 Poster: A snowHead
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Knee Replacement
I need a full knee replacement. Has anyone had a full Knee replacement and can you still ski? I am getting mixed advice, who like to here from someone who has had a full knee replacement. Thanks
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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My Dad had a full knee replacement about 4 years ago. He skis on it as well as he did before (which is not saying much, but still....). In fact, he actually skis somewhat better as his bad knee was so bowed that he struggled to get the ski flat.
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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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Thank you for responding, my daughter would say the same about my skiing ability. She has forgotten who taught her. Does your dad suffer any pain?
Thanks again
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@paulKnee, I'm in the same situation as you, but trying to put it off as long as possible. The one person who I know who has a knee replacement and skis skis well. I think she has both replaced.
Oddly, with the use of a ski mojo I can ski all day but I can only walk 10km and cannot walk downhill at all.
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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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@paulKnee, my Dad has no pain from the knee at all. He is far, far better off in every kind of physical activity than he was before. Skis 3 pr 4 weeks each year, rides bikes most days, lots of walking....
As the surgeon said to him "your knee definitely won't hurt any more, because you don't have one". (Slightly facetious, obviously...)
He does say, and the surgeon also advised this, that you are always slightly aware of it. A new hip, people soon forget about, but a new knee never quite feels like the one you were born with!
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Had my TKR 4 weeks ago today and i hope to ski next season.
The surgeon said, though, that i should not ski too aggressively in future and regard it as an expensive piece of kit that i should look after. Even though my catilege had virtually completely worn away I was still able to put in 4 weeks this season, but gave up golf last November (hope to resume that this autumn).
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My wife has had one full cartridge replacement, and skis fine. There are some limitations, particularly to the range of movement, as the joint only allows a certain angle (I forget now - around 120degrees?) of movement, so kneeling or squatting can reach it's maximum flex quite easily. TBF though, that doesn't limit her, as the other knee also carries cartilage and meniscus damage (twice having ACL replacement surgery) with a significant amount of osteoarthritis (unwanted bone growth around regions of wear).
She's been skiing with the replacement for well over a decade, no signs of problems with it, probably averaging >30 days per season. At some point she'll probably need the other one doing as well 
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@stevomcd, I would slightly disagree. There is very little soft tissue protection for a new hip, and i am always fearful of falling on it. but I would agree that they usually work faultlessly.
All I have spoken to stress that the pain and rehab from a knee replacement is far great and longer than a hip, and as you say, it never replicates the movement of a natural knee.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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I ski with a 65 yr old guy with two artificial knees, and he can ski hard for 2-3 days but then needs a break. Before replacement he could only ski for 2-3 hours for one day and ate ibuprofen like candy.
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| Quote: |
the pain and rehab from a knee replacement is far great and longer than a hip
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That's what I gather from friends, too, and though I have several friends with one or two replacement knees none of them has a decent range of movement and they don't move very well. I suspect that's because of their failure to work hard enough at the rehab so I guess one response to the OP is that though some people have skied well on their new knees (and the stories in this report are great to hear) they were probably very determined people who worked hard not just at knee rehab but at generally retaining a good level of fitness and keeping their weight down.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I've had a TKR in the left knee and am skiing better, harder, faster and longer than the previous 10 painful years. Pre-replacement I could only manage 6 days and I was crippled. This year I did 16 pain-free  days no problem.
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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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I had a partial knee replacement/PKR in 2015 because I could no longer walk: 5th operation since accident with a ladder in '94, spent a year in rehab (5hrs/5day/week). It took a couple of years before I regained 95° flexion & exhausted every type of treatment including neurofeedback. Happily I'm now able to do most everything I did before PKR. ROM is permanently reduced & I have CRPS. Through continued exercise, keeping weight down & heaps of ibuprofen & cbd oil, I am back skiing (as always with a brace w'flexion brake) & cycling albeit w'adapted crank shortener. Friends & colleagues who have had TPR's, single & doubles were up & walking in 2 weeks & skiing the next season. Every knee will tell a different tale. Best of luck!
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Do you worry about the new Knee wearing more quickly by continuing to ski on it and therefore needing a further replacement?
I'm 58 and facing a TKR in a few years. I'm not suitable for any surgery beforehand, so I have to manage the situation by reducing what I do, having injections and wearing a brace while I'm walking/golfing. I've decided to stop skiing completely now, given I can't do it to the level I want to and had no intention of starting again after surgery to ensure I can keep doing all the other low-impact activities I love to do. Am I being too cautious? I had 2 x ACL reconstructions on the knee 20 years ago, which is why it's in a mess now!
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You know it makes sense.
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Apologies for being slow to your question.
I have done many knee replacements for skiers.
A significant number of knees that require TKR in 50’s have had ACL/meniscus problems 20 to 30 years earlier.
You can have it done to do things you want to do or wait until you have to have it to do things you need to do.
Talk to your surgeon about risks but as long as you rehab well you should see a large benefit.
Knee replacements wear out very very slowly and I have yet to see one where the level of exercise was the main reason it wore out. My client base tend to be active- ski, tennis, horse ride etc.
There is no evidence that they need to be braced afterwards
Jonathan Bell
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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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only just seen this.
yes you can BUT you must also except the additional risk. if you have an accident with a fracture that means your replacement fails you are then more likely to have issues in trying to sort your knee out.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Sadly joining in this thread as I'm scheduled for a total knee replacement mid April. Its gotten to the stage where I cant walk more than 1km without my knee becoming useless really. Weirdest things are that I can happily ski, I get 2-3 hours without many issues, and I also went ski touring a few weeks ago for a few hours with no problem. However once I have to walk down a hill for any distance, I'm totally F0000Keeed. Swiss healthcare system however has come up trumps, saw the surgeon yesterday, scheduled for a shiney new knee, new patella, old iron mongery removal, osteocyte removal mid Apr....fingers crossed for season 23/24....
I'm hoping to be able to walk, play golf, cycle and ski? Any wise thoughts?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@coddlesangers, friend had hers done couple of years ago, modern technique and tech, absolutely brand new.
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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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@under a new name, very cool - happy outcomes great to hear!
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I had a friend had both of hers done at the same time. The doctors said it was better but the nurses advised against, I guess they had more work early days. Physio was started immediately and was followed by a trip to the rehab centre here in Austria 3 months later. Very quickly she could walk the dog much better / further, cycling was possible again and she was skiing pain free about 8 months after the op.
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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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@Chris_n, that's really encouraging - I'd want done both at once if at all possible. I know it's very trivial in comparison but I had varicose veins done on both legs years ago - was only a problem for 24 hours! My daughter had both eyes lasered at once. All the best with your knee, @coddlesangers 
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Thanks, that's a very encouraging article to read, I'm already on the prehab train!
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Quick thread bump, 6 months postoperative, had a great day yesterday in saas fee , no issue at all with the new robo / titanium knee. Could have done without the one hour wait for the lift to start running but all else fab.
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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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Hi. I had a total knee replacement in Dec 21 (aged 56) and skied again in Jan this year without any problems. However, I had been using a Ski Mojo for several years prior to the replacement and will continue to use it in future as it absorbs some of the shock to the knees. My old knee meant I had a wonky leg (defect from birth), but I now have a straight leg and this has improved my skiing. It's important to exercise before you go (squats and wall sits) to build up the strength in your knees. I'm booked to ski twice this season, including a ski safari in the Dolomites, so that will be a real test of the knee!
I hope all goes well for you.
https://ski-mojo.co.uk/?gclid=CjwKCAjwkY2qBhBDEiwAoQXK5Qku0IoRjKwB0MWx_y1rzsOa3a8aieWExlvncvcom4tTKwttqOrDzhoC6esQAvD_BwE
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@coddlesangers, @FionaG, great posts to read!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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It's great to hear about other peoples experience and these are good reports.
I had a total knee replacement at the start of July. I get very dispondent watching American youtube videos where the presenter brags that they got a 130 degree fexion 2 weeks after the operation and I am stuggling; everyone on youtube is doing better than me. Flexion has been a problem and I can only bend to 110 degrees after 4 months (up from 90 degrees at 6 weeks). Lots of activities have had to be modified, due to this limitation. Range of movement has been the major problem, the strength of the leg didn' t deteriate at all. Squats, lunges etc are no problem but only as the RoM allows.
There is still some pain, swelling and heat in the joint. This is gradually improving.
I bought an exercise bike and this has proved very good. I do twenty minutes each day progressively lowering the seat as pain allows.
I plan to go skiing over Christmas and will use a mojo
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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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@johnE, Don't be despondent John, you are very early in your recovery. My flexion also still only coming back and thats the main focus of my recovery once the post op swelling etc went down - my physio and I have worked hard on leg press, assisted range of motion squats and hamstring curls. Even with that, and being a few months further than you down the line, I'm at 125 deg max, hoping to get to 135 in the next few months. It can take up to a year to heal from a TKR fully. Skiing for me yesterday was totally fine, felt fantastic in fact as its the first time skiing with some cushioning in the knee via my new plastic meniscus  . I found the folks over on [url=]https://bonesmart.org/forum/[/url] to be an excellent and more realistic resource than youtube....
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@johnE, comparing yourself to folks on YouTube is a recipe for hopelessness. Instagram too is full of ancient crones performing impressive feats of mobility. It's still early days, though I can imagine it's discouraging when progress seems slow and painful. Hang in there.
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You know it makes sense.
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Is it worth reminding people of something Jonathan Bell once posted, a source of great comfort to me, namely that you don't need absolute maximum flexion for skiing.
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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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@coddlesangers, Thanks for that link. The trouble with the American videos is that I suspect they are driven by private clinics adverising their skills.
At the 6 week review the surgeon said he thought 90 degrees might be the limit but hoped for 110. TBH 100 is the pain free fexion at the moment. I could do with more even to make getting into and out of the car more comfortable (and rock climbing). After 4 weeks the physio decided working on leg strength was a waste of time as both legs were of equal and acceptable strength. Hamstring curls hurt a lot as the bench presses on the sensitive area just above the knee. 9kg is the limit. For straightening I found lying on the bed with a 2kg weight around the ankle and hanging off the bed worked well and got the strightening to almost straight.
I'll have a go on the dryslope next week.
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Poster: A snowHead
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| Hurtle wrote: |
| Is it worth reminding people of something Jonathan Bell once posted, a source of great comfort to me, namely that you don't need absolute maximum flexion for skiing. |
I've had 100 degree flexion since the age of 21 didn't stop me skiing.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Just took one of my knee replacements back skiing on my Return to Ski day last weekend.
First time he’d skied in 20 years without pain!
Main issues on returning:
It should perhaps be obvious that the rehab has to be done.
I like to get about 120 of flexi on but as @Frosty the Snowman, says you dont need to have that much.
The biggest issue is fear/ nervousness. So set expectations that the first trip/few days it just getting out and settling in with the knee that no longer hurts. I think it is invaluable to get a sympathetic instructor, even better one to one.
Also you will fatigue after a 2 to 3 hours so don't overdo it!
Good luck to anyone about to test their new knee this season.
Jonathan Bell
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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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@johnE, be patient. You aren’t even 6 months post op.
Full straightening is more important at this point.
Do your stretches to bend when warmed up but don't hammer the hell out of it.
Sustained stretches for a few minutes at a level of discomfort is fine.
You can doo too much and cause a low grade inflammation.
If you think you could be at risk of this get your physio to take a look.
Also nobody ever posts on social media saying “look at my average outcome - isn’t it great”.
Jonathan Bell
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@Jonathan Bell, Thank you for that advice. I appreciate it and understand that noone posts about doing average and no one is actually average. Everyone wants to boast or complain.
I'm still doing my stretches and probably will for the rest of my life. What has suprised me how much improvement there has been after the 6 week assessment and now approaching 5 months after the operation flexion is still improving. Just goes to show "don't trust youtube."
The operated on knee is still slightly warmer than the other, so healing, I suppose, is still happening.
I cycle on the exercise bike for about 20 minutes each day, gradually lowering the seat to the height of a childrens' bike. Though the first few turns hurt it improves rapidly. I suppose my biggest fear was actually cycling on the road again, but after the first 100m it was fine. I'm not afraid of skiing but the other big fear was being refused insurance. The insurance company said it was fine and did not add a surcharge.
10 days planned in Les Arcs over Chistmas and I plan to start gently.
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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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@johnE, I have not had a knee replacement, but a spinal fusion. What I have found is:
1. The older I get (now rapidly heading to mid 60s), the longer everything takes to settle...even relatively innocuous muscle strains - So patience is essential.
2. The exercises given by the Physio are vital - and should probably be continued for as long as you are able
3. Upping the intensity of the exercises in the hope of speeding up recovery, does the opposite
4. Consistency is the key
5. Get to understand exactly what you can cope with and work with that. Go gently but up the ante.
6. Working on muscle strength, flexibility and balance pay significant dividends
I am probably preaching to the choir - if so, I apologise.
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I do admire people who get back to skiing after a knee replacement!
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An update on my skiing after the full knee replacement.
It has been almost 6 months since the operation and recovery is happening slowly but positively. Straightning is OK as the knee can go straight, flexion is stuck at 110 degrees, but hopefully it will get better. I didn't lose much strength.
And I'm skiing
I've done 4 days so far, skiing only 3 or 4 hours a day in Les Arcs. I stop before I get tired and, of course, before any pain happens. I'm using a Ski Mojo. So far I've been doing mainly red pistes with only one black and no moguls. My wife reports that the quality of my skiing is about the same as before the op, but my son says better.
After being anxious to start with I'm now fully enjoying the skiing and being out in the mountains. I started rock climbing again a few months ago and that has helped a lot with my confidence and general fitness.
There has been one unforeseen problem, however, chairlifts. Here in Les Arcs some of the lifts are very low (for toddlers) and squatting down on to them is to say the least difficult. Ultimatley I just flop sideways onto some of them.
Overall the pain, swelling and difficulty with the replacement knee has been slightly less skiing than walking for the same length of time (probably due to the amount of time spent on lifts). I've needed no pain relief or experienced any difficulties.
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@johnE, That all sounds promising. I hope the good progress continues.
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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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@johnE, low chairlifts, especially for the tall, are a right pain
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@johnE, Good to hear your progress.
Chairlifts were an unforeseen problem for me too after my TKR.
I ended up trying to always keep a free seat to my side if possible and lean over.
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