Replacement knee

A snowHead

Hi diagnosed I need a knee replacement I’m a good intimidate skiers but I am concerned re skiing again - my surgeon says I could go but if I damaged new knee the final x will not be as good so he advices retiring from skiing - I love my skiing so I’m trying to see any experiences out there of similar - any help appreciated

A snowHead

This might be of some use in terms of fellow SH experiences.

http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?t=104557

I have a feeling your surgeon is not a skier. Doesn’t matter.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

@gmt123,

I've carried many knee replacements for skiers.

There are some SH who have had them done successfully.

In 20 years as a knee specialist i haven't seen anyone damage the knee significantly from skiing.

I've seen many people who have remained fit and healthy who ski, including some who have had a knee replacement to enable them to do so.

I have, however, seen hundreds of people fracture their hip through falling because they were fail, with poor balance and lacked strength.

Much better to keep active, fit and strong- skiing is not a bad incentive to achieve that.

Either get another opinion or make sure you find a physio who will help you get fit and strong enough to ski post op.

It will take a minimum of six months to get back on snow for the first time and you may be better banking on it taking upto 8

Jonathan Bell

You need to Login to know who's really who.

I had a knee replacement 4 months ago. Won’t be skiing this season but confident I will next. There are plenty of people skiing who have had them. Some surgeons say don’t ski, others like Jonathan Bell say why not. I prefer the latter😂

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

@RUGBY PETER, good to read this. Hope it goes to plan and progresses well

You'll need to Register first of course.

@Carolyn, had both of her knees replaced in March last year. She is on holiday here skiing for the first time this week and all of the local instructors are astounded at how well she is skiing.

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

@Chris_n, that is great to hear. Tell her well done and hope she enjoys skiing for many years to come!

After all it is free

I had a knee arthroscopy last Thursday (1 March) to tidy up torn meniscus and other bits and am doing my exercises in the hope of some gentle skiing at Trysil in Norway at Easter (either w/c 24 March or w/c 7 April). Consultant says should be doable but has anyone who has had the procedure got any comments? I would also be interested in Jonathan's view.
Many thanks

i skiied 2 weeks post arthroscopy last Feb, my procedure went extremely well and I was mobile pretty much the day of the operation and rehabbed very well... the 2 weeks post scope ski went well, very limited swelling. I did go full on fitted hinged brace to provide an extra element of support, I had the brace from previously on "knacker my knees". Your experience may well differ by 100%, but certainly it CAN be done. Obviously take it easy, you only have 1 pair of knees whereas you can have an infinity of future holidays subject to €€ and immortality... Very Happy

*Ski* the Net with snowHeads

@raggerty,
The issue of when it is safe to ski after an arthroscopy is a frequent question.

Not sure I’ve seen many people manage to ski inside six weeks from an arthroscopy. It will depend on what was wrong with the knee. Any wear to the joint surfaces prolongs recovery.
The main concerns about skiing earlier are:

If the knee swells it inhibits the muscles and also increases risk of further injury.

You may not have built sufficient strength to ski well or safely

The conditions make a big difference to whether it will be tough on the knee.

If you are strong, have no swelling at all and the joint is pain free you may get away with it but if you get a swollen knee you would be best to stop

Jonathan Bell

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

Would a brace help? My mum has had two knee replacedments, she doesn't ski but is much more mobile than she was. The first op. was very long but I think they've got better.

snow reports

@gmt123 Three years ago my surgeon said I needed a knee replacement and that, following it, I would never ski again!
I respectfully disagreed with him and said that I would get my knee replacement op done with a more positive Surgeon.

@JohnathanBell told me he could do the operation and that I could ski again only if I did the Physio ,that would be prescribed post op, on a regular basis ( to strengthen the area around my knee to take pressure off it).
Johnathan completed the op in April , I worked hard on my physio and was skiing again in early December of the same year.

I still do the knee exercises three times a week (it was 5 days a week in the first year after the op) and have skied about 70 days a year each year since the op in all conditions without any problems.

So YES you can ski again after a knee op if you are prepared to put the effort in and do the exercises you are given by your Physio. Friends I know of a similar age (late 50's) were not prepared to do the exercises
post op and have given up.... but they were probably not as keen on skiing in the first place.

@brnttptr, what were the knee exercises you were given to do, and how long a day do you spend on them?

You know it makes sense.

@Sack the Juggler After the initial basic physio to get movement back post op the exercises were : 1) Split squats 3 x sets of 15 each side 2) Squats 3 x15 in three positions a) feet together b) feet slightly apart c) feet wide apart (Sumo)
3) Calf raises 3 x 15 each leg 4) Leg raises for Glutes (not sure if thats the correct name of exercise ) but lie on floor legs on chair or stool with arms on chest and raise buttocks ! 4 x25 times. Then 15 minutes on spin bike ,start on easy setting then do 4 x I minute top settings and finish on a low setting. These were the must do exercises given to me by the Ski Physio at Wimbledon Clinics. In the first year it was 5 times a week. In the beginning it took an hour to do but as time went
on and my strength improved it got easier and after six months I added weights (10kg in each hand for squats) and also incorporated other exercises to the routine. After the one year check up I was told that I could reduce the frequency to 3 times a week which I still do (most of the time) but incorporate other exercises depending on how much the I have. I probably spend about an hour now ,3 times a week, on these exercises but also try to go mountain biking in the spring /summer too and hike alot. I live too far away from a gym so decided instead to buy a spin bike and a few weights which mean I do it all at home which also saves time.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

@brnttptr, thanks for the detail on the exercises. I have problem knees, trying to put off a TKR as I would need to do both knees, but am going to start doing the exercise programme as a way of strengthening the relevant muscles and see how I get on.

A snowHead

@lynnecha, all the ski prep...inc knee...exercises are on the wimbledon clinics FB page. I assume they are still there frpm a few years ago. It is a complete programme

A snowHead

Sack the Juggler If you have pain in your knees now I would get the op done sooner rather than later as its then fixed. There is a misconception,which I also had, that knee replacement joints only last for 10 years which makes people wait longer than necessary to have the op BUT I was told that it would be unlikely that mine would need to replaced if I continued with the exercises.

A consultation with Wimbledon Clinics ,or somewhere similar near you , where you can see a Knee Surgeon like Johnathan Bell and a Ski Physio would be invaluable and was definitely worth a two hour drive for me after the unhelpful
visit to my local knee surgeon.

Help!!

Replacement knee

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