Skiing after knee replacement? (fracture, implants, surgery, rehab)

[seamusnh]

My wife got some bad news recently after arthroscopic knee surgery. She is going to need a knee replacement in the next year or so. Her concern is that she might not be able to ski afterwards? She works as a ski instructor seasonally (more of a hobby than a job) and loves it. Has anyone here ever had a knee replacement and skied afterwards?

Seamus

[bluedevilz]

Most knee replacement surgeons do not restrict or advise against snow skiing these days follow total knee arthroplasty.

If your wife is a candidate for minimally invasive or unicompartmental arthroplasty even better but many patients return to skiing after Total Knee Replacement.

It is considered a low impact sport for general wear and tear on the implants but there is of course risk involved due to velocity and torque with impact/falls/collisions that can result in implant failure or fracture above or below the implant which can be more difficult to treat...

As always your mileage may vary and you should discuss with your wife's surgeon, I'm assuming you are in NH? Chances are your wife's surgeon has been asked this question many times before...

[engineman]

It is imperative that she do the rehab religiously afterward, whether she plans to ski or not.

[seamusnh]

Thanks. Yes, we are in NH. I'll let her know... She is going to have the knee injections first to see if she can put it off a couple of years....