Knee replacement

[Charlie123123]

Hi i am 55 years old and have just joined here. I have arthritis in both knees and have been told you have the total new knee on both. Has anyone had this done at my age and was it a success? Thank you any help will be great

[Hidden]

Hi,

Only had right knee done. I was 71 at the time with an additional health problem - a heart arrythmia and on Warfarin too. Sailed through no problems. Best thing I ever did .... so nice to be pain free. Must do exercises post op though .... absolutely not negotiable !! Get used to the thought. In addition, once my dressings had been removed and was given the all clear from any possible infection I got my massage therapist to massage the incision line and surrounding area weekly for some time afterwards - the key here is that it keeps the wound clear from scar tissue from forming. I was 8 weeks to drive my manual car again and 11 weeks to return to work bus driving.

John

[Charlie123123 in reply to Hidden]

Thank you most helpful.

[Madlegs1]

My wife got both knees done. 5 months apart. One done by humans, second was robotic. Second one looking a lot better.😁🦵🦿

Not allowed mention her age but it's between 70 and 75,

Exercises based on plenty of painkillers absolutely essential!

[Charlie123123 in reply to Madlegs1]

Thank you, for your advice

[piglette]

My knees are a bit rough. I have tried Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections recently and amazingly enough they seem to work. The GP said that they are supposed to put knee ops off for around eight years. I am not sure how true that is though. The downside is they are expensive, but I am a born cynic so it says something about them!

[tunagirl]

Good morning Charlie. I had a left total knee replacement at the age of 53, that was 11 years ago. It has changed my life. The pain before was horrendous, knee was swollen up like a balloon, due the joint ends rubbing together. All I would say is, work hard after with your exercises, the effort is really worth itGood luck

Carole

[Charlie123123 in reply to tunagirl]

Thank you for that just what i needed to hear. I will feel more positive about op. Thx

[Trinity7]

My husband has had two but only partials. He was refused total due to his age which is 60. It has slightly improved although with second bone complications so he still sadly gets pain.

[Murphysmummy]

i had both knees done by the time i was 55 best thing i ever did.recovery is a bit slow you cant push it but the rest of it was a breeze

[Charlie123123 in reply to Murphysmummy]

Thank you for that - its reasuring.

[Susanhalstead]

I am 76 and have both knees and a shoulder replacement over the last 3 years. All of these procedures have been a resounding success and have made my life worth living again. Be prepared for at least 6 weeks of pain (controlled by pain killers) and stiffness. The results are well worth it.

[Blackknight1989]

Put the surgery off as long as you can stand to… 2004 on my left and 2014 on the right with 2 hips TkA in between. 19 surgery’s in 12 years. ‘99-‘14

[Charlie123123 in reply to Blackknight1989]

Oh blimey that sounds awful,Hope ok now.

[ChrissiG]

Had my left knee replaced 4 years ago. Not a great success I’m afraid. The arthritis pain in the joint has been replaced by nerve pain - around the joint itself down my shin and even in my thigh. Possibly caused by the epidural but of course no one will take responsibility for it. I am in far more pain now than before surgery and it hurts to walk so no improvement there. I would say leave it as long as you can - I was 66. Many people have a good outcome but about 10% don’t and you’ve no way of knowing which group you will be in. If I had my time again I would have more physio - especially hydrotherapy - and make a big effort to lose weight. Those things alone help tremendously with knee pain.

My surgeon asked when was I coming in to have my other knee done - also bone on bone- and I said never! Sorry 😔

[Charlie123123 in reply to ChrissiG]

Oh dear that does not sound good awful to still be in pain after you had the op.

[HeronNS]

I was sure I'd written a post describing my rather lengthy knee saga but can't find any such thing. It must be hidden in replies somewhere. So, in as small a nutshell as I can manage, starting at the beginning in 2014. (Btw I just turned 75 this May.) I had an ice-related injury, a tibial plateau fracture of left leg. At that time told I had the beginnings of arthritis in both knees, and the fracture would make the left knee likely to develop worse OA. Flash forward to 2020 shortly after pandemic began, twisted right leg when running down a slope to catch a green light, and from then on that knee gave me pain, getting worse. A few weeks later had a virtual visit with my physiotherapist. Got exercises, they seemed to help even after doing only once or twice. But the very next day had a stupid accident where I tripped over something and slammed my left knee down on the floor as hard as it would go. This is now the height of pandemic lockdown, so I spent about 11 hours before finally released from emergency having, after lengthy wait, had an x-ray and seen an orthopod who set up an appointment for me to see him a few days later, and sent home with leg in what they called a splint. Nothing broken, but it meant the previously injured knee was now being overused as I couldn't put weight on the newly injured one for about a week.

Next I gradually got better, the smashed knee faster, but all along treating this like OA only, although I kept telling the doctors (and the physio) I had injured myself. I would overdo it when I felt better and things got worse and worse with major swelling of the twist-injured knee. Icing, elevation, etc, helped, but not much. I started putting out feelers for suggestions for what I might do and actually asked for an appointment to discuss possibility of knee replacement. Told not ready, but also told I could contact orthopod directly when I was, no need for another referral.

Then things turned around. I learned how to treat my knee conservatively, got a cheap elastic brace to stabilise knee, and started using non-medicated lubricant, Flexiseq. I was also more sensible about exercise and much more gradual increasing exercise as I regained muscle strength. It took about a year but I can now walk normally again, the entire injury/recovery saga took well into 2021 to complete!

A bit more OA background. Diagnosed with OA when I was 40 but probably had it in my neck earlier. I have avoided taking nsaids for arthritis since learning very early on that they interfere with cartilage renewal. I take glucosamine every day (2x1000 mg in a capsule not a hard tablet, and with a meal). I have physio exercises for nearly every body part, usually because of OA issues, and am quite good about doing them daily.

I should add that I'm told from my x-rays that the knee OA is quite serious, (and yes, worse in knee previously fractured although it was the other one that gave me so much trouble in 2020) and involves all compartments, so when I was looking for a brace initially I was not able to get an offloading brace. I forgot to mention that I bought a kind of walking pole, called activator, they are used somewhat differently from Nordic poles, which I could use to offload weight from my injured knee and get out for walks. Also I got a good sturdy pedal exerciser and still use that from time to time.

Although my GP told me my knee would never get better, in fact it has, and I hope to continue deferring the need for surgery, perhaps forever.

So don't give up hope.

[HeronNS in reply to HeronNS]

I think this must have been the most detailed description, written in the moment, not more that a year after the fact, and it is in a reply in this thread, about 2/3 the way down.

healthunlocked.com/pmrgcauk...

[Charlie123123 in reply to HeronNS]

Thank you for that information and it seems a positive approach helps you.

[HeronNS in reply to Charlie123123]

Actually, right after I wrote that reply, the very next morning, when I got out of bed I got the most awful sharp pain in my left knee and was basically incapacitated for most of the day. It hurt even when I was at rest. Then I remembered something my physiotherapist had told me to do some time ago, but I didn't really carry on with, which is to attempt to mobilise the kneecap. It should move fairly easily, although mine do not, and I found the whole idea a bit gruesome at first. However, almost as soon as I did this, the sharp pain eased, and over the next little while, an hour or two, it all went away and I've been fine since. No idea what happened, but glad it was easily sorted. I've just completed a brisk 8000 step walk with no discomfort whatsoever!

[garden22]

Charlie 8f your in UK they won't give you new knees till your older like 70 my self have bad knees been told too young so I'm left to suffer good luck

[Finneh in reply to garden22]

Not always the case, my husband has had double knee replacement and double hip replacements and he was in his 30s when they were done

[Viksstar28]

Hi Charlie,I had my knee replacement in 2020 aged42. I was on crutches for around 18 months. Its the best thing i ever did. I have rheumatoid and osteoarthritis and on a number of drugs including methotrexate.

[Charlie123123 in reply to Viksstar28]

Glad all well now for you and thank you too

[Charlie123123 in reply to Viksstar28]

Ohhh abd thank you

[Mikmax]

Hi Charlie123123

I had a half left knee replacement done in 2019 and it was the best thing I had ever done! As others have mentioned you MUST persevere with the exercises post surgery. I was warned in the hospital that most of the unsuccessful surgeries are usually the ones who didn’t continue with their exercise plan and one nurse explained that if the knee seizes up further painful surgery would be necessary! That was enough for me - whilst some days I felt like I couldn’t be bothered I struggled on and believe me it is really worth it, now I can walk anywhere pain free

[Charlie123123 in reply to Mikmax]

Thank you for that encouraging

[willat]

Go for it even if it’s not 100% it’s better than bone on bone pain. I haven’t had knees yet but had both hips and now awaiting both shoulders then probably knees.

[DorsetLady in reply to willat]

I’ve had left knee, right hip & left shoulder replaced in less than a 2years period (2018-2020) - all good results. Although shoulder slightly more problematic with recovery due to first Covid lockdown and no physio etc from hospital.

But no pain now -which is the overriding consideration.

May need right shoulder done sometime in future, but hoping to keep that at bay asap.

[willat in reply to DorsetLady]

We are playing joint bingo. I have had both hips done. Awaiting left shoulder, then right and potentially both knees.

Biggest issue for me is the spine damage that what causes the major discomfort and why I can no longer work.

Good luck and may all our surgeries go well.

[Charlie123123 in reply to willat]

Thank you

[Charlie123123 in reply to DorsetLady]

Thank you

[Charlie123123 in reply to willat]

Thank you

[Charlie123123 in reply to willat]

Thank you