Total Knee Replacement - my experience might help you

[MEM]

All of you Clicks and Clackers....check Dr Google for PATELLAR CLUNK SYNDROME

 

[El Toro]

Thanks MEM. Thats fascinating!

 

[K_Flyer]

Hmm. They say "painful" but I certainly do not experience any pain with my click and clack.

 

[bigjohnsd]

Patients were diagnosed with patellar clunk at an average of 12 months after their latest knee arthroplasty, with a range of 3 to 47 months. All patients complained of anterior knee pain and the clunk.

 

[Warchild]

At the risk causing controversy.... I contend that this "Patellar Clunk Syndrome" and the "clicking" under discussion is NOT one and the same.

Patellar Clunk Syndrome presents itself with pain associated with the movement. Patellar Clunk Syndrome is a real "thing", no question.

But that's not what is happening to the majority of post-surgical "clicking" knees that most folks are discussing here. There is no pain. There is ZERO pain... at worst, there might be (like with myself) some mount of mental angst/irritation, but it's wholly due to unexpected post-surgical "noise".

If you indeed have pain with knee actuation as described by Patellar Clunk Syndrome, you most likely indeed have the Syndrome, and doctors (and every bit as important, insurance coverage) are more inclined to go back in there.

At least, two members of my Surgical Team have separately told me, in no uncertain terms: spurious knee "noises" that are without pain and still allow for a normal gait and normal extension/flexation numbers (180-degrees and 120-degrees, respectively), they will NOT go back in. Pain, or structural anomaly can get you back on the operating table.

But noisy knees will not.

 

[El Toro]

Maybe the article I read was wrong, but it said that there may be pain, or not. It depends on the status of the lump/scar tissue.

It said that if there is no pain, then no one is going get in there with arthroscopic tools and clean it up.

It also outlined some of the issues in how the procedure was done, and what artificial joint was used.

And it recommended that the possibility of clicking should be raised pre-op.

I am not a surgeon, but the idea that everyones surgeon is lying to them seems patently bogus at the outset.

The clicking may go away, or not. There may be pain, or not. Theyre not going to fix it for the clicking. They will for the pain.

One thing this thread has taught me is that I do not want to push my knees so hard that I end up needing the surgery. Maybe there are advantages to sedentary careers.

 

[Jer]

After reading this post I will hold off any work on my knees. I am 6 weeks out on my recent hip joint surgery and can walk without pain, except when going up stairs. My main problem from the hip surgery was constipation from the pain pills, but I won't go into that.

I appreciate this post for a lot of good information about knee joint replacement. Before reading this information I was thinking that within a few years I would have to have my right knee replaced. 5 or 6 years ago I was diagnosed with a bone on bone situation on the right side of the right knee. I went to a doctor because knee would lock up in certain situations and cause considerable pain and a loud click when disengaged. I will in the future try harder to keep the knee from locking up.

 

[K_Flyer]

My main problem from the hip surgery was constipation from the pain pills, but I won't go into that.

One word -- "Miralax." Been through at least nine bouts with pain killers after surgery or accident. Nurse told me about Miralax a couple of surgeries ago and it all worked out. (Pun not intended!)

 

[HotRodZilla]

Guys with bone-on-bone knee issues: A friend of mine, recently had a "new" procedure done to his knees. It is created to regenerate cartilage and only had him off each leg for 5 days. It's supposed to be awesome. Problem is, I haven't talked to him since he was scheduled to have his first knee done. I know this is crappy info, but it's worth asking questions about and looking into, before getting body parts replaced.

 

[Jer]

Guys with bone-on-bone knee issues: A friend of mine, recently had a "new" procedure done to his knees. It is created to regenerate cartilage and only had him off each leg for 5 days. It's supposed to be awesome. Problem is, I haven't talked to him since he was scheduled to have his first knee done. I know this is crappy info, but it's worth asking questions about and looking into, before getting body parts replaced.

I will ask around if the knee starts causing me pain walking. Thanks for the tip.

 

[GinaMcD]

Guys with bone-on-bone knee issues: A friend of mine, recently had a "new" procedure done to his knees. It is created to regenerate cartilage and only had him off each leg for 5 days. It's supposed to be awesome. Problem is, I haven't talked to him since he was scheduled to have his first knee done. I know this is crappy info, but it's worth asking questions about and looking into, before getting body parts replaced.

Would love to know what the procedure is as it sounds promising. In the past their only option seemed to be "microfracture" -- essentially drilling microscopic holes into the bone to induce "bleeding," then keeping all weight off the knee long enough for scar tissue to form in place of the cartiledge. It cost my husband nine months of his life, much of it spent in a passive motion machine. Less than six months after the doctors declared him fit to return to normal activity, he was in just as much pain as he was after the surgery. A follow up MRI showed the procedure had no lasting benefit. All this was to delay knee replacement surgery as he was deemed too young for it, despite the fact he was in agony, so much so that he traded his Concours for a Harley! In the end, he was traveling around the country on his new FJR just three months after the first knee, and the HD was sporting a "For Sale" sign by the time he had the second one done.

They do say it takes about 12 months to feel normal again after surgery, and he found that to be true. He had his done 12 months apart (both at the end of March -- conveniently timed to preserve the bulk of our riding season) and that worked out well. He's now eight and seven years post-op and still kicking himself for waiting as long as he did.

All the click-clack stories remind me of the sign prominently posted in the grungy little auto repair shop we used to take our cars to - "We don't fix noises!"

 

[bigjohnsd]

14 months since surgery, generally don't think about the knee, however, it was aching this morning. Weather? Slept on it funny? 5 hours in the garage yesterday? Who knows, but still better than before surgery.

 

[dcarver]

107 days later. Still clacking. Rode the FJR for two hours and was able to keep flexion pain pretty much under control. Still dragging foot across seat. Got get to the gym. Graduated PT and have got lazy on the exercises..

 

[hppants]

Offering a shameless bump to Carver's thread for an update:

It's been 3 months now since my wife's knee replacement surgery. The improvement over the past month has been noticeable. First, her flexibility has increased to 120 degrees forward, and almost straight (maybe 1 degree short). Her pain is 95% gone, with the stubborn 5% only rearing its ugly head when she pushes it at the gym. She continues to ride the exercise bike diligently, and I personally think that this has made the best overall progress in her recovery - full range of motion without the high loading. We hit the gym 3 times a week for some simple weight training, followed by 20 minutes of treadmill or similar. Every morning before we leave for work, we do her stretches. Yes, she still loathes this part, but she does it without complaining.

Good attitude with her now too. She's well over the hump, she knows it, and the success of her conquer makes her feel good about herself. She did something and she's rightfully proud.

There's a rock wall climb at the gym. She's set a goal to climb it before the end of the year. Yesterday, I got her to sign the waiver and at least put her feet on it. She went up 2 steps and the stretch for the 3rd step was more than she could handle. Just fine and dandy with me. The benefit of this exercise is using your entire body to compensate for the weakest links. She'll learn that along the way. Besides, the only way to eat an elephant is one bite at a time.

 

[wallyo]

At 60 years old, my knees have been bothering me for a couple years. I attribute their deterioration to heavy running ,biking, and heavy squats in my younger years. I've been to the doctor twice now for cortisone shots, in only about a month. Going up and down stairs makes my knees sound like gravel grinding in a blender. I go in Tuesday for the "chicken liquid/cortisone" shot, and am told that it should last me about three months, but that my surgery is inevitable. My knees are already bone on bone with my femur bone, and obviously getting worse. As a prior Navy man of 20 years, and now a walking mailman, I don't take it easy on my knees at all; living in Minnesota, I walk through a lot of snow and on a lot of ice, so I'm trying to schedule my surgery/PT for post riding season, late December, I'll have one knee done, and once I'm able to go up, and down stairs; I'll go into surgery for the other knee.

After reading all these posts, I have a clearer picture of what to expect, and I thank you all. Thank you DC for starting this thread,Pants, I hope your wife continues successfully with her recovery, and to all that have related their experiences, thank you as well.

Riding season is coming for me , so I'm excited to get out riding again, and get some miles under my belt before putting my knees under the knife.

Ride safe everyone.

Wallyo

 

[K_Flyer]

Riding season is coming for me , so I'm excited to get out riding again, and get some miles under my belt before putting my knees under the knife. Ride safe everyone. Wallyo

Been there, done that! The winter before I replaced my left knee, I had a few bad falls skiing so the knee was shot. I didn't want to lose a riding season so had to wear a clunky knee brace all summer. I'd take the brace off to ride and stick it under a bungee on the rear seat. Had to put it back on before I got off the bike. Yes, I know I was taking a risk but ...

 

[wallyo]

Kflyer, do you still ski? I snowboard, but the doc told me falling on the knee could be problematic, i.e. bone breaking , damage to the new knee...etc, etc. Any experience with this?

 

[K_Flyer]

I don't ski anymore. Main reason is that the place where we used to ski was sold and the senior 6-day season pass went from $149 to over $420. I would probably still ski, even though my doctor discouraged it. I never was all that good but did enjoy it. We both enjoy riding our FJR's more than skiing. Season passes for both of us would cover a set of new tires for each bike!