Knee replacement

[Dora26]

Anyone got any experience ie 1.how bad does the pain have to be to consider this 2. What was recovery like and how long did it take. I am 54 and fit and healthy otherwise. TIA

Yes I had one in 2014. Years of dislocating kneecap, cartridge problems and pain. I was on a stick for two years. Now I am not but still have pain and have reduced mobility, although it is better than when I was on a stick. The pain of the operation is about 8/10 for around 8 weeks and you will be laid up for longer as you recover. So you need to asses what impact your knee is having on your life against possible benefits such as less pain than before, or no stick. I was warned it wasn't a cure all, and that the existing condition should be bad before contemplating the op. And they were right. However my limited recovery could be because I had had 30 years of problems and 3 previous ops so the quality of the muscles (basically non existent) around the replacement was very poor.

Only you can decide how bad your pain has to be be as it’s how much you can tolerate and how much it impacts on your daily life.

It is a big operation and not always as successful as hip replacements-approx 10% of patients do have ongoing pain issues. The main thing is to get it moving quickly so it doesn’t stiffen and keep going with the post-op exercises given to maximise your movement. You’re young, fit and well so that’s a bonus. Also if you carry any extra weight, try and lose as much as possible to reduce wear in the new joint.

I haven't had a knee replacement though had an op on my knee aged 13 but that's not the same thing.

My cousin had knee replacement just a few years ago and it wasn't too bad at all, much better than she expected and she recovered quickly. She charges about all over the place.

So good luck, let us know how you get on.

Watching in interest as my DM (60s) may need this very soon, and in the longer run I'm likely to as well.

Hope things turn out well, whether you decide on this or not, OP.