OT - Knee replacement

[George Pazin]

[Apologies for the OT topic. Please feel free to respond to me via private message on the site or email to geopazin@gmail.com.]


I'm just wondering if anyone has experience with knee replacement surgery - when did you decide to have it? How was golf afterward? How long till you were playing again?


Thanks in advance for any assistance. Hope everyone out there is happy and healthy in the new year.


gp

[Steve Lapper]

George,


  After years of competitive skiing, 2 ACL- MCL repairs and 8 debridements later, I had a full replacement on my left knee in 2013. The bone-on-bone pain had begun to make even sleep or rest uncomfortable and often painful.


 I scouted out orthopaedic surgeons who specialized in the procedure and did dozens and dozens of replacements per month. You want an MD who focuses almost exclusively on the knees and does the surgery every day....it makes a huge difference. You also want it done at a hospital that supports a highly active orthopedic surgical program. A replacement is a straight-forward surgery if done correctly by a very experienced surgeon and in a good hospital that successfully mitigates the risk of infection (biggest risk).


Rehab determines the timing of your recovery and its all on you. If you can push through the pain and recover your range of motion as fast as possible, you'll be back on the golf course inside 3-4mos. I was chipping and putting in 4 weeks and swinging wedges and some irons inside 6 weeks. Regaining your muscle strength (quadriceps and hamstrings) will make the difference for the power swings and walking the course. Nine years later, my left leg is stronger than my right and I can walk 18 holes most anywhere. Hope that helps and feel free to DM me is you want anymore details.






 

[JMEvensky]

What Steve Lapper said--especially the part about finding a surgeon who cuts on knees almost exclusively.

[Carl Rogers]

Anthony Carter, Newport News, VA replaced both hips in 2018. 100% successful.
 Does knees too.

[George Pazin]

Thanks for the responses, and thank you to those who emailed me as well.


FYI, this is stemming from a knee injury that happened 19 years ago. And when I mentioned it offhand on here way back then, Steve actually phoned me shortly after, and that conversation greatly assuaged many of the fears/concerns I had. I didn't know Steve at the time, he simply saw it and found me and called, which speaks volumes as to the person he is. Many thanks.


I do have two knee specialists here that I consult with. For me, it's mostly just a question of when, not if. And I think the when is not far away.


Thanks again.

[Rob Marshall]

George, Did you ever tear the meniscus on that knee and have surgery? I've got a torn meniscus on one knee and I've beeen doing exercises to try and avoid surgery because I've heard it can lead to knee replacement. The only time it really bothers me is when I sleep. I'll wake up in the middle of the night and it feels like someone is holding a torch to my knee.

[George Pazin]

Rob,


When I injured my knee, it was initially diagnosed by the ER doc as a medial collateral ligament tear. He demonstrated this to me by bending my knee in way God did not intend...


I went to the orthopedic surgeon 2 days later, and he said, yeah, you tore your ACL as well. He showed me this by pulling my lower leg in a way God did not intend.


I went and got an MRI a few days later and went back to the ortho's office. Two doctors read the MRI and said, WOW, you really did a number on your knee. I tore the ACL completely, the MCL partially, and the meniscus in multiple places. When I eventually had it fixed, the surgeon replaced the ACL with an autograft and the MCL stitched with a few stitches/sutures. And he snipped out the parts of the meniscus damaged.


I'm under the (likely mistaken) impression that meniscus tears aren't as big a deal (those are the kind of things that result in athletes having arthroscopic surgery and returning a few weeks later), but ligament replacement is a big deal. Steve, with his abundance of experience (he was a skiing stud, unlike me, I was a mathematics stud, which is not to underscore his scale on that latter part, he'd probably top me there, too), could probably speak more knowledgeably about this. I had ACL reconstruction with an autograft, the surgeon made a new ACL from a hamstring graft. Two other friends told me to go with an allograft, but I wanted my surgeon to do what he wanted and recommended, which was the autograft.


My knee never wakes me up. I limp in the morning, until it loosens up. I am never pain free, but it never rises very high. The reason I posted this thread is I don't want to spend 15 years limping half the day, if I could short circuit that. I have another friend who had knee replacement, he's younger than me (I'm 55) and he said he wished he had done it sooner.


Feel free to email me and I will send you my cell number if you'd like to speak about it. As I mentioned earlier about Steve, talking with someone is very helpful, imho.

[Ed Brzezowski]

10 knee ops and then had both replaced in November of 2013. Finding a great ortho guy is key as is a place that excels at rehab.


Stick to their schedule and don't try to outpace their goals. Rehab is no place to be macho, listen to them.


Was back walking and playing in March. Could have goner a touch earlier but the weather did not cooperate.


If you get both done be careful 2-3 weeks out. I was told you can experience some "down moods" and that was very true. Why did I do this? What was I thinking? Once through that you will start seeing the benefits and painless future. it is worth the pain and effort.


Good luck.

[Marty Bonnar]

Since we’re having an ‘ailment airing’ session, I’ll chip in with my Hip. Despite the anti-inflammatories and painkillers, it’s been getting steadily worse for maybe ten years now. Last golf season I had to walk off often after nine or twelve holes. That was the last straw! Even bending down to push a tee in or pick up my ball was getting more difficult and painful.
In the UK, thanks largely to the Covids, we’ve got a fairly long waiting list for just about everything they do at hospitals. I’ve been told six to twelve months, but it’s been so long coming, I can easily wait that out. Bring it on!
F.

[David Cronan]

George,


My ex was the national council for a leading medical device company, and she was involved with many trials pertaining to both hip and knee replacements.


The only thing I can add to the conversation here is that while it's certainly important to find an experienced, talented Orthopedic Surgeon, it's also important to that he/she has a long, proven track record with the type of device they are going to use as your replacement.


And as somebody who has had a total shoulder replacement, I can attest that your diligent rehabilitation cannot be understated with respect to your long-term recovery.


Good luck.

[Rob Marshall]

Thanks George!

[Ken Moum]

My wife has FIVE total joint replacements.  FIVE.  Both knees, both shoulders and one hip.


She played golf five weeks after the two knee replacements.  In one case I signed us up for a tournament five weeks after her surgery and we played in it.


Rode at the beginning, then would have me drive the cart while she walked a few holes. 


The shoulders are slower, had her second one done Nov. 9 and just hit balls for the first time last Sunday. And only hit them with half swings.

[JMEvensky]

My wife has FIVE total joint replacements.  FIVE.  Both knees, both shoulders and one hip.


She played golf five weeks after the two knee replacements.  In one case I signed us up for a tournament five weeks after her surgery and we played in it.


Rode at the beginning, then would have me drive the cart while she walked a few holes. 


The shoulders are slower, had her second one done Nov. 9 and just hit balls for the first time last Sunday. And only hit them with half swings.

Major props to your wife--if there's an orthopedic surgery Hall Of Fame, she must have her own wing.

[Ken Moum]

My wife has FIVE total joint replacements.  FIVE.  Both knees, both shoulders and one hip.


She played golf five weeks after the two knee replacements.  In one case I signed us up for a tournament five weeks after her surgery and we played in it.


Rode at the beginning, then would have me drive the cart while she walked a few holes. 


The shoulders are slower, had her second one done Nov. 9 and just hit balls for the first time last Sunday. And only hit them with half swings.

Major props to your wife--if there's an orthopedic surgery Hall Of Fame, she must have her own wing.

No doubt.



She has had a total of seven knee operations, including an ACL reconstruction as well as carpal tunnel on both wrists, and rotator cuff on both shoulders.


She says the ACL was the toughest rehab of them all.

[Tim_Weiman]

George,


My brother-in-law is 71 years old and recently had both knees replaced. His issues date back to injuries playing high school football.


He had his surgeries at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York which I understand is probably the best place to have such procedures done.


I’m sure he would be happy to talk to you about his experience.

[George Pazin]

No doubt.



She has had a total of seven knee operations, including an ACL reconstruction as well as carpal tunnel on both wrists, and rotator cuff on both shoulders.


She says the ACL was the toughest rehab of them all.

Well, that's encouraging at least! I've been through that. While it did end my dream of a career as the only 5'9" power forward in the NBA, I made it through that ok.


Thanks, Tim, I'll reach out at some point. As I think I mentioned before, for me, it's a matter of when, not if, I'm basically just trying to figure out the timing.


Thanks everyone else for the advice and encouraging words, it helps a lot.

[SL_Solow]

George,  Mine isn't as bad; a meniscus tear that is being controlled through exercise and an occasional cortisone shot.  One word of advice; I tend to rely on specialists who are hired by professional sports franchises.  Given the large investments that they have in the health of players who are under contract, i have found that they are very careful in their choice of physicians

[Rob Marshall]

George,  Mine isn't as bad; a meniscus tear that is being controlled through exercise and an occasional cortisone shot.  One word of advice; I tend to rely on specialists who are hired by professional sports franchises.  Given the large investments that they have in the health of players who are under contract, i have found that they are very careful in their choice lf physicians

Great point. My nephew just has surgery on his pitching arm by the Dr who is the surgeon for the Baltimore Orioles. He's on the team at Georgtown.

[JMEvensky]

Well, that's encouraging at least! I've been through that. While it did end my dream of a career as the only 5'9" power forward in the NBA, I made it through that ok.

I bet you could've been the next Elvin Hayes--minus a foot or so.

[Tommy Williamsen]

At different times I've had both ACLs replaced from skiing accidents. It took six months before I was given the green light to ski, run, or play golf. I skied with a friend of mine last week that had one knee replacement in August and the other in October.

[mike_beene]

My wife had hip replacement 3 weeks ago and you wouldn’t know she had surgery. She walked 2 miles the fifth day after surgery. It seems the process keeps improving.

[George Pazin]

George,  Mine isn't as bad; a meniscus tear that is being controlled through exercise and an occasional cortisone shot.  One word of advice; I tend to rely on specialists who are hired by professional sports franchises.  Given the large investments that they have in the health of players who are under contract, i have found that they are very careful in their choice of physicians

Hi Shel!


My surgeon for my ACL has operated on many Steelers, but alas, my NFL and NBA career never blossomed...


JME -


I fancied myself more a Barkley type forward (my all time favorite ad line: The meek may inherit the earth, but they won't get the ball...).


Thanks Tommy and Mike for the thoughts. At this point, I'm assuming I'll probably have surgery in just under a year, that's our slow time at work and I will rehab before the golf season starts around here.


The alternative is I turn around and start playing left handed... one of my friends says my swing looks better from that side. Which kinda makes sense, I do a lot of things left handed.