Too young for TKR?

Hi Yolande,

?I'm in Cornwall, UK and at the opposite end of the age spectrum. Now 73 and had partial knee replacement at 71. I tore my right knee cartilage in 2000 - age 56, (the result of a stumble when out walking along a river bank) following a sporting injury many years earlier. In fact when the surgeon went in (keyhole surgery) he found the onset of osteoarthritis and so a major clean up was needed.

?No more problems until 2013, then began the onset of serious pain in right knee. Xrays showed extensive osteoarthritis in right knee, medial compartment where the knee had moved out of geometric alignment and was moving, bone on bone (medial compartment is basically the right knee, inside edge of the tibia). Over the years from 2000 to 2007 this caused other problems associated with the lower back and the right sacroiliac (Si) joint. Eventually, in July 2015 I saw a knee surgeon who advised either or partial knee replacement is needed. He discussed the pros and cons of both and left the choice to me. I elected for a partial. He agreed with the PROVISO that if when he opened it up he found the knee more seriously damaged by osteoarthritis than showed on the xray in which case he'd go straight in a do a full knee replacement.

?Luckily  - the damage was only confined to the medial compartment of the tibia as I've described. 

?On 6 Nov 2015 I was operated as an NHS patient in a private hospital, I was in hospital for 3 days. Hospital policy was to achieve a 90 degree bend before they'd discharge me.

?However prior to surgery, some 8 weeks prior I consulted  a sports injury massage therapist to concentrated to building up the strength of my lower and upper leg muscles...... so as to give the surgeon the best quality knee and leg to then go and butcher.

?I was home on day 3 post op, 10 days later dressing was off and the incision free from infection, 2 days later still given the all clear by hospital. 8 weeks I was off crutches and driving my car and at 11 weeks I was back at work bus driving. no problems since.

?One thing I would say is that after your dressing is off and you are pronounced clear of infection I got my massage therapist to work for about 6 weeks strengthening my leg and massaging all along the incision line - the objective being to prevent scar tissue forming within the knee itself.  If it does form then it will become very difficult to do your PT exercises during the post op period.

Now, 2 years post op I'm fine and still driving buses, still passing my DVLA medical each year AND - the big bonus - little or no lower back and Si joint pain. The surgeon was able to realign all the skeletal geometry when he did the partial.

?Now, if osteoarthritis occurs again in future I could still have a TKR.

?Surgeon estimates that the spare part he put into the medial compartment will last some 15 years, plus.

?Hope this helps - may the force be with you.

John

 

I'm 48 and 12 weeks post LTKR. I damaged the meniscus cartilage in my knee at the age of 23 by the Time I reached 32 I had mild to moderate arthritis which shocked me because I thought I was going to get it when I'm old. By my mid 30s I had my last arthroscopy to be told that I needed a knee replacement but because of my age they didn't want to do it. I managed it for a further 13 years but this last year has been too painful so I bit the bullet and had it done. Now I have to warn you the younger people seem to have a more difficult time with pain and recovery especially with flexion so please take that into consideration. My surgeon gave me 6 weeks to think about if I wanted the op but I said I was scared Incase something went wrong but he assured me that if I did everything they told me to do I would be fine. He said if you look after your knee it can last 20 plus years and then they can do a revision after that and medical technology is improving all the time do we will all be cyborgs later on in life, half man half machine although Chico Marx on here is nearly there already 😂 Good luck

Hi Yolande

im 42 and had a TKR 6 weeks ago. I had juvenile arthritis and needed a new knee by time I was 30 but kept getting told I was too young.  Snoozy is right in saying that recovery appears to be harder for younger patients. I'm still really struggling with flexion. I know it will get better eventually and I couldn't carry on like i was. Good luck 

 

Hi I am 52, now 9 month post op.

So very grateful for my TKR which has given me my life back.

If you experience disability and daily pain which restricts your life to the point you cannot bear it, a knee replacement is a wonderful thing. Not easy, but a lot easier than not being able to have anything done.

You need to want it...it can take some months to get your head around things.

Are you in UK?

You may like to go to my profile by clicking on the image next to my name. I kept a journal of my own knee replacement journey, and I have been told by several people they found it helpful to read, or skim through. It has a lot of useful suggestions and information. Hopefully it might be useful to you.

Thank you all for your support. I am using crutches at the moment and had a very active lifestyle. Its so frustrating at the moment not been able to do things. The hardest part is my love for horses ridden all my life. I have a warmblood (horse) whom is not doing anything at the moment.