to have all the info possible as to recovery and therapy to get me back on my bike.

Nice to know that everything went well for you.

TCR Rider

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.

Cuyuna

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.

TCR Rider

It's good to hear that you were able to return cycling at a nice level the other issues, however, sound like quite an ordeal. Do you have any idea how they got infected. Like I've said before in this thread at this point that's my biggest fear.
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.

Cuyuna

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.

Sam9

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.

Cuyuna

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.

Sam9

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!

TCR Rider

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.

TCR Rider

Well that may be true but I assure you if the scar isn't addressed from almost day one, once the swelling starts to subside, you're in for a long painful ordeal. In some cases it requires an additional procedure to aggressively break up the scar tissue and adhesions while the patient is under sedation. Good luck with that.

TCR Rider

Sounds as if you're proving my point. It can be done later but it's a beotch. Every recovery is different and if your's turned out well it's all good.

Cuyuna

If I was going to have a manipulation for scarring/adhesions, it would be in the OR under anesthesia and by my orthopedic surgeon.

TCR Rider

This

rob214

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.

Cuyuna

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.

TCR Rider

I understand your concern about your age. My wife had the same concerns but it got to the point where she really had no choice since the pain and lack of mobility was really impacting her (our) quality of life. She had bi-lateral total knee replacements ten years ago when she was 55. So far so good. No sign of the implants giving out and hopefully they'll stay that way for years to come.

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.

CrankyFranky

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..."

TCR Rider

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.

CrankyFranky

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.

ZmanKC

I had mine at age 46.

TCR Rider

Oh yea how could I forget I also had achillies surgery back in '11. Rehab is my middle name.

zjrog

My left was at 47, I'm 54 and my right one is going... No fear of it, but it isn't that bad yet either.