Knee Replacement Surgery- Hanging & Hiking before and after?

[SemperFiGuy]

One thing I have learned in a year on this forum is that it's members cover the spectrum of ages, professions, skills and medical issues!
Both my knees are shot from many years of lowest bidder boots, running in full gear, etc.
The orthopedic surgeon says both knees are bone on bone, and after 3 arthroscopic surgeries, I am missing a bit of cartilage in both of them.

All of this severly limits my hiking range now. I sleep better in the hammock than I did in a tent on the ground.

So, the plan is to probably get one, then the other done over the winter.

I am sure we have forum members with knee replacements.
Any suggestions / comments?

Were there noticeable things that were different between before and after the knee replacement with regards to hiking or hanging?

Anybody who has had both knees done in the past?

I am usually a side sleeper and I wonder if that will be an issue with the replacements.

All advice, comments, suggestions are welcome.
Thanks in advance,
DKPerdue

DKPerdue,

Nice to hear from you. I'm fighting it off too brother. I can relate to the lowest bidder boots as well as the running in full gear, etc..... I can remember when MCRD PISC 29905 was still wooden barracks. That's how old I am.

In any event, best of luck with your surgeries. I'm still holding off, but not for much longer.

All the best and Semper Fi !
Gil

[dkperdue]

OK, so fast forward to the present.
I had a Navy orthopedic surgeon that pretty much does all knees and hips every day.

Left knee replaced Dec 2012

Two months later to the day, Right knee replaced Jan 2013

Haven't looked back ever since.

Both times, I had the replacement on Monday and was out on Wednesday.

Did all the Physical Therapy and more. Very little use for the pain meds.

I have as full a range of motion as the knees are designed for.

I was camping in late January after 2 months, 3 weeks and 3 weeks respectively after the replacements.

THis past summer I did some short (5-7 mile) hikes in the New Mexico mountains and then a couple of miles down into the Grand Canyon with my son.
A year before, I'd have not done much more than park in the parking lot and walk to the edge of the Grand Canyon and look down.

No problems with the hammock, sleeping etc.

My hiking range is limited by being out of shape, but the quality of my life is 100% better.
It was incredible the difference when the ever present pain was gone.

Sure, there was post surgery pain, things were sore for a while. But not the bone on bone, constant pain.
I don't look for the shortest path to get somewhere. I can go into a big store and not mind wandering around with my wife.

The lurching Frankenstein gait is gone.
One of the first things the other adults in the Scout troop commented on was: "Hey, you walk straight up and down now!"

Look at the other comments on this thread.
Go to a good surgeon with lots of positive reults under their belt.
Get referrals if possible, look at the websites that have ratings for docs.

No complaints.

[dkperdue]

Thanks for the reminder. Total success story. Look for my post on the thread.

PM'd the OP as it would be interesting to get his perspective now...

[Mumbles]

That is a good update! I've got my own bone to bone knee and recently there has been some significant pain in my hip with some loss of mobility. I'm going to have to find time to get some of that free medical care to get it checked out. My girls are too young for me not to be able to take then down the trail, over the pass and into the backcountry.

[gargoyle]

Naval Surgeon.
I thought they only operated on oranges and belly buttons??

Congrats on the successful recovery.

[outdoorsguy]

SemperFiGuy, that is great news!

I was a Soldier for a combined Active and Reserve period of 33 years. That's a lot of PT tests....the aches have been coming and going now for a while and they seem to be getting more frequent as of late. Your update gives me hope that when those aches get serious, I will be able to recover nicely.