Needing a new knee cap

A new knee cap only? Interesting. When I was 41 I had an MRI done and the doctor said my left knee was in need of a replacement and my right knee wasn't far behind (result of running on a steel deck when I was in the Navy and not changing out my running shoes every 6 months). I thought I was too young and did the math...if it last 15 years and I can go through the prodedure twice, I didn't want to do it too soon and be left in a wheelchair when I still wanting to explore the world. I suffered, and I do mean suffered for 9 years, until I couldn't walk normal and had a horrible limp that was causing sever hip and back pain. I had both knees totally replaced in the same surgery - might as well feel miserable all at once and not spread it out Besides, not sure the other bad knee could survive all that would be forced upon it. 1.5 years later I'm kicking myself for waiting so long. While they aren't perfect like the knees I was born with, they are so much better than what I'd been forcing myself to live with. But it's been work. And now I have found out that my knee cap in one knee is bad - that's not something that is normally replaced at the same time as the knee (though in my opinion, if you are going to call it a total knee replacement, that should include the cap). I say go fo it.

I managed to put of my bilat knee replacements for 5 years with cycling, swimming, glucosamine, chondroitin and msm. There's a reason why the docs say you need a tkr. Much good luck to you.

You are young enough you should bounce back in a hurry. Different studies offer different results as far a the life of the prosthesis. I've know people who got 20 yrs out of there's.so 15 to 20 years you may have to have a revision but who knows with technology what will happen. You need your life back without pain because living in pain isn't a real life. Start working on quad strength as soon as possible. Go to you tube and pit building your quads and it will tell you and show you The latest and best method. Good lunch. Stay with this forum for all sorts of solutions to any and all issues concerning recovery