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I'm doing all I know to avoid a knee replacement, had hip replaced in 2010 and the exercise programs have decreased for me since that surgery. I exercised all my life until knees and back got worse. I know a man who is very athletic and came thru a knee replacement very well, others who are not nearly as athletic is a different story.
An MD I hear on the radio, says once "cut" the body becomes more arthritic.
You need to see the right specialist. My boss is 63, had both knees replaced over the last weekend, and was back in work on Thursday, walking gingerly and carefully, but on his own. He is an expert skier, hikes, plays tennis, and is very muscular and fit, about 6'1". Had his hip replaced a few years back, and was back in work 4 days later. Not saying that is absolute proof you are a good candidate but the reasons you gave are not valid for not having knee replacement and no pain.
What happened to the entire rehabilitation stage of your bosses' two knee replacements?
He worked a partial day or a full day 4 or 5 days after two simultaneous knee replacement surgeries? Or just stopped by the workplace?
Most people have a rehab stage after the surgery where they have a physical therapist come to their home 2 or 3 times per week for 2 or 3 or 4 weeks after surgery. Or the person visits a physical therapy facility 2 or 3 times per week for several weeks. And definitely does special exercises on one's own at home too.
And some even go stay full time in a rehab facility (stay overnight) for 10 days or 2 weeks.
Your boss certainly is not the average person either - expert skier, hikes, tennis, very muscular & fit - that description does not fit about 90 or 98 percent of people - especially older people.
Last edited by matisse12; 09-02-2017 at 11:15 PM..
That was my point. Being (relatively) active and in shape is WHEN you should get the replacements. Not when you are old and decrepit. The newer least invasive methods require very little recovery time and PT as the trauma to the body is far less. The better shape you are in, the better and faster the body recovers. He does suffer from some arthritis too. He worked the full day on Thursday. His joint degeneration is hereditary and was probably exacerbated by his sports. He also used to water ski.
I don't know where you got your "most people" rehab stuff unless it is for elderly and out of shape individuals which IS likely the general demographic for joint replacement or it is dated information. The new joints have (relatively) easily replaced wear surfaces, so unlike old artificial joints, their usefulness is not limited, and you don't wait as long as possible to get them replaced because of that fear. My father had his right knee replaced in 2010, at age 71, and had a similar experience and his was more invasive than my bosses, based on the size of the scar. No weeks of recovery and PT, and he is not really athletic, about 5'7" and 210lbs but is a strong physical man. Even back then, I was surprised at how fast the recovery and how little formal PT he needed. He worked hard construction most of his life, and it took its toll. He bowls a lot, and also has arthritis. He bowled his 14th 300 league game about 6 weeks ago, so he is not exactly a slug, but he does watch too much TV IMHO. He does go to the gym 4 times a week and does mostly walking in the pool and mild weights. He would never do any kind of class.
He retired in FL and lives in a one level duplex. Most SFHs in most retirement areas down there are one level. They build what people want.
So while I disagree that "no stairs" is a recipe for loss of leg use, there is no doubt that using stairs, while you are able is good exercise. I've had one or two stories of stairs in every home, as have people for thousands of years. If you are sufficiently motivated though, a lack of stairs in the home means nothing and at times can be very necessary.
Last edited by Perryinva; 09-03-2017 at 06:02 AM..
I've been told that knee replacement rehab is longer than hip replacement rehab. When I had hip replacement in 2010, I left hospital after 3 days, came right home and have been alone from the first day at home. The surgery seemingly went well, but months down the road, 3 side effects reared their ugly heads: shorter leg, femoral nerve damage, IT band damage, and then so much went downhill with my body.
Seriously, this thread was full of nonsense about no stairs as a cause of decline. All conjecture and anecdote. Our next home will be a 3 story townhouse, with an increasingly popular option, a personal elevator right next to the stairs. The additional cost, when the design accounts for it is reasonable to us, about $30k. It adds to the resale, allows for all sorts of uses, and as for DW & myself, we will take the stairs 90% of the time...its faster and easier. But why take the chance with a back injury, hernia, gout pain (which we both have) etc, etc when loads can be simply rolled in to the elevator. At 62 & 67, (Planned moving ages) we don't want to move again until we have no choice. Naturally a single floor is less expensive typically, but we've not found what we want in that floor plan in the location we desire.
There are some expensive townhouses in my area that have elevators. They are 4 stories with a rooftop deck, very luxurious. Sounds like you are getting a great place that will suit you nicely for many years to come!
That was my point. Being (relatively) active and in shape is WHEN you should get the replacements. Not when you are old and decrepit. The newer least invasive methods require very little recovery time and PT as the trauma to the body is far less. The better shape you are in, the better and faster the body recovers. He does suffer from some arthritis too.
I don't know where you got your "most people" rehab stuff unless it is for elderly and out of shape individuals which IS likely the general demographic for joint replacement or it is dated information. The new joints have (relatively) easily replaced wear surfaces, so unlike old artificial joints, their usefulness is not limited, and you don't wait as long as possible to get them replaced because of that fear.
My father had his right knee replaced in 2010, at age 71, and had a similar experience and his was more invasive than my bosses, based on the size of the scar. No weeks of recovery and PT, and he is not really athletic, about 5'7" and 210lbs but is a strong physical man. Even back then, I was surprised at how fast the recovery and how little formal PT he needed.
'Why Minimally Invasive Knee Replacement May Not Be For You'
"The minimally invasive approach may not be appropriate for heavy-set or very muscular patients, those with severe knee instability or deformity, or those who require a more complex replacement."
"Minimally invasive knee replacement is like repairing a car engine via the muffler rather than opening the hood — it might be possible, but it is more difficult. It requires specialized instruments and is more technically challenging because the surgeon has a smaller field of vision through which to do the operation."
"Medical literature shows that risk of complications can be higher and the procedure may take longer, which is detrimental for the final outcome of the surgery."
"It also requires more training and has a significant learning curve for the surgeon. Make sure to choose a surgeon who performs a high volume of minimally invasive knee replacements."
Last edited by matisse12; 09-03-2017 at 12:26 PM..
I checked with an orthopedic surgeon who uses the newest computer assisted technology below. He informed me that this technology is for partial knee replacements only - not full knee replacements. I then researched it and the equipment had not advanced yet to full replacements & still was available for partial knee replacements only. That was 2 or 3 years ago.
(If I recall correctly, there were lawsuits against Stryker regarding the computer-assisted tech equipment & outcomes, but I would need to research it again)
IMPORTANT: There is minimum invasive knee replacement surgery without using this newest computer assisted technology.
from that surgeon's website:
Computer Assisted Surgery (or Robotic Surgery) for Hips and Knees
computer assisted
Recent innovations in medical technology afford for orthopedic surgeons to have more control and precision in the operating than ever before. For joint replacement procedures the robotic assisted surgery technique improves outcome by giving the surgeon a much greater field of vision as well as feedback on any movement from the instruments.
Computer Assisted Navigation by Stryker
Robotic Surgery assists Dr.
in performing hip & knee procedures
Stryker Orthopedics provides the software Dr. uses for Computer Assisted Navigation for joint replacement procedures. Stryker Navigation allows the surgeon to track, analyze, and monitor instrumentation while performing the joint replacement procedure to enhance the overall outcome of the procedure. The Computer Assisted Navigation software simplifies surgery for the doctor and improves the likelihood of positive outcome
Robotic Surgery enables surgeons to map out the center of the hip or knee using devices that send impulses to a GPS satellite in the operating room. That data is transferred to a laptop computer, and visually shows the joint surface and center of the joint, allowing surgeons to manipulate the cutting blocks use or hip and knee replacement to within plus or minus half a degree. In hip replacements, surgeons can adjust leg lengths to within a millimeter. Without this technology, judging leg length is considered one of the most difficult parts of doing a hip replacement.
Robotic Surgery & Minimally Invasive Surgery
Because computer assisted navigation contributes to a more accurate surgical procedure, surgeons are more likely to use minimally invasive surgical techniques.
Benefits
Minimally Invasive Surgery, in tandem with Robotic Surgery, has its own benefits. These innovative procedures afford for better results in the short-term as well as in the long-term, and give the patient a greater hance of restarting their active lifestyle sooner than with traditional joint replacement.
Smaller incision means less exposure of the bone and less blood loss
Reduced post-operative downtime
Faster recovery time, typically implying shorter stay in the hospital
Less scarring left on the operative area
Last edited by matisse12; 09-03-2017 at 12:41 PM..
That was my point. Being (relatively) active and in shape is WHEN you should get the replacements. Not when you are old and decrepit. The newer least invasive methods require very little recovery time and PT as the trauma to the body is far less. The better shape you are in, the better and faster the body recovers. He does suffer from some arthritis too. He worked the full day on Thursday. His joint degeneration is hereditary and was probably exacerbated by his sports. He also used to water ski.
I don't know where you got your "most people" rehab stuff unless it is for elderly and out of shape individuals which IS likely the general demographic for joint replacement or it is dated information. The new joints have (relatively) easily replaced wear surfaces, so unlike old artificial joints, their usefulness is not limited, and you don't wait as long as possible to get them replaced because of that fear. My father had his right knee replaced in 2010, at age 71, and had a similar experience and his was more invasive than my bosses, based on the size of the scar. No weeks of recovery and PT, and he is not really athletic, about 5'7" and 210lbs but is a strong physical man. Even back then, I was surprised at how fast the recovery and how little formal PT he needed. He worked hard construction most of his life, and it took its toll. He bowls a lot, and also has arthritis. He bowled his 14th 300 league game about 6 weeks ago, so he is not exactly a slug, but he does watch too much TV IMHO. He does go to the gym 4 times a week and does mostly walking in the pool and mild weights. He would never do any kind of class.
He retired in FL and lives in a one level duplex. Most SFHs in most retirement areas down there are one level. They build what people want.
So while I disagree that "no stairs" is a recipe for loss of leg use, there is no doubt that using stairs, while you are able is good exercise. I've had one or two stories of stairs in every home, as have people for thousands of years. If you are sufficiently motivated though, a lack of stairs in the home means nothing and at times can be very necessary.
Hate to burst your bubble, but every knee replacement isn't the same. People have different issues with their knees. A replacement might just part of their issue. There could be things torn and they take months to heal.
One of my friends just had both knees replaced. Took a year! She had lots and lots of therapy. She was not allowed to walk on stairs for several weeks. She had repairs besides the knee replacements. She doesn't go around going into great detail with everyone what her surgeries entailed. I only know it was more than knee replacement because I asked about it in more detail. I knew she had knee troubles for years and was wondering how the surgeries improved her life and if it was worth the year of rehab and training her body how to walk again in a better way.
ETA: Then there's my grandfather who had to have his replacement replaced a few months later. He almost died from multiple infections. So no every knee replacement isn't the same.
Hate to burst your bubble, but every knee replacement isn't the same. People have different issues with their knees. A replacement might just part of their issue. There could be things torn and they take months to heal.
One of my friends just had both knees replaced. Took a year! She had lots and lots of therapy. She was not allowed to walk on stairs for several weeks. She had repairs besides the knee replacements. She doesn't go around going into great detail with everyone what her surgeries entailed. I only know it was more than knee replacement because I asked about it in more detail. I knew she had knee troubles for years and was wondering how the surgeries improved her life and if it was worth the year of rehab and training her body how to walk again in a better way.
ETA: Then there's my grandfather who had to have his replacement replaced a few months later. He almost died from multiple infections. So no every knee replacement isn't the same.
Your last ETA is what scares me. I should have knee replacement surgery but one person I know suffered from so many hospital acquired infections that they were considering amputation at one point. He was in the hospital for months on IV antibiotic drips. He's now confined to a wheelchair because of the surgery.
The other person I know who was supposed to have full knee replacement surgery ended up having partial replacement. He went to rehab one day and now he's walking around. That was 4 days ago.
I wish there was a guarantee with this type of surgery but I guess it depends on the person. Both of them were in the late 60's and not in the best of health. I don't know whether its better to suffer with my knees who detest rainy damp days or go for the surgery.
There's a world of difference between recovery from partial knee replacement surgery and recovery from full knee replacement surgery.
One cuts through major tendons and one does not.
Last edited by matisse12; 09-03-2017 at 02:11 PM..
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