Knee surgery

casatikid
casatikid Posts: 229
edited November 2018 in Road general
Following an accident at work over two years ago which has severely curtailed my cycling for over a year now it’s been decided I need a complete knee replacement.
Anyone had this procedure carried out and were they back to pretty much normal riding ability after it?
I’m not a racer but I do enjoy distance events .

Comments

  • kingrollo
    kingrollo Posts: 3,198
    I havent had the surgery. but have read numerous stories of people getting back to serious levels of cycling after TKR.
    nothings certain but the odds arw stacked in you favour.
  • DeVlaeminck
    DeVlaeminck Posts: 8,719
    A mate has been doing 100 'mile rides post replacement knee - he was only a commuter cyclist prior to the surgery - if you get the range of motion which is partly down to the rehab should be fine.
    [Castle Donington Ladies FC - going up in '22]
  • davem399
    davem399 Posts: 269
    A chap I meet up with a couple time a week had one replaced about 4 or 5 years ago. I can't remember how long he was off the bike, (possibly about 3 months, will check tomorrow) but he is riding well again, and he is now over 70.
  • Thanks to all who has offered comments on this subject.
    GRATEFUL.
  • poppit
    poppit Posts: 926
    There’s a programme showing the op just about to start on channel 5
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  • proto
    proto Posts: 1,483
    poppit wrote:
    There’s a programme showing the op just about to start on channel 5

    If you need knee surgery, probably best not watch that programme. Knee replacement is a brutal process involving chisels and big hammers.
  • davem399
    davem399 Posts: 269
    DaveM399 wrote:
    A chap I meet up with a couple time a week had one replaced about 4 or 5 years ago. I can't remember how long he was off the bike, (possibly about 3 months, will check tomorrow) but he is riding well again, and he is now over 70.
    I spoke with my mate who had a new knee. It was 3 months before he went out on the road, but he started using his turbo after a couple weeks.
  • My neighbour had one knee replaced this summer. I was very keen to watch his recovery as i have no right meniscus and only 50% in my left and was advised that the next step could be a replacement. I was very happy to see him out and about within a few days (he's 60yrs old) and back on his bike within 4wks, his bike is a Honda though :roll:

    Overall he said he would do the op again in a heart beat and wished he'd done it earlier as he now has less pain in his whole leg and even hip as he was walking to compensate his knackered knee.

    Whilst i'm not wanting to have mine replaced i feel it's only a matter of time..... but the cycling certainly does help me with blood flow and strength around my whole knee joint.

    If you go for it please do let us know how you get on, would be really interested.

    Good luck.
  • My neighbour had one knee replaced this summer. I was very keen to watch his recovery as i have no right meniscus and only 50% in my left and was advised that the next step could be a replacement. I was very happy to see him out and about within a few days (he's 60yrs old) and back on his bike within 4wks, his bike is a Honda though :roll:

    Overall he said he would do the op again in a heart beat and wished he'd done it earlier as he now has less pain in his whole leg and even hip as he was walking to compensate his knackered knee.

    Whilst i'm not wanting to have mine replaced i feel it's only a matter of time..... but the cycling certainly does help me with blood flow and strength around my whole knee joint.

    If you go for it please do let us know how you get on, would be really interested.

    Good luck.
    Hi, I’m going in sometime inJanuary and can’t wait. Just bought a turbo today to help with recovery.
  • mbrune
    mbrune Posts: 54
    proto wrote:
    poppit wrote:
    There’s a programme showing the op just about to start on channel 5

    If you need knee surgery, probably best not watch that programme. Knee replacement is a brutal process involving chisels and big hammers.

    As I understand it, it is brutal when doctors do the procedure by hand, but advancements in robotics have allowed several sites to offer it done with robotics. Much more precise, less dramatic hammering. Someone I know recently had it done this way (second knee replacement, first was by hand) and she was very happy with the result.

    I had a student who watched one done first hand by a doctor, she described the hammering and chiseling and it sounded extremely unpleasant. (bracket wasn't fitting over sawed off knee bone so they just went to town with the hammers) I'm also looking at knee replacements down the road as I've already had 3 knee surgeries, 2 of which were days after I had my knee joint lock up due to miniscus material preventing it from moving. As such I'm definitely going to make sure it's done in an operating room that uses a robot.
  • de_sisti
    de_sisti Posts: 1,283
    Waiting for the pre-op assessment before my knee(cap replacement) surgery.
  • Yup. Knee replacement here.

    Back in the day...I was a seriously competitive tester. Made 4th in Nat 25 mile champs one year!
    Started feeling general aches and pains, then got knocked into a ditch and two discs in my back went.
    Consultant told me they would heal but would take at least 10 years to recover, even then it wouldn't give me full mobility.
    Had a spell fell walking then went onto the mountain bike. Got reasonable but needed a full susser.
    Found knees and ankles were hurting so gave up. Just pootled about doing other things, but knee just got worse. Lots of injections that didn't work. Then I was passed into the beaurocratic nightmare that calls itself the No Help Service (Please can we have more money?) Took years to get anywhere with that shower. Finally I stamped my foot and within 2 months had a complete knee replacement.

    Sitting on the sidelines I'd become a couch potato. Overweight, expanding waistline and cholesterol rising. Once out of hospital I bought a single speed bike just to bumble around on. Got a bit keen so got some proper gear and then went up to a "proper" bike. Was riding trails and forest tracks to avoid going on the road. Then I became more confident and started seeking out the quiet roads round here. Now I'm mainly on the roads doing anything up to 75 miles as a morning out.

    Now invested in a £3500 cannondale carbon fibre jobbie (In the sale - natch!) which seems to be a better bike than I've ever had. Won't say I got the bug back...I won't be joining a club, and hate cafe stops, but I'm out regularly. Not today because the wind is vicious round here. Back has also healed and whilst it won't ever be right it is now manageable.
    But, in the last 12 months I've lost 2.5 stones in weight and 4" off my waist.

    The only real advice I have to give concerns the immediate post operation recovery. Do your exercises. They can be done, but will be hard at first. Persevere. I'm used to training routines so made damned sure I did the work. If you don't knuckle down in the first couple of days you will struggle to gain full flexibility. I was spending 40 minutes, 4 times a day working on my knee. That's what you need to do. What else will you be doing? You can't drive anywhere and can only walk for short distances - which you must also do. And ditch the crutches as soon as possible. Do it. It's a mental thing. If you want it you will. If you don't then you will always be behind the curve.

    One thing to be wary of is knee cap replacement. Surgeon left mine inplace even though there is arthritis behind it. He said he would replace it, as a second operation but would only guarantee a 40% chance of success. That's not good enough for me, or him, so I put up with the discomfort. I'm still in a far better place than I was before the op.

    As for riding a bike? Yes. Do it.