36, Fresh off knee replacement!

erinwilliams2480
erinwilliams2480 Posts: 5 Member
in Introduce Yourself
Hi all! My name is Erin and I'm a 36 year old mother of 2 very young energetic boys. I am 8 weeks out of total knee replacement and about to start my rebuilding/weight loss journey. Although I'm excited I'm also very nervous and terrified as the surgery and recovery has been an arduous time with some issues. Still a lot of pain and I'm hoping that getting in the gym and working on some ROM will help work some of the tenderness out. Very pleased to be here and looking forward to meeting you all!

Replies

  • BHFF
    BHFF Posts: 421 Member
    Pleasure to meet you as well, good luck with your rehab and if you have any questions dont hesitate to ask
  • SweetP27
    SweetP27 Posts: 218 Member
    Good luck with your rehab!
  • johnmfp68
    johnmfp68 Posts: 204 Member
    Best of luck Erin. I had a knee surgery earlier in the year (need another one) and cycling helped so much with rom and with fitness, it burns calories while sitting down
  • Treece68
    Treece68 Posts: 780 Member
    Good luck! So young for a knee replacement my SO (47) needs one but doctors told him he was to young.
  • erinwilliams2480
    erinwilliams2480 Posts: 5 Member
    Yup... the youngest my doctor has done and he's a really great doctor. He did Terry Bradshaw, lol. The top of my tibia had begun to necrotize which accelerated the need. It's a brutal surgery. I don't know how older folks do it!
  • browneyedgirl749
    browneyedgirl749 Posts: 4,984 Member
    I'll add you!! I have some knee pain so I'd like to see what kind of workouts you do throughout your healing process. Good luck on the recovery!!
  • erinwilliams2480
    erinwilliams2480 Posts: 5 Member
    Thank you!!! I'm thinking a lot of recumbent biking is best for now.
  • rdfaye
    rdfaye Posts: 39 Member
    I will add you. I am 48 and had my knee replaced last year (lousy genetics). Best thing I ever did, but the PT was intense. It still swells/stiffens at times, but is otherwise fantastic. I got off track this year, and need to get my weight down to protect the remains knee.
  • loobe1066
    loobe1066 Posts: 206 Member
    I have sent a friends request I am 50 and due to have knee replacement in April.
    Good luck
  • natyyl85510
    natyyl85510 Posts: 36 Member
    Ouch I'm 36 I had a hip replacement 4 years ago am now in need of a knee replacement
  • marymcla
    marymcla Posts: 9 Member
    I had right knee replacement in November and due to have the left one done in the Spring. I needed to lose 150# to have this surgery and struggled to maintain through all of this plus the holidays. I would like to send you a freind request!
  • Sharon_C
    Sharon_C Posts: 2,132 Member
    Had a total hip replacement at 46. Was my doctor's youngest patient too. It was the best thing I've ever done. Once you don't have pain you feel like an entirely new person. It's amazing how much pain will sap your energy. Good luck with the rehab!
  • Fit4LifeAR
    Fit4LifeAR Posts: 233 Member
    I know this post is old but I am hoping you run across it soon. I am 37 and just a year out of my TKR. It was the best thing I have ever done, but the limitations after surgery really throw you through a mental loop, especially if you work out all of the time. I am back at the gym and have been for months, but my focus now is rebuilding the strength in my quad. The muscle imbalance after a TKR is unbelievable, and I need to fix it. The more I do that, the more "normal" I feel. I also did my first 5k since my TKR last weekend, but I only walked it. Oddly enough, walking long distances was almost impossible until I realized I needed to strengthen my quad and fix my gait. I wish I had started doing this 6 months ago! Anyhow, my issue now is I really miss running, I mean terribly! I have been trying to researching whether TKRs are really a no-go for jogging, as there are no long-term studies. There has been one 8 year study done and they found no difference in patients that run and patients that didn't, so that is promising. At our age though, we need them to last. Sometimes I tell myself that even in 10 years, TKRs will be completely different than they are today and technology will make the whole process much easier...but do I want to risk it? LoL you can see my dilemma! I may compromise and stick with intervals, once I feel strong enough, but time will tell.
  • aWildFlowere
    aWildFlowere Posts: 76 Member
    Risk it? No. 48 & avoided TKR for years to long. All surgeons I met with over the years said no to running. Heck some said downhill skiing is risky because with any of this stuff you will blow out all the supportive structures when u F u your bionic knee. One of the very sr surgeons I met with said if I blow it out I will never walk correctly again. Not only would the aforementioned suck but imagine having your 2nd & 3rd TKR’s in your lifetime...yep perm handicapped.

    Even if advancements occur the timing might not match up. The advancement needs to be significant...flexion to 1no clicking, making kneeling feel normal and longevity

    Us max stress artificial knee folks wear them out faster...one surgeon said only 5 years if I beat on it with all the high impact activities/adrenaline junkie stuff. My surgeon works with the US Olympic ski team...most of us aren’t Lindsey Vonn fit. Even if we only ski Blues we risk a lot more than the average TKR that is merely golfing.

    I cringe at the guarantee I will at least need 1-2 more replacements of my knee. I can’t imagine having to do my other one once half an acl finally disintegrates. I had 2 reconstructions and two less intrusive surgeries before this replacement on 9/25/18. The thought of all the pain plus rehab makes me cringe!

    You can get the “runners high” and get the fitness benefits with many other sports...road biking and rowing for example. Really explore hobby and exercise options...try some new stuff...maybe hiking trails or doing some active or going something of less impact at a faster pace could replace running. Maybe look at it as pro athletes do when deciding to retire...it is new, challenging phase of life to enjoy after you mourn and put into perspective the past and the circumstances.

    I am still focusing on early TKR recovery and want to avoid anthrofibrosis and tearing out supportive structures with merely re-learning to walk with more extension (had 10% flextime the last 10-20 yrs has sucked).

    Feel free to friend me and refer others to me & vice versa. I don’t recall at the moment if there is a TKR board here?

    Respectfully,

    Erica

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