 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi have been looking at previous threads and very encouraged to read of the success of people back skiing after knee replacements and other surgeries.
I had my MCL reconstructed late 80's and ACL in early 90's and was told then that when I was old enough I would need a new knee. Over the years have had arthroscopies to sort out tears and repeatedly told that when I was old enough I would need a new knee but you don't want to go down that route. I ski at least once a year and hike and cycle regularly. Anyway, last 12 months knee has been playing up more than usual and had a fall whilst out hiking in September, finally got an MRI in dec and had the results yesterday and looks like my ACL has a new tear, various meniscus tears, advanced bone degeneration so the MSK physio is referring me to an orthopaedic surgeon, have been told that an arthroscopy might help but because of the state of my knee possibly not but still too young for a Knee Replacement. I'm going to be 55 next month so my question is has anyone else who have had knee replacements been in this age group? I know I need to speak to the surgeon to find out what they think the best course of action is but most of my research come up with surgeons/physios who are very negative to being able to hike or ski after TKR, except what I have found on this website.
I appreciate any feedback and experience especially if Mr Jonathan bell is happy to share his thoughts regarding age.
TIA
Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Tue 2-02-21 20:44; edited 2 times in total
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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My wife had a total knee replacement 5 yrs ago at the age of 55 and says it has transformed her life. The surgeon said “you can do anything that you used to do, but don’t try to learn new activities.”
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@HammondR, Thank you, very interesting read.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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@Matt1959, Thank you
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@HammondR, Thank you - very interesting!
Following post with interest
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No experience to offer but i understand (my wife works with guys that do this stuff ...) that the age thing relates to the fact that the replacements wear out and they can't just keep replacing the replacements so you are time limited once its done
& if things work out skiing is doable with a TKR - apparantly you do need the right sort of joint though, as not all of them will work for skiing.
sounds like a good talk with a consultant (one with the right attitude) is needed (make sure they know you're a skiier who wants to ski!). All the best with the knee.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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My Mum had her hip replaced and afterwards the consultant told her "You can do anything on that. You could ski on it."
"That's fantastic" she replied, "because I couldn't ski before."
(true story)
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| Quote: |
The surgeon said “you can do anything that you used to do, but don’t try to learn new activities.”
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At bit of a shame if she fancied taking up playing the piano
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@spacemum, Where are you? Orthopaedic Surgeon Phil Simpson at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary is good.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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@Matt1959, I'm in Hertfordshire but thank you for the information, I was going to ask who your wife had seen but saw that your location was in Scotland. Did she have the option of continuing as she was and putting up with the pain?
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@skimottaret, thanks will have a look at that. And yes the rom does concern me
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You know it makes sense.
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@JonA, totally understand that but being in pain and discomfort for years to "be old enough" and have a worse outcome because mobility has got worse or have it done now when still relatively fit and better chance of good outcome.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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@JonA, hmm message sent by mistake...
Was going to add.... hopefully get some clarity when I speak to the surgeon
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Poster: A snowHead
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@spacemum, She had got to the stage where the pain and difficulty of going down hill/stairs was really affecting the quality of her life and the misalignment of her knee joint was visible when wearing clothes. (Wear between thigh & shin bones on outside of knee caused the affected knee to collapse in towards the other knee.) Dr said that she'd got to the stage where it needed to be done.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@Matt1959, thanks for the reply, good to hear that it's been successfull for her
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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I am informed (by what I regard to be a reliable source) that:
A hip replacement tends to result in immediate pain relief and hence increased likelihood to engage with the recommended physio to gain the remaining benefit. Surgery/physio produce in the region of 80/20 of the final outcome.
However a knee replacement often results in increased pain initially hence the necessary physio is less likely to be completed, cos it hurts. Unfortunately, in the case of knees, surgery/physio produce more like 50/50 of the final outcome.
This may help explain the lower success rates for knee-builds versus hip-builds and hence the greater reluctance to launch into it.
(nb. I am not an expert  )
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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A skiing friend, 53, had her knee replaced last year. Totally brilliant. She’s delighted.
The advice of waiting appears outdated (another skiing chum was told exactly the same thing as you 20 years ago ...).
YMMV
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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My mother had both knees replaced in her late 70's. She did the exercises and in my view skied better after than I think I had ever seen her ski before.
She is so much more active than she was before and without the constant pain everything about her health is better. I understand about the limited life span of a replacement knee but there has to be a point where losing mobility towards the end of your life must be preferable to years of misery in your 50's
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@spacemum, I had my knee replacement at 55 with Johnathan Bell in Wimbledon (after my local Surgeon in Sussex said I would not be able to ski again if I had one ). I think I had the op in April and was skiing again in Dec.
Prior to the replacement I never had any knee probs at all then suddenly excruciating pain which would not go away even with extensive physio so I had the knee op . Still mountain biking and, normally, skiing 90 days on it without problems .
Key point : @JohnahanBell emphasised at the outset that unless I did continuous exercises to strengthen the muscles around the knee after the op it skiing would be harder (apparently many people are not prepared to do this)I have
continued to do the exercises and feel great. Definitely not too young to have the op .People often claim that if you have it done too young you will need another replacement after x years. Johnathan Bell assured me at my
last check up that if I continue to do the exercises and ski the replacement will not need to be replaced.
I think if you search my posts you will find a much more detailed diary of the op etc on here which might be useful .
Any other info you need please feel free to DM me.
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@brnttptr, thank you will have a search for your previous posts
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@spacemum, in case you don't know - click the '+' next to @brnttptr's name then click the username on the panel that pops up to see the userprofile - there, there is a link to 'all posts by...' .
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Great, thanks
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| admin wrote: |
| @spacemum, in case you don't know - click the '+' next to @brnttptr's name then click the username on the panel that pops up to see the userprofile - there, there is a link to 'all posts by...' . |
I didn't know that until now! 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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The decision on whether to perform a knee replacement isn’t really determined by age. The knee is either bad enough( painful) or it isn’t. There are factors such as has the knee worn too far for less invasive treatments to be useful and have all non op measures failed. Arthroscopy has a very limited role and can make the knee worse. I see a lot in their 50’s who have badly worn knees but we try where we can to keep the knee going for as long as we can but accepting that at some stage a new knee will be required. I have ( rarely ) put knee replacements into those in their 30’s. There are a lot of my knees out there skiing because I see it as an operation to help people live their life. Jonathan Bell
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