How Old is Too Old for Knee Replacement Surgery?

I had knee surgery last July. I've had open heart surgery, testicular surgery, rectal surgery and none of them compared to my knee surgery. I had 52 days of unrelenting pain. I went through weeks of PT. I had the operation as I could no longer tie my shoe on the right side. And there was some mild soreness on the knee itself. I still can't tie my shoe and now have pain not only of the knee, but in the back of my thigh as well.As I talk to others who have had the same operation, I find I am not the only one who has suffered these consequenses! Could the medical profession be playing down the short and long term effects of this surgery?

I had knee surgery last July. I've had open heart surgery, testicular surgery, rectal surgery and none of them compared to my knee surgery. I had 52 days of unrelenting pain. I went through weeks of PT. I had the operation as I could no longer tie my shoe on the right side. And there was some mild soreness on the knee itself. I still can't tie my shoe and now have pain not only of the knee, but in the back of my thigh as well.As I talk to others who have had the same operation, I find I am not the only one who has suffered these consequenses! Could the medical profession be playing down the short and long term effects of this surgery?

Overall health permitting, age seems to be no issue. My mother had total knee replacements (one knee at a time) at age 86, a little over a year ago. Within 3 months she was bowling again in two senior leagues. She has almost no pain now, occasional discomfort where one nerve may still be healing. She can anything but kneel, which is somewhat painful, but she does her own housework, gardens, travels. She has always been very active and lives alone. I wonder if you could benefit from more therapy to address constrictions in muscles or other soft tissue?? The leg is a complex system and fixing the joint may not address related issues that developed as you tried to live with a damaged joint.

I am 79 and had both my knees replaced two years ago, both at the same time. It was a difficult time for me, but now I am glad I had it done as I don't have to face another surgery. I am now walking without pain 45 minutes a day.

I had complete right knee replacement surgery in January 2008 when I was 74. I was walking well within days (with pain) and had several weeks of PT. I was a model patient.

However, I still have pain in that knee, especially below the operated knee. In a requested follow-up visit after about 8 months, the surgeon showed me the x-ray -- picture perfect -- but that knee still hurts. I had further PT with little results. Then they suggested I go to Curves an exercise facility for women only). After 135 visits (averaging three times weekly) I am still experiencing knee pain.

I was told that unfortunately some people do have post-operative pain. Those that don't are very lucky in my opinion.

I manage to do my daily tasks; keeping busy helps me forget about the pain. However, I cannot kneel on that knee without lots of cushioning below it. My internist told me I should not kneel on it, something the surgeon never told me.

Some days are worse than others. I usually ice the knee at least once a day and also use Icy-Hot gel. I am taking Tramadol for arthritis pain in several other areas of my body (back, neck, shoulder).

Would I do it again for the left knee? Fortunately I don't seem to have arthritis in that knee. I doubt that I would have the surgery, though, if needed as the pain I experience is about the same as it was before I had surgery.

I had both knees replaced on 2/4/09. Prior to that, my orthopedist said, "I can't understand why your left knee is symptomatic and your right knee isn't (both were bone-on-bone on the inner lobe of the fibula with clearance on the outer lobe." "Trivial", I said, "that (left) was my landing leg." I had thrown hours of batting practice for Little League and Pony League baseball teams.

The day after the surgery, I failed "standing up 101". By that afternoon, I was buzzing down the hall at the Rehab center in my walker. I announced the principle that I should not be LEANING on the walker as I went along. My physical therapist agreed, the more weight I put on my legs, the better the establishment of contact between the prosthesis and the remaining leg. (Watch your neighbors at the grocery store.)

By the third day after surgery, I was 'goose-stepping' in the walker, partly in response to watching the movie, "Lieutenant Kige", by Sergei Eisenstein (google it!) which a friend had suggested thatI watch.

I have full range of motion in my knees (and have since 4 months after surgery).