How can i delay TKR for simply 4 months?

Hello all...im looking for any suggestions regarding my left knee.

I am a 50 yr old teaching tennis pro. Five months ago (Dec 2014) i had major rotator cuff surgery on my right (dominant) shoulder. All went well and I was told I'd be back to work in 4-6 months. My plan was to do the surgery in winter and id be ready to go for the BUSY summer season.

My problem is... all of a sudden, for no reason whatsoever. my left leg, from the hip down to the knee has apparently flared up with the most painful arthritis. I can barely walk, let alone think about returning to work.

- alittle history on my left leg...I've had 3 surgeries on my left knee ending with a total ACL replacement about 20 years ago. I KNOW i am bone on bone on my knee but it has never prevented me from working, running, playing/teaching tennis nor any other physical activity. Every 9-12 months however the knee does fill with fluid and my range of motion becomes hampered. But I simply go get my knee aspirated followed by a cortisone shot and I'm ' good to go' for another 10 months. (all the while i am aware that the day will come that a TKR will be inevitable)

The conundrum is I've been resting the past 5 months. I have placed no pressure on my leg the whole while I've been rehabbing my shoulder and there's no fluid build up whatsoever...yet the pain is excruciating!

So as usual i went to the doctor and while no aspiration was needed i had my usual cortisone shot (Kenalog) injected in my knee and also the hip which X-rays showed some minor new arthritis.

Results-absolutely NO relief! My reliable cortisone shot which has been serving me grandly for years had no effect whatsoever.

I then insisted a few weeks later that a different brand of cortisone (depa-medrol) be used thinking my body has become immune to the Kenalog- NO RESULTS!

Desperate i then had a series of "some new lubricant" injected in the knee one injection a week for 3 weeks- NO RESULTS!

Ok..ok i get it the inevitable has come. It's now time for a Total Knee Replacement (TKR) But it's just not reasonable, i can't wrap my head around the fact that while rresting my shoulder...putting no trauma on my leg whatsoever, my left leg, hip/knee is in soo much pain...let alone the idea of having one major surgery immediately after another...ITS JUST TOO MUCH!

Im desperate. I'm looking for answers WHY this is happening...could there be a simple answer im overlooking? Additionally does anyone have any suggestions as to what i can do to get back on the tennis courts just 1 LAST SUMMER, then i shall acquiesce and do the TKR.

Please PLEASE...someone help! 😟

Sincere thanks,

TENNIS IN CHICAGO 🎾

David

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