Severe knee arthritis

[CANT18]

Hi everyone. I have bone on bone compartmental arthritis in both knees and have been told I need total knee replacements. I’m keen to avoid surgery if possible so am researching other ideas. Has anyone tried red light therapy and if so does it provide any pain relief or regeneration of cartilage etc.

[Scotsman53]

I'm no expert but had a knee replacement for arthritis and I've done a fair bit of reading around it. Red light therapy might help to some degree with the pain but when the condition is so advanced nothing of that sort is going to compare with replacement. Most people get great results, why don't you want to do it?

[CANT18 in reply to Scotsman53]

Thanks for your reply. I’ve read that it can take up to a year to recover and a year or maybe or two is a long time when your 70!

[Scotsman53 in reply to CANT18]

Fair enough. Good luck, whichever way you go!

[timbowPSP in reply to CANT18]

I have big sympathy CANT. I was offered a new knee 3 yrs ago at 77, but opted instead for a knee brace to assist - not sure how much it helps, but the podiatrist says that It definitely helps me to walk better. I am now 80, the knee is worse and I was diagnosed with PSP 3 yrs ago. Seems that PSP can affect recovery from ops. So I shall hang on as long as I can with alternatives. The recovery time for Knee op seems to depend on misc fActors, including how much effort you put into the recovery programme. They may even do two at once, as for my sis-in-law, but the wait (and the pain!) ???? How long do you hope to live? Agony or ecstasy ..... its your call! Best wishes

[CANT18 in reply to timbowPSP]

Sorry to hear you’ve got PSP. Sounds pretty nasty. How do we know how long we’ve got? I’ll probably opt for surgery as I play a lot of golf and I have to use a buggy now and I love walking! Hope things go well for you.

[katieoxo60]

Hi Cant18, I was told many years ago that laser treatment works well on leg joints, so I would say try anything that might save you the trauma and wait of surgery, surgery should always be the last option. Not familiar with the one you mention , would like somemore info if possible , do you have a link for this please?

[CANT18 in reply to katieoxo60]

My orthopaedic surgeon says”joint replacement will unfortunately be inevitable” but I would like to try to manage it as long as possible. After all I am 70 years old and a year out of my life at my age is a long time! The surgeon calls it “medial compartment arthritis” . Also in the UK the waiting list is 2/3 years.

[katieoxo60 in reply to CANT18]

I have read about that one , I am glad you mentioned the problem when your turned 70 each day is a bonus and we dont need things that take for ever to be dealt with taking away our life before our time. Enjoy your evening

[Scotsman53 in reply to katieoxo60]

It's not a laser, more like an infrared heat lamp. Just google "red light therapy".

[katieoxo60 in reply to Scotsman53]

Thank you

[CANT18 in reply to Scotsman53]

Thanks for your reply. I have researched it but wonder whether anyone’s tried it or is it a waste of money

[Batty1]

Why would you avoid replacement, its not going to get better and anything you do is just a bandaid. I can imagine the recovery and physical therapy could be difficult but so is living with bone one bone joint pains.

[Mitch48]

Hi there,I had my right knee replacement & patella surgery last year when I was 51. I have congenital deformities of my knees whereby the kneecaps maltrack, causing early onset arthritis and Ive had 9 surgeries on my knees with numerous procedures in each, beginning when I was 22. So I’ve had a lifetime of pain and lots of surgeries to recover from. The last 2 years prior to my replacement, I could barely walk due to being bone on bone in two areas, the back & 1 side of my patella and was living like a hermit, hardly ever going out. I missed out on so much life (I also have cervical & lumbar spinal injuries), I was desperate for my surgery but had to wait until I was 50 and in the perimenopause. This was so that my bones had begun to harden and keep the implants secure and in situ, (I also had the back of my patella replaced).

Yes, it’s a BIG surgery to recover from, even for me who has had 17 surgeries on my knees, spine, wrists and shoulders and I suffer from severe chronic pain from damaged nerves in my spine! There is lots of pain (which you will be given adequate pain relief in hospital plus some to take home of a lesser strength of course) and HUGE amounts of swelling.

I had my first scheduled surgery cancelled due to a condition I have flaring and COVID also affected it PLUS having emergency extensive lumbar spinal surgery (rods & screws too) but I got there last year and had the surgery that I was desperate for. I vowed that I would not waste this chance to get back to my regular activity levels and I did not! I was walking around at home without crutches at 3 weeks & had gotten rid of them outside a week later - all with physiotherapist approval. I could straighten my knee fully at 5 weeks & had a 120 degree bend at the same time.

Surely at the age of 70, you would want to enjoy how many years you have left with as good a health as possible? Needing a knee replacement will prevent you doing that. If you adhere to your daily therapy regime and walk every day, striving to get that new joint working and preventing it from stiffening up, you’ll recover well for your advancing years and be able to get out there & enjoy life. You may say that I am nearly 20 years younger and could get over the op quicker & more easily - TRUE but I’ve had pain and surgeries all my life and they didn’t stop me either. I have the DETERMINATION & DESIRE to live whilst in the best health I could be (I also am waiting for a Tibial Osteotomy on my left knee too). Please don’t let a brief amount of pain & surgery to recover from stop you any longer. Get on that waiting list, the Govt. are pumping funds into the NHS to shorten waiting lists, so you may not have to wait 2/3 years at all. Build your quads up with online exercises to have the muscle strength to aid a quick recovery and go for it! You’ve more to lose if you don’t!

Mitch 💗

[CANT18 in reply to Mitch48]

Hi Mitch good of you to give me such a long reply. I note all your suggestions and encouragement. I’m going to ring my GP and get on the waiting list. Then I’ve got to decide which knee to have done first. Decisions,decisions! But my problems are minor compared to yours. Hope all goes well for you.

[Mitch48]

Good one, that’s just what I wanted you to say. Hopefully the waiting list isn’t too long & you can prepare for your surgery. I must say the input from the hospital was extensive prior to surgery, the Arthroplasty nurse, the surgeon and the pre assessment. Making sure that you are fit enough to have the procedure. I couldn’t have a spinal block due to the metalwork in my lumbar spine, so had a general anaesthesia instead. Ask for pain relief, don’t be reluctant to press the buzzer to call the nurse. The physios are in the same day, getting you onto crutches and making sure that you can move about safely. Once your pain is under control & you are competent on stairs then you’ll probably be discharged. The real work starts at home with your physio exercises, walking around the house & icing that knee. It’ll stiffen if you don’t do enough exercises but will hurt whilst doing so, that’s par for the course. After 2 weeks the pain reduced considerably & another week or so for the swelling to go down (I had one slim leg and one huge one). Keep on with the physio etc and you’ll gradually get off the crutches and be slowly able to walk properly again. It takes up to a year to fully recover apparently & the implant/s fully feel a part of you. At least you’ll know what it’s like when you have the second one done!

Please let me know how you get on. Good luck with it all.

Mitch 💗

[timbowPSP]

Whichever direction you choose, it'll be a good choice. That's life, And embrace it fully while you can! Tim

[Stobban]

Yea, I too have arthritis and suffer chronic knee pain which is bone on bone. There are no treatments that minimise the pain, of course, they do slightly ease the pain for a short time, but never extinguish it, accepting an operation. After years of suffering I managed to get a sleeve designed for bone on bone knee, and guess what, it works well. ......Take care.

[CANT18 in reply to Stobban]

Thanks for your reply. Can I ask the process you used to get that special sleeve? Did you go to a physio or Doctor.

[Carodara]

The only thing that can repair cartilage is movement. It doesn't have a blood supply so you must bring blood to the joint through movement. I know that might sound awful but take it literally step by step.

[CANT18 in reply to Carodara]

Hi there. I’ve got an exercise bike which I use, still playing golf as well. Try to walk as much as can, but I suppose the damage is so extensive that ops are probably the way forward. I’m just trying to exhaust all other possibilities. Knee replacements don’t always work and to have say 12 months ( both knees one after the other) not being able to do much is a depressing thought!

[Carodara in reply to CANT18]

Fair play to you, you are doing plenty! That's so unfortunate for you. I hope all works out whichever direction you take 🙏