UKC

Hi,
One of my knees seems to have reached the point of no return. My last set of x-rays (2013) indicated that a osteotomy or joint replacement was on the cards at some point. As stairs are now becoming difficult, I'm off to the see the doc on Monday. I'm relatively young for a full replacement: 54 years old.

I'm after comments on how things have gone from anyone you has had either procedure, or alternatives (are there alternatives?). How long was the recovery, the ups, the downs, how easy was it to climb afterwards, how long it has lasted. Really anything.

Or from any surgeons, or researchers.

Thanks.

In reply to David Coley:

I'm on the same path as you, but not so far down the line. Have you seen physios? The right knee strengthening excercises could stave things off for a while. Also the knee exercises from Sarah Keys' book https://www.amazon.co.uk/Keep-Your-Joints-Young-Banish/dp/0091929482 have helped me. The combination of these two have improved things significantly for me (damaged cartilage and arthritis) but I suspect you may be significantly worse off than I am...

In reply to David Coley:

Hi
I had a knee arthroscopy to remove part of my inner meniscus cartilage follow a mtb crash and told that osteoarthritis had also set in so to stop running post op.
I continued to be in pain and was offered a knee osteotomy but was also offered the use off a Donjoy Nano offloading brace first and was told that if this works then it's likely that the osteotomy would work. I have used it for approximately 6 months for work, hiking and everyday activities but don't need it for climbing or cycling due to the low impact.
Might be worth asking your doctor about this option!
Good luck

In reply to phil kujawa:

Hi Phil, been using one for 4 years and very good, but reached the point where this is a daily issue around the house rather than in the hills etc.

In reply to David Coley:

Hi David,
I had an osteotomy on my knee in July last year. Arthritis, no cartilage, new knee needed but at 39 went for osteotomy first. 7 months later I'm glad, knee still sore, different pain to before op. My leg feels strange at times and I have lost feeling in parts of it but long term it was the right choice!for me. Have read some horror stories but I'm glad I got it done. Climbing again will know in spring if it's affected anything, I couldn't drop knee before haha. The lack of bend in the knee is the worst issue but hoping that will improve when the plate comes out. Message me if you want to know more. Tim

In reply to David Coley:

David, I ended up having a full left knee replacement two years ago at age 60. I had already had it cleaned out twice and did everything to avoid having it replaced, but finally ground to a complete halt in El Chorro, despite copious intake of codeine. Op itself (local NHS) was no problem at all, home and mobile on crutches two days later. A few weeks later (3or 4) I started back with some work (gardening). Recovery was long, slow and more painful than I expected, but I was back climbing within three months. After six months I could no longer really use the knee as an excuse for incompetence, but swelling and stiffness were limiting for another six months. By then I was happy walking up to mountain crags, winter routes etc. and even walking downhill without pain. The next year was brilliant, apart from occasional moves where stiffness remained a problem, though not pain or strength. And then...... my right hip went and is due to be replaced in ten days' time. I'm guessing I'm looking at a fairly similar recovery process, but hope it may be a bit quicker. I have absolutely no regrets about having the replacement . I wouldn't have been able to climb again without it, so every route and every day on the hill feels like a bonus. For what it's worth I've also made a tentative return to paragliding (now on hold again!). Ask me again in three months what I think of the hip job! All the best, however you decide to play it yourself, John.

In reply to loundsy:
How did you get the doc to take you seriously, being quite young. I'm 36 and went to my GP a few months ago for a sore, crunching knee. It's crunched as long as i can rememver but gets sore more frequently now and i think i can spot it affecting my gait. Typically, on that day it wasn't sore. He sat me down, had me put my leg and knee in various positions, declared I had excellent flexibility for my age, to stop hiking and start swimming and take up pilates.

While i'm not disputing some strengthening would be a good idea I'd like something a bit more scientific and considered to work on. No diagnosed other than you're getting older, things start hurting more.

In reply to womblingfree:


Nice to be called quite young for once! This has been a long standing issue - ACL replacements etc - so I guess no surprise to the medics

In reply to David Coley:

I feel it's young to be considering arthritis and knee ops! I hike with poles, though it's noticeably worse when I don't. Time to pester the doc again, might have to lay it on a bit thick

In reply to womblingfree:

I had first cartilage op at 21 second at 34 which didn't work. I went to see a sport therapist who specialises in knees, got an X-ray through gp then asked to see a guy in Manchester on the choose and book system, can't fault the nhs my knee was in a bad way pre op, bone on bone in the inside of my knee. Arthritis isn't fixed but knee should last another 10-15 years before replacement time.

In reply to David Coley:

I'm booked in to have a bio poly implant in my knackered knee with the idea being this will delay the inevitable knee replacement. Anyone had this done? Keen to hear how recovery was. Was told I'll be off climbing for 3 months : (

In reply to ATGNI:

I've not had a bio poly implant but have recently had an osteochondral allograft which I think from my reading may fulfill a similar role.

I had it after a failed microfracture procedure. In total my knee was not working for 14 months so the amount of muscle wastage has been huge which is slowing my recovery.

Its been 14 weeks and I'm toproping about french 5c again and cycled 22 miles last week., walking is still tough though. I think the paranoia due to the first failed op might be hindering the speed of recovery.

In reply to loundsy:

Hi,
what op did you have?
thanks

In reply to David Coley:
High tibial osteotomy, wedge was 10mm at its widest. Was bow legged, knee still recovering 7 months post op, can cycle and climb but not run yet a lot less chronic pain than pre op

In reply to David Coley:
My knees are going too ! I'm 48, but i first became aware of knee problems when i was in my early 20's, when i realised i had to give up cross country running, and street running, because it got too painful.
I don't know what started it, but cartilage damage can build up pretty quickly it seems.
I remember as a kid whilst laid belly down on bed reading, i often bent my lower legs up + down continuously for several minutes because i liked the clicking noises i could make my knees do...!
Then we had compulsory cross country runs at school wearing just gym plimsoles / pumps!
If you live anywhere hilly, the downhill running bits are highly abusive to your knee cartilage.
In my mid 30's i had already started trying to avoid jumping off stuff, especially at work. Kneeling down with legs fully folded would be ok for a few minutes but then sometimes surprise me with some nasty pain.
My left knee took some harsh unwanted abuse when during a demo an authority person threw me to the ground landing me on my knees and held me in one of those martial arts lock down positions for a few minutes.

Now, jumping off from only a few feet up, feels ok at the time, but not the next day. Rock overs get me worried too.
This year i'd like to have a plan to get outside more for bouldering, (and routing), but jumping / slipping / falling off boulder problems, even onto matts, probably won't be possible with my dodgy knees, unless i have an op soon.

This article here is inspiring...

https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/item/70456/fri_night_vid_alex_puccios_road_...

In reply to loundsy:

Thanks for that. While I dont think I'm anywhere near op stage I do think I need to get a handle on whats going on with it, and how it can be managed. Seems a fair bet that getting an Xray done is the first step? I'm guessing an MRI would be deemed too costly for someone who still has fairly good, if occasionally sore mobility...

In reply to David Coley:

I had a full knee replacement a couple of years ago. In the end the decision was made for me - the alternative was always walking with a stick. It was successful in that I can now walk without pain, including on the hills. I usually carry a trekking pole for down-hill sections, but don't always have to use it. Climbing-wise, I can still climb but I've lost a lot of muscle in that leg over the years, and recovering enough strength to be able to step up effectively on it is an ongoing process. I've adapted my technique to compensate.

I was talking to the consultant who replaced my hip previously - he's now retired so didn't do my knee - and he made the point that knee replacements are designed for walking, not climbing, and I shouldn't expect miracles. The official position seems to be that knee replacements aren't meant for climbing - my present consultant is quite disapproving, says it will wear out faster than intended. I don't tell him any more.