Knew Knee Kneeded

[Brian Krebs]

So - I saw an orthopedic specialist today; and he x-rayed my knee that has been progressively worse over the seasons.
 
 I told him I was not interested in a knee to get me from my chair to the refrigerator; but more like one that could get me up the Matterhorn.
 "I want to be able to bowhunt anywhere".

  He said I have "extremely bad arthritis" in it; and that although he could 'try cortisone'; or 'try going in with a scope' ..... "your looking at a knee replacement".

 So - I have no idea what that will involve; or what my recovery time will be: before I can start bowhunting in the hills again....

 I figure this is the place to find out....

[chad graham]

hey brian at my place of employment we make knee and hip replacements.as far as recovery we had an employee get a hip replaced two months ago and he is back to work and doing well.your doc should be able to tell you what lenght of recovery time you will be looking at but i think alot depends on the individual.im not sure how hard you hunt or the hill size but i would think if you do it soon you would be hunting.good luck and i hope this helped.?!

[Todweelz]

Brian, I had a full hip replacement [ at 41 years old] about 18 months ago, was back to work [Chef 10-12 hr days] in 5 wks and back to bowhunting at a normal pace in about 8-9 weeks, listen to your P.T and do the work its worth it. Todd

[bretto]

Brian, go for it. I had both knees replaced at the same time and was back to work 13 weeks to the day of My surgery.

I can walk much easier now. I can stand up straight again. You will notice some balance issues at first. These go away when Your muscle strength returns.

The only long term effect is it is very painful to kneel and support Your weight on the new knee.

It should do away with daily pain. Good luck

If You have any questions I would be glad to answer them if I can.

bretto

[jhg]

I know you probably can't wait, but in 8-10yrs they will have a natural injectable structure that actually grows new cartilage. Thats what I 'm waiting for. The researching Dr's say joint replacement of any kind will be history for those that have degeneration of the cartilage.

Joshua

[smokin joe]

Brian,
I have an artificial left knee and an artificial right hip -- both the result of years of sports and the arthritis damage that comes along with that.
Have no fear. These devices are about as advanced as medical science can get.
I will offer some advice from my experience:
1. Ask about a "rotating platform knee." If you are a candidate for this kind of knee replacement, it will give you the most natural movement dynamics.
2. Get into the gym and work like crazy. The more muscle you have before the replacement surgery the better. My doctor told me before the replacement surgery that I couldn't do more damage in the gym, my natural knee was already a mess, so I amped up the workouts. That made my recovery much better. (the doc told me after the surgery that it looked like someone had taken a belt sander to the bones in my knee joint, but my muscles were in great shape)
3. Tell your doctor what you are doing and take the pain meds that you are prescribed. Te pain medication will make your strength workouts tolerable.
4. After the surgery you will feel terrible. That is normal. Do your rehabilitation workouts exactly as directed. That will take grit and guts, but do it.

After my knee replacement I was able to do a 40# leg press at the gym. I am now past 500#. You can do this too. Time and dedication are all it takes.

Think of it as a new lease on life, and an extension on the quality of life you can have. I am now walking without a limp and have no pain in either my hip or my knee and am lifting weights and hunting and fishing as much as my work schedule allows. I have been told that both of my titanium joints will last a good long time.

Good luck, and if you need some moral support just PM me. It is not easy to face something like this -- you can do it.

Joe

[xtrema312]

There is nothing you can't get on this site!  BTW Ron Laclair posted that he has had both his replaced so you are in good trad bow company.

[LongbowGuy83]

Hey Brian. First off, good luck. When I was 24 I had a ACL replacement. They took part of my hamstring and made a new one. They offered the full replacement but with my age I decided on the reconstructive surgery instead. Now, yours will be more involved obviously. I was out of work for about 3 months. That includes injury, pre surgery therapy, surgery, and post surgery therapy. I was supposed to be out for 6 months. But, with my hard head and my boss allowing light duty, I was back earlier. Crutches for about 4 months, because the doctor forgot to tell me to begin using it immediately after surgery. Hope this helps.

[LongbowGuy83]

Oh and do your therapy like the physical terrorists tell you to. I didn't and have slight loss of range of motion. No weakness just can't bend it backwards like my " good one".

[maxwell]

ouch!!  Let's see I'll be 70 when they have the injectable stuff- maybe they will fast track it.  Seriously I take a lot of motrin and have put the surgery off for the last 10 years.  I would get at least 2 opinions.   A friend of mine had it done and it failed within 3 years- maybe a fluke but he had to do it again.  Just thought you should know .      Good luck  whatever you choose.

[stabow]

It was 8 months after surgery before I was back to normal. Get aggressive with the therapy.....stabow

[Pops]

Guys this was a very good post for me I see the
Doc on Friday  

[blueslfb]

I have had both knees worked on. Blew out my ACL's one when I was 21 and the other went when I was 31.  I had surgery in March of 08 and was running up the mountains in Montanna in September of the same year.  Obviously total knee replacemnet is more involved and the recovery time will be longer.

September of 09 found me back in the mountains and one morning we were working a bull at about 8200ft and out of no where a guy in at least his 70's appeared above us. We met up and started talking to the guy and he informed us he had a knee replacement 2 months ago and his Doc told him to go exercise it.  We saw him later in the day by his Jeep and we determined he walked no less than 5 miles, give or take. The terrain we were in was quite steep and rugged and I was impressed with this guy. Moral of the story is you will still be able to hunt given time.  Dedicate yourself to rehab andget active as soon as they let you.  Good luck!

[eman614]

don't go crazy trying to use it too soon after the procedure. you'll end up like my wife. she is 24, and has had her acl replaced twice and her miniscus worked on twice in the same knee, and is at work right now with the same acl torn again. the doc said it needed to be fixed a few months ago, but we don't have the funds for her to take off, plus she isn't quite ready to go through it again.

just be smart with your therapy, and you'll be back in no time. good luck!

[Brian Krebs]

Thanks for all the help on this- I appreciate it!

[Jerry Wald]

get 'er while you have he time and the health to enjoy it.

Jer Bear

[Mohillbilly]

Brian,
you might want to discuss with your GP or orthopod the idea of stem cell regenerative medicine.  It is very common in human medicine, and becoming so in veterinary medicine.  It involves harvesting a fat graft from you, very easily done, collecting the messenchymal stem cells and injecting them into the arthritic joints. Stem cells, or precursor cells,  can differentiate into any type of tissue be it cartilage, ligamentous, etc.  Also, they have the ability to cross-talk with the local inflammatory cells and produce inflammatory mediators that reduce pain and inflammation dramatically.  These procedures are all in clinic and are often covered by insurance.  It is not a for the rest of your life permanent cure, but it may by you several years of enhanced mobility and relative pain free fun.
Bret

[Mohillbilly]

P.S.
There is also a platelet rich plasma variant that occurs with a blood draw and the doctor collecting the PRP. They then inject the PRP into the joint/tissue similar to the messenchymal cells from the fat graft.  These two options are often used simultaneously.
Bret

[Archer Fanatic]

I had both of my knees done at the same time and the best exercise you can done for rehab is ride a bycycle to stretch the muscles that were cut. I was back to work in 8 weeks.  Mike in Ohio

[Brian Krebs]

Well - the orthopedic surgeon in my near home town of Salmon said I should wait 5 years; as new knees last rarely more than 5 years. But I was hurting too bad; and its been bothering me for years.

 So- I went to an orthopedic clinic in Boise; a 5 hour drive from home; for an opinion; and it was that I needed my knee relined as in now; and he set up an immediate surgery date.

 I however flunked the presurgery heart test; and had to wait for more opinions on that before they could operate.

 I was told they would buzz off the surfaces of the joint and attach metal to one surface and nylon to the other.

 One thing that bothered me going into surgery was that after a shot to knock me down before they started; they said they were going to give me a shot to knock out my entire leg; which I was OK with; but then- they said they were going to give me a spinal block and knck me out that way.
 I really think that discussion should have taken place before the surgery! I refused it; and they gassed me.

 They then woke me up in the middle of the surgery- to be asked if I had been shot in the knee. I think the bear swatting that knee last spring did that part..
 I guess suspected gun wounds have to be reported... I said 'no' and laughed - then woke up as the took the drain out of my knee.
 I woke up and they got me up and walking- before the numbing wore off.
  Then it started to hurt; not just a little; but really bad. I walked the second day with a walker; then crutches; and on the third day they released me to my son ( and his wonderful wifes care)( I owe a lot to her assistance!).

 I started staring with increased interest in the oxycotin they gave me; as the pain was really bad; and I gave the knee no sympathy. The thought of any trail starting out with oxycotin scared me- so I quit taking it.

 As suggested here and by my doctor- I used and use a stationary recumbant bike. I use it three times a day until I give out.

 Its been 4 weeks; and I can walk without any assistance; although I carry a staff made of hickory for insurance.

 I am getting ready for my last ortho surgeon doctor appointment this week - and then its on home to bear hunt ( another tradganger has bait out where we bear hunt together; and there are bears coming in) ( talk about motivation!).

 I hurt less now than when I went in for the surgery; I am slowed down; but in the last visit to the surgeon; he explained that because of the extreme damage to my knee and the bone fragments everywhere- he did a 'total knee replacement'.

 I think he should have told me that sooner than 2 weeks after the surgery...

 I am excited about being able to walk again - and I hope the constant aching stops- but I am getting better than worse; and I thank you for helping me feel confidence about that.

 The doctors here say I should get 15 to 20 years with the knee minimum- at 59 that sounds fine.

 Thanks for the support - and I hope others will know what questions to ask; and can walk as fast as I did.

                really - thanks -
                       Brian