Wading with a replacement knee
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I’m posting this on several boards, hoping for some good feedback. My left knee appears to be getting beyond the help Synvisc injections can provide, so it looks like I’m facing knee replacement surgery in the not-too-distant future. I would love to hear from those of you who have had one, how it has affected your fly fishing and particularly wading.
John,
I had a knee replacement in 1994 at the ripe old age of 33 and had a revision to replace the plastic parts in 2007. It slowed me down a little, but not to terribly much. I probably do/did a lot of things that were not really recommended to do but I had mine at such a young age… I continued to snow ski, officiate football, and of course fly fish. I haven’t skied since the revision, but that’s is only because while others in the group would be skiing, I’d be fishing, ie, Blue River, Colorado River, Yampa, etc. I’ve also fished Alaska and numerous trips to the San Juan. The only real problems I have are in the uber slick areas like around the Cable Hole on SJ or some really slicked up rocks on White/Norfork. By problems I mean it just sort of wears you out a little easier and knee gets a little sore. I try to watch for areas that might be a little trickier to navigate to keep from taking a swim. Instead of hopping around on the rocks I’m more prone to go around or ease my way off/over. Things that I try not to do; jump down off of things, try not to carry overly heavy things very far (especially up or down stairs), high impact training, etc. I do a lot of low impact cardio work at the gym to prepare for football. I don’t think you should have any problems continuing to fish. I think that a big key is working hard at rehab and getting over some mental blocks. I will tell you that the rehab and recovery pretty much stinks. It’s gonna hurt like crazy for a while, or it did in my case anyway. If you have any more questions just holler back.
MarkJohn
I agree with Mark has said I had my right knee replaced 2 years ago in December I was guiding by April that year, It did get sore for a while but now I can not tell that I ever had it replaced. I guide, I deer hunt from a tree stand, I hunt birds. It is like every thing else you work hard before the replacement to get your leg stronger and work hard in rehab and you will be just fine, you will wonder why you did not have it fixed sooner.
DaveI still have both of my knees but I went skiing at Big Sky a couple years ago with a friend who had both knees replaced.
I plan on living forever, so far so good.
John,
I can’t give you a post op account however being a therapist that works with folks who have had knee replacements (TKR) I can offer the following thoughts:
1 Don’t rush your recovery; knee replacements are very much a major surgery regardless of how routine they have become it will take time for tissues to heal and swelling to resolve so it will hurt for a while. That being said try to keep it moving as much as possible.
2 Consider minmally invasive approaches. Our surgeons are using DaVincci RobotsI had BOTH KNEES replaced at the same time on Nov. 30, 2010 and it was the best thing I ever did at the age of 64. It was getting to the point that I didn’t enjoy wading, working in the yard or doing much of anything because I always felt uncomfortable and lacked confidence in balance. I just got to the point where I said “That’s it, I’m getting them replaced.”
Through physical therapy, a week in residential and about 3 months in out-patient (2-3 times a week), I developed my strength and balance. I no longer feel uncomfortable doing anything. I can completely kneel back to the point of my butt touching my heels and have more than 130 degrees of flex.
I had the cortisone shots, then Synvisc. Once those didn’t help any longer, the doctor said there was nothing else left to do except surgery.
Go for it! It’s been a little more than a year now and I don’t think about my knees. As John stated, work hard in therapy. The harder you work at it, the better you’ll feel.
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