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I am facing a TKR in the not-to-distant future. I have read up on the intense therapy required to achieve the best outcome. What I want to hear about is what is not available online like any limitations I can expect cave diving after the recovery period.
Thanks
Vince
my wife had it done, and a cave diving buddy also had a TKR. My wife was totally mobile again in about 6 weeks. my buddy was back in the caves in about 8 weeks. No limitations at all on the cave diving buddy. Both were glad they did it
Once it has completely healed you should be able to perform activity to tolerance. The considerations that you may not read about are 1) May not have complete articulation in flexion, so you may have some difficulty with squatting. 2) Some inherent knee instability because when they do the surgery they will remove one or both cruciate ligaments. This could make up and down steps and slopes challenging. 3) Some decrease in proprioception in the knee, such that you lose some kinesthetic sense.Quote:
Originally Posted by OutlawCaver
There are quite a few people on this forum who have had a knee arthroplasty and can give you feedback on their outcomes in reference to diving. If I can answer any questions please contact me, I do a lot of subacute rehabilitation on people with knee arthroplasty.
I have not had TKR but 20 yrs ago I did have 3 of the 4 ligaments replaced after a knee dislocation and broken leg, right below the knee cap. Other than waiting 8 hrs in The Taos Box for evac, the worst part was the therapy and 6 months of rehab. I have about 95% motion back and have no problem swimming or carrying bm dubs.
Will I still have a frog kick?
We can probably find a toad or two for you to punt around if you really want to.Quote:
Originally Posted by OutlawCaver
Could you before??? If so yes.Quote:
Originally Posted by OutlawCaver
You may find modified flutter a little more difficult
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Originally Posted by Kelly Jessop
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Originally Posted by Patient
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Originally Posted by Doc
:rollguyQuote:
Originally Posted by Patient
one of my buddies has had major surgery (I don't know if it was TKR) on both knees. He can no longer throw his UV 26 on his shoulder with the batteries in and walk it to the water (I can't do that with good knees). He had to buy a Viper. He's still a cave diving maniac. Thank God we had the sense to switch to sidemount before his surgeries. Best of luck. Heal well. See you under the rocks.
I had a graft from my hamstring taken to replace my ACL, two bolts hold either end in place. I also had some of the meniscus shaved down. Full recovery (no more brace) took about 12 months. I didn't think about it at all after 24 months. It hasn't stopped me from doing anything.
I'll be having that done eventually.
No ACL in my left knee since about 1989. I had it scoped a few years back and he said it was already too screwed up to make an ACL reconstruction worthwhile at that point.
Nothing a little cave line, cable ties and duct tape couldn't fixQuote:
Originally Posted by Webmaster
I started getting more into diving in general because the pain in my knee was too bad for me to continue with my customary sports, like skiing. I started technical diving under those conditions, and frog kicking, etc. was very painful and difficult. I got my knee replaced. After I recovered, the pain was gone. I had much more flexibility, and suddenly, I could do a frog kick, and I could do it without pain. I did not begin cave dive training until after that, and by then the only time I thought about my knee replacement was if someone mentioned it. I have no restrictions on my diving today because of it. In summary, I don't think I would be a cave diver today if I had not had that knee replacement.
I think I'll seek out a second opinion. My knee makes enough funny noises as it is.Quote:
Originally Posted by Kelly Jessop
When I was first considering it, my family doctor was dead set against it--I was too young, he said. He gave me an argument that turned out to be completely inaccurate, that they wear out quickly and I would be entering old age with no knee at all. I eventually got him to agree to have me go to 3 orthopedic surgeons--2 of his choosing and 1 of mine--for their opinions. The first (one of his) was very conservative, but he said I was ready for replacement. The second (mine, and the one I eventually chose) told me I could schedule the operation at the front desk any time I wanted. The third was the only one who said to wait, and he was the one that convinced me to do it. He said I should not have the operation until I was pretty much out of my mind with pain every day. He said I should move into a ranch house to avoid stairs. He told me to use the handicapped parking spaces at all times. In short, he told me to live like an old man until I was an old man, at which point he would replace my knee and allow me to act my age. I thought that was absurd, so I got it replaced.Quote:
Originally Posted by Webmaster
It still ranks as one of the best decisions of my life. I have been living a very active life without any pain for nearly a decade since that surgery. The only limitations are based on common sense rather than any physical limitation; for example, I don't do the aggressive skiing I used to do because of a fear of breaking it all up in a bad fall.
As for wearing out, I asked the orthopedist how long it would last when I had it done. He said he had no idea. He had only been doing it for 20 years. During those 20 years, in about 10% of the cases, he has had to open the knees to replace a removable part, but that was it. He said the ones being made now (i.e., a decade ago) were much better than the ones he was putting in 20 years ago, so he had no way of knowing how long they would last.
I'm 7 days post op ACL reconstruction. While not nearly as big a deal as a total knee, I'm surprised at how fast I've gotten a good range of motion back. I can go crutchless for reasonable distances (around the house/ to the office type stuff) and the pain is quite tolerable.
I've spent a lot of time in the CPM machine and I think that makes a difference. A friend of mine had an acl reconstruction a few months ago and he's having a tough time but wasn't prescribed a cpm. My father had tkr on both knees and wasn't diligent about the rehab and how he's really having mobility issues.
All boils down to the rehab!
I had my second TKR in January. Every knee is different. Same surgeon, same operation, still different. First one I had a lot of pain and swelling. Second one went great.
Physical therapy. Push your self to the limits. You can always request more therapy to meet your goals. Again push your limits and hit the gym. Do as much as you can. It will be painful at times but so rewarding. Start day one.
I will never have full flexion. Have 120-130 on the right. Still working on the left but almost there. I'm back on the water like normal. Just have to modify few things. No big deal.
Strengthen the leg muscles.
Good luck!
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I had ACL reconstruction ten years ago using a patellar tendon autograft. I used a continuous passive motion (CPM) device and did extension exercises before starting four months of physical therapy. It was a tough road, but I took it seriously, and supplemented my PT with flexion, extension, and strengthening exercises at home. According to my quack, my new ACL is stronger than in my other leg. Kneeling and squatting were a bit tough for the first year, but after that - no worries. I didn't dive back then (horrible thought!), so I have no idea what my frog kick would have been like, or how long it would have taken before I could hump tanks comfortably - all my exercise and rehab was terrestrial. My bike was my best friend - that and eventually the elliptical machine and treadmill. Anyway, during my first month at PT, I was covetously watching a bloke bounce around the room, doing moves and turns that I could only dream about. My PT said, "He just had a total knee replacement. In my experience, the pace of TKR patients' rehab and recovery is smoother because they have all new parts! You, on the other hand, have a new part working with old parts, and we further traumatized your knee by cutting out a bit of patellar tendon. So don't worry". I have no idea how true that is, but I hope it provides the OP with a measure of comfort. Hang in there!
I didnt have it done but a guy I worked for had both done at the same time and he was back running around after about 2 weeks doing pretty much the same stuff he was before.
ie lifting heavy stuff etc.
ACL surgeries are typically done arthroscopically, so the procedure is really less invasive, but adequate time for healing needs to occur, because the anterior cruciate ligament is an important stabilizer. Total knee arthroplasty is the most invasive surgery to the knee that can be done, because instead of 3 or 4 holes that is done with an arthroscope, they completely open the knee.Quote:
Originally Posted by vinegarbiscuit;285234.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bGOspdD25Dw
PM sent Vince
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30 days postop I was cavern diving. 34 days postop I did a full cave dive at Ginnie side mount. Have your physical therapist work on your "figure 4" so you can get your fins on and off.
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Oh, doc said I couldn't get the surgical site wet until it was healed. I guess I forgot to tell him about my dry suit. [emoji2]
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I appreciate all the helpful and constructive comments. I am getting closer to making the decision to have the procedure. The relief from injections are not lasting as long and I look at a staircase with fear.
Vince
Just do it. You'll be so glad you did. Get your life back. Just make sure you take the pain mess before therapy and push them to make you 100%
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Wish all arthroplasty patients were driven as hard as you and I would have perfect outcomes all the time.Quote:
Originally Posted by Diverlee
Yeah, and if everyone rinsed their gear, my job would be a jillion times easier...
My favorite orthopedic surgeon tells people: "It's a 40/60 deal - 40% of your outcome depends on the surgery I do and 60% depends on how hard you're willing to work in PT."Quote:
Originally Posted by Kelly Jessop