Anyone play with a Knee Replacement ? :-(

[Macster]

A long shot perhaps, but just wondered if any forumers play having had a Knee replacement, or know anyone that does ?

I have an increasingly problematic left knee, after 25+yrs without cartilage and ACL damage etc, and its really causing me some discomfort these days, particularly on Drives etc, where pressure is most on the left knee.

I'm going in for an Arthroscopy soon, where they'l clean out the joint to try and help etc, and obviously the surgeon can give me a proper opinion afterwards, but he's already said that I'm perhaps heading for a Total Knee replacement rather quickly..

At 46, not something I relish, understandably.
Altho apparently Golf is perfectly fine to continue with afterwards, but I'm a smidge concerned just how much it might affect me etc.

Cheers.

 

[Cernunnos]

My father-in-laws brother has had knee replacement surgery & plays & enjoys golf. I don't think its always easy for him, but he doesn't allow it to interfere it seems.

 

[User 105]

I haven't had a full knee replacement but have had my ACL replaced about 8 years ago and it's fine now.

It took about a year of physio after the op. I wouldn't imagine you could play for at least 6 months at best. Although I know the ops are much better these days so could be sooner these days.

I also train regulaly in the gym, even so it probably took me a good 3 years to get my cardio fitness back to close to what it was. But that's probably not really needed for golf

 

[toonarmy]

All I can tell you is that the solution is all in the post-op physio. Your surgeon, even if he/she is comparitively rubbish, is unlikely to make that much of a balls-up.

BUT get poor post-op physio and then your op is almost a waste of time. Do everything in your power to get a good experienced physio working on you. Do not accept anyone who has limited total experience or is not knowledgeable about knee joints. If you have any suspicions that your physio is not up to much, ask for another one or seek private via recommendation.

Oh, and you'll actually have to do the exercises the physio gives you. You'd be amazed at how many people don't and then wonder why they have problems!

I speak as someone who has experienced the good and the bad of the NHS on knees. PM me if you want more.

 

[User 105]

All I can tell you is that the solution is all in the post-op physio. Your surgeon, even if he/she is comparatively rubbish, is unlikely to make that much of a balls-up.

BUT get poor post-op physio and then your op is almost a waste of time. Do everything in your power to get a good experienced physio working on you. Do not accept anyone who has limited total experience or is not knowledgeable about knee joints. If you have any suspicions that your physio is not up to much, ask for another one or seek private via recommendation.

Oh, and you'll actually have to do the exercises the physio gives you. You'd be amazed at how many people don't and then wonder why they have problems!

I speak as someone who has experienced the good and the bad of the NHS on knees. PM me if you want more.

This advice is spot on. I'm lucky as I have private care with my job. But I have had friends who went the NHS route and the amount of physio you get is minimal, almost just enough to get you walking.

If you have any intention on doing anything more strenuous invest in a good physio otherwise it's almost not even worth going through the pain and recovery of the op in the first place.

 

[hopeful]

One guy in his sixties that I play with had a full replacement a couple of years ago and was back on the course in a few months. Likewise, another playing partner of similar age had a TKR 12 weeks ago, played 18 holes last week and reported no pain at all. He has arthritis generally so uses a wee buggy and I am awed by his determination!
And I agree totally with the advice about physio. My own experience is that after an arthroscopy clean-up 18 months ago I was not even given any recuperation instructions let alone hands-on physio! Had I not found post-op advice on the web I could well have buggered the knee up again.