Riding after knee replacement

[fatbob]

Fellow riders, I got a total replacement of my right knee on Monday 1/16/12. It's feeling better but still hurts like a bastard! I think the Doc did a great job. Has anyone had this and how long before you felt comfortable riding afterward? I'm sure looking forward to riding without pain, my knee had bone on bone for years.

 

Thanks

 

[eddd]

It's been quite a few year since I had mine, but I think I was on a bicycle at about a month...motorcycling wasn't a priority, but I could have easily ridden the motorcycle after a month. Physical therapy was my life for a while after the surgery. I was borderline fanatical about getting the best result possible. I believe that was the key for me.

[Nice n Easy Rider]

I had my replacement before I took up riding again so can't help you on that issue. One piece of advice I can give though: use the pain meds they prescribe for you. Mine ran out after two weeks and I decided to "tough it out". After the next two weeks of little or restless sleep, and having gone back to work after the first two weeks, I got the message after I woke up after my head hit the keyboard at work. I called the nurse PA and got another prescription and that got me the sleep I needed. Anytime they start cutting and remodeling your bone you're going to have lots of pain - those nerves are really sensitive.

[kinchy]

My knee was done May 12, 2008. Got back on the Harley (more comfortable sitting for post knee replacement than the RT) on July 12th. I was focused on rehab going 3-4 days a week and considered way ahead of schedule during the healing process. We all heal differently but you'll know when its time. That knee/leg has to be capable of supporting you without pain or weakness when asked to do so while riding. Last thing you want to do is screw up all that work and have to go back for more pain, agony and rehab.

Wayne

[MAT2CHI]

I blew out my right knee back in 2005 and had surgery to repair it. I rode an exercise cycle for a few months before I rode a motorcycle again. The hard part was that I was still riding dirt bikes - and my doctor told me that was out of the question as I’d reinjure my right knee kicking my bike over. He being a street rider thought I could still ride my street bikes.

 

My wife asked me what the doctor said about my riding and I told her he suggested I buy an electric start dirt bike - hence the Honda CRF450X in my motorcycle list.

 

I wear Asterisk knee braces for added security and piece of mind- see link below.

 

http://www.asteriskbrace.com/

[fatbob]

Thanks for the responses fellows. Had my first PT session today, the doc and PT are both happy. I know that religious rehab is the key, so i'll hit that hard. Before the surgery I got my old hack rig ready to ride, she will get a lot of miles this year! The doc's advice on when to ride is of course "never". Orthopeadic surgeons are not big fans of motorcycling I guess.

 

Thanks

 

 

[Nice n Easy Rider]

Thanks for the responses fellows. Had my first PT session today, the doc and PT are both happy. I know that religious rehab is the key, so i'll hit that hard. Before the surgery I got my old hack rig ready to ride, she will get a lot of miles this year! The doc's advice on when to ride is of course "never". Orthopeadic surgeons are not big fans of motorcycling I guess.

 

Thanks

 

They're probably much worse fans of skiing. When I asked my orthopedic surgeon if I could ski after my knee replacement he said that he would prefer I didn't but, knowing I probably would, he asked me to try to stay off the moguls. I think the standard advice of "never" is a result of having to try to put back together some of these young, reckless, fearless kids that come to them through the ERs.

[Tech1]

I am a candidate for hip replacement. From what I have heard this may be more of a problem because you shouldn't rotate a replacement hip as far. Anyone have any input on this?

[RockBottom]

I know that religious rehab is the key, so i'll hit that hard.

 

That and icing. After mine was done, I got one of these after using it at my therapist and very, very strongly recommend it.

 

I was lucky that I started a sabbatical to write a book right after the surgery, so I was able to work in shorts.

 

The biggest annoyance now is always setting off the metal detectors in airports and getting the full monty.

[fatbob]

I have a good friend that had double hip replacements at 44 years old (former NCAA football player ) 6'-7" and 300 lbs, big guy. He was back to golfing in 6 months. He does not ride. Good luck with it! The technology is amazing.

 

Bob

 

 

 

[fatbob]

Rockbottom: The hospital sent me home with the Cyro-Cuff, it is a lifesaver like you say. I'm sure they charged me $500.00 for it, Its $125.00 on the site you showed.

 

Thanks

 

 

[RockBottom]

Rockbottom: The hospital sent me home with the Cyro-Cuff, it is a lifesaver like you say. I'm sure they charged me $500.00 for it, Its $125.00 on the site you showed.

 

Thanks

 

 

I feel only slightly guilty about how I got mine. I'd been using one in rehab and wrote the company telling them how much I liked it. I wasn't fishing for anything--just giving them postivie feedback. But my email signature had "dr." in it. Which I am, but not an MD. I think they misunderstood and sent me a free one.

[plext]

Mine was not a replacement but rather a heavy duty reconstruction after a 7.62mm round went through it. I'd assume recovery is at least somewhat similar.

 

It took me a month to the day to return to the bike after being very dilligent with the physio work, though it took at least another three weeks before I could ride for an hour without a quick stop to stretch the knee now and then. Initially, about 15 minutes was the maximum I could deal with.

 

All told it took perhaps 3-4 months before the knee was truly bike fit to the point that I never noticed it at all.

[Rich06FJR1300]

i know one rider who had both knees done. He couldn't bend the knee far enough to fit on his R100RT, so he bought a scooter! suzuki bergman so he could at least ride during this transition. He's ok now and can bend the knees far enough now to sit on his beemer and then sold the suzuki.

[RockBottom]

Mine was not a replacement but rather a heavy duty reconstruction after a 7.62mm round went through it. I'd assume recovery is at least somewhat similar.

 

.

 

Probably a little similar but the reason recovery from a knee replacement is so challenging is because the surgery requires actually sawing through the tibia and fibula to pound the artificial joints on. That's the reason is also much harder than hip replacement--because two of the largest, load bearing bones in the body are cut.

[eddd]

Mine was not a replacement but rather a heavy duty reconstruction after a 7.62mm round went through it. I'd assume recovery is at least somewhat similar.

 

.

 

Probably a little similar but the reason recovery from a knee replacement is so challenging is because the surgery requires actually sawing through the tibia and fibula to pound the artificial joints on. That's the reason is also much harder than hip replacement--because two of the largest, load bearing bones in the body are cut.

 

There used to be a show on TV called The Operation. Right before my surgery they showed a total knee replacement. It was more carpentry than anything else...jigs, saws, drills, and hammers.

[RockBottom]

Mine was not a replacement but rather a heavy duty reconstruction after a 7.62mm round went through it. I'd assume recovery is at least somewhat similar.

 

.

 

Probably a little similar but the reason recovery from a knee replacement is so challenging is because the surgery requires actually sawing through the tibia and fibula to pound the artificial joints on. That's the reason is also much harder than hip replacement--because two of the largest, load bearing bones in the body are cut.

 

There used to be a show on TV called The Operation. Right before my surgery they showed a total knee replacement. It was more carpentry than anything else...jigs, saws, drills, and hammers.

 

My doctor told my wife that my bones were so hard that he had to stop and change the saw blade twice. Before it started they asked me if I wanted to be in "twilight sleep" rather than knocked completely out. I said--"Let me think about this: smelling the smoke as you saw through my bones? I think I'll pass on that experience."

[kinchy]

All I can say after reading all the comments and having one knee replaced is I hope the other one lasts. There was nothing about that experience I want to revisit.

[plext]

I wasn't fully aware of the details, but presumed there would be some sort of carpentry like work going on and to be frank, it sounds faintly horrific. No doubt something I can look forward to when the repairs finally give out

 

Awake while they do it? The hell with that!

[Nice n Easy Rider]

(HIJACK)

Just thought I'd share an amusing story about my replacement which occurred in 2003. The doctors had been putting me off for about 3-4 years telling me I was too young (55 yo at the time) and they didn't want to have to put another one in 20 years later (the failure rate is <1% per year so there would still be about a 75% chance the replacement would still be working when I was 85 yo). I finally convinced them that not being able to exercise was going to be a lot worse than possibly having to do a second replacement later.

 

A light seemed to come on in their brains and they suddenly realized this made sense. They also realized that the DVD the hospital gave to patients before their surgery showed some 75-80 yo man hobbling around with a cane in each hand before his surgery. So they asked me if I would be willing to help them make a new video showing that you didn't have to be old & decrepit before you had your surgery. I agreed and they had a cameraman and a writer following me and my wife around for a couple of weeks before the surgery, during the pre-op prep and as I came out of the recovery room, etc. They also filmed the recovery in the hospital, the first part of rehab (how to use crutches, how to put your socks on, etc.). Of course, one of the benefits of allowing them to film me was I got the best room in the hospital.

 

For reasons I was never told I must have lost a fair amount of blood during the surgery and the surgeon had opted not to give me any blood so my hematocrit was low. Therefore they didn't get me out of bed the first day after surgery but the therapist came in to do that the 2nd day. Of course, lying prone for 1.5-2 days can have an unwanted effect on your blood pressure when you then stand up. First she had me sit up on the side of the bed with my feet hanging off to see how I was feeling. She then had me stand up to see how I was doing. All I know is what they told me: As I started to fall backwards the cameraman had to make a quick decision: get it all on film or leap to try to catch me. He got most of it on film and managed to steady the fall at the end.

 

Needless to say, they cut that part out of the final release of this introductory DVD to total knee replacement. They did offer me an uncut version though! (END OF HIJACK)

[RockBottom]

I was in my 40s when mine was done. It was an old high school football injury which had been 'scoped multiple times but had developed arthritis to the point I had to walk with a cane.

 

I've heard that doing a replacement is not nearly as bad since they don't have to saw the bone, but just pop off the old one and pound on a new one.

[kinchy]

Although for the most part my replacement hasn't been an issue, on occasion (going down stairs) I get a reminder that it's there. Have you guys had similar issues? I haven't played tennis or racquetball since the replacement for fear of screwing it up.

Just curious....

[JohnnyJ]

I haven't had knee replacement surgery, but in recent years I have had shoulder and Achilles tendon repair surgery. I could have gone back to riding a lot sooner than I did, but my concern was: Could I react aggressively in a dangerous situation? What would be the consequences IF I went down.

 

Part of the decision of when to ride again is RISK ASSESMENT and how much risk are you willing to take while your body is still healing.

 

 

Johnny J