knee replacement

I have been cycling for about 35yrs and am now looking at a partial or total knee replacement. I would like to continue to cycle as I have been,3-5 thousand miles a year. Has anybody been through this or have any knowledge on this subject?

Zoomnloon:

Bummer about your knee. Do you have rheumatoid arthritis???

I would urge you to look at alternatives before you have a surgeon saw your real knee out of you leg.

Look into Synvisk injections. They are a series of three injections usually, and can help to regenerate cartilage. Many people facing knee replacements have been able to stave off the surgery with these injections. Possibly more effective is "prolotherapy" a similar treatment using injections, but instead of a lubricant in the Synvisk, the prolotherapy utilizes mostly dextrose and lidocaine.

With either injection, almost all of it is gone in 24 hours from the knee capsule. So, how does it work??? Pearls are formed only when a grain of sand causes irritation in oysters. The pearl is like scar tissue in us, encapsulating foreign bodies so they cannot migrate to other parts of the body.

The shots act like a cartilage primer. Once irritated from the injection, new cartilage forms, laying down a smooth layer that can make your bad knee much better, possibly pain free.

Surgery is permanent. That, coupled with the fact that artificial knees have a relatively short lifespan of 10-15 years, makes alternatives worth looking into. Go for the injections. You can always get the surgery later. It might take a month or two before you notice any benefit, so be patient with the shots if you go that route.

Good health and good luck!!!

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All of the left outer cartilage was taken out from an injury in Viet Nam I have nothing left to regenerate. I'm riding bone on bone. It wouldn't have been so bad but I used to run 2000 miles a year, Had to switch to cycling in 94. Ther's not much left to the knee now. I'm just wondering how long chrome knees last in the art of cycling?

Zoomnloon:

Hey bro, thanks for your service. Too bad you had to leave parts of your knee "in country."

Do some web research on prolotherapy. Surgeons aren't into it because it cuts (no pun) into their pocketbook. They make big bucks for replacing knees, and are not really interested in fixing your problem any other way.

Your surgeon will tell you prolotherapy will do you no good, but then again why should he??? He's in the business of selling metal knees, not fixing you with a proceedure that is a fraction of the cost. Anything non-surgical is a threat to surgeons.

What if the injections worked??? You could retain your original parts (which are always better)and stand an excellent possibly of riding pain free. Once cartilage regeneration has taken place, it will stay there for good.

I don't know how long a metal knee will last with regular cycling, but it will never be as good as your original knee. I'm sure you are experiencing some intense pain, and that's when patients usually want to get their knees replaced.

There have been some real miracle stories about prolotherapy, even with patients who have no cartilage, and are bone on bone. It sounds too good to be true, but often, truth is stranger than fiction. Before you go under general anesthesia and have your knee cut out, why not pray for a miracle and get the injections???

Here are a few links:

http://www.prolotherapy-los-angeles.com/


http://www.getprolo.com/




If the injections fail, they fail, but at least you tried. Getting your knee cut out can be done at any time.

Good luck!!!

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Not much evidence that these methods above provide significant relief. Once a joint loses so much cartilage then nothing identified so far will fix it.

I've seen people have a Rapicci hemi-arthroplasty (half knee replacement) train for and complete Ironman Tri's the next year (and go on to do another), it is very possible to continue to ride.

To, J-Mat and Jurgen, Thanks for the info, I thonk it's tome for a second opinion. The VC couldn't kill me, why should I let the medical industry to it. I'll look into whay you said and let you know. LOON

Ask if unicompartmental knee arthroplasty is appropriate in your case

http://www.kneeclinic.info/problems_...eplacement.php

I inquired on TB2K re knee replacement.
http://www.timebomb2000.com/vb/showt...t=knee+surgery

I am scheduled for a unicompartmental replacement in December. The problem I'm having is the I'm thinking that cycling is good for bad knees and therefore good for replacement knees. My doctor thinks I'm going to undue all his good work by wearing this thing out way to soon. I can't seem to be able to find anybody who has went through this and still cycles any kind of distance.

Post on www.bikeforums.com

perhaps someone there has had knee work done and continues to ride.

Loon

I posted your query on The Campfire and got this responce

http://www.northlandphoto.com/campfi...pic.php?t=1385

I thank everybody for their reply, but you just don't seem to get it. I don't want to be just fine after knee replacement. I want to to be able to ride a hard 150-200 miles a week. If no one out there has done that, then you will be able to post on this web site and find out how it's done because I'm going to. Thank You

GO GET A SECOND OPINION! I find that answer from your physician completely UNACCEPTABLE. This is YOUR knee, not his. Start with a SPORTS based orthopaedic center of excellence, such as The Cleveland Clinic, New England Baptist Hospital (in Boston), etc.. There you will find advice from people with (it sounds like) much more experience about what expectations are reasonable in terms of return to sport. (i.e., Arnold Palmer & Bo Jackson - both had total hip arthroplasy. Bo Jackson has had to have a revision).

I'll tell you one thing though - your rehab staff is going to LUUUUV you. You are fit, unlikely to be overweight, and will be able to participate in rehab fully BECAUSE you are an avid cyclist. You will likely return to full function earlier than your average Joe. Just take it easy and follow their instructions - don't overdue it in the beginning. When you start feeling like you can do the things you have been restricted from doing post-surgery, you know you're on the right track. Just don't do them until the restrictions have been lifted! Many patients get a little gung ho and hurt themselves, making recovery even longer!

An anecdotal story - but from a very trusted source: Woman in her 70's in for her 3rd or 4th total knee revision (parts from her total knee were replaced) was in rehab - could teach her therapists something about rehabing a knee. A new therapist commented on the surgeon's skill (i.e., he must not be very good if she keeps needing a revision). Come to find out - the woman was wearing it out - by downhill skiing. Her retirement was spent winters in Colorado, summers in the Andes. The surgeon loved her, NOT because he was getting a good stipend from her insurance, but because she was doing what SHE wanted to do. I believe she needed the revisions around every 10 years. The purpose of this kind of surgery is to let you live your life the way YOU want to, not the way your disability makes you.

Go into this knowing all the facts though. There are risks involved, as any competent surgeon will tell you, and every surgery's outcome is not always perfect, or what was expected. This is an important point so I am going to repeat it: every surgery's outcome is not always perfect, or what was expected You are doing the right thing trying to get more information. But the most important thing I can say to you is:

GO GET A SECOND OPINION!!!!!!!!!!!!

Best of luck!

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The climbs are worth it when you get to the descents.

Please let us know what decisions you make (have made) on your knee.

My girlfriend is in a very similar situation to you. She rides competitively (7K-8k miles a year) but has one knee that is 'bone on bone.'

Her's results from a crap surgery back in the 70's - they just didn't know any better. She's been told she'll need a total knee replacement for the past 20 years...but decided to ride her bike as therapy, instead. It has worked, but the pain is getting worse this past year, so we've had to consider action.

We are looking in to the knee injections, as well.

Please keep us informed.

michael & jenny

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Hi,
Yes, I went through a total knee replacement about 8 years ago. I just turned 55 and have been cycling for about 3 years and do about 3-4k miles a year. Until I had it done I would have never been able to cycle, standing for 15 minutes gave me major problems. To make a long story short, it has been just great. I only have been able to develop strenght to about 65% of my good leg I can do just fine. I am sure with how technology and proceedures has advanced you should do just fine. Rehab can be a pain, literally, but it is worth every second. Just get Doc that is good and make sure he understands your objectives.

Best of luck!

Joe V