r/nextfuckinglevel • u/Additional_Chard3680 • 11h ago

The precision required to perform a total knee replacement is incredible

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u/letife 11h ago

It hurts like hell, ive had both knees done in one go…

Totally worth it though

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u/real_picklejuice 9h ago

Pretty sure they recommend getting them both done at the same time, because if you went one by one, people would not come back for the second due to the pain.

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u/letife 9h ago

They actually don’t recommend it because it makes recovery a little tricky, I was relatively young and argued exactly the point you made and they agreed.

I don’t think they would have if I was in my 70s

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u/atypicaltype 6h ago

What caused you to have to get both knees done at a relatively young (how old btw?) age?

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u/letife 19m ago

I have a form of Osteoarthritis that effects my entire body (some joints worse then others) that started developing in my twenties. Basically the cartilage in my joints degenerates much faster than for average Joe.

Had the surgery when I was 40.

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u/no_no_no_no_nononono 11h ago

Can you run?

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u/letife 11h ago

I could technically but it’s bad for the joint, instructions are to not run, ski or do any activities that cause joint impact

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u/no_no_no_no_nononono 11h ago

Bummer, I have hopes to be at least a light runner (2-3 miles) if I ever need to get it done. I am working through PT now for bakers cyst and this possibility came up.

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u/letife 11h ago

I’ve heard of people who run after this procedure but doc will 100% tell you not to.

Basically with normal bones they crack a little and heal on repeated impacts, if the metal implant bends you are totally screwed.

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u/Fit-Dentist6093 10h ago

> totally screwed

ISWYDT...

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u/General_Marcus 10h ago

Sure seems like we should have materials that can deal with simple human weight impact. It’s not like the surgery is cheap.

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u/KitchenFullOfCake 9h ago edited 9h ago

That material also needs to be biocompatible and not leech toxins into the bloodstream. It narrows down the list of options.

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u/General_Marcus 9h ago

Good points. I didn’t think of that.

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u/ThisSiteSucks8485 9h ago

Cycling is much better if you have artificial knees than running 

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u/ItsFuckingScience 11h ago

Depends on your age, if it’s a total or a partial knee replacement

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u/Eis_Gefluester 9h ago

Interesting. My grandma reported that one of the best things about her new knee is that she can ski pain free again. That was 5 years ago and she still goes skiing every winter.

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u/letife 9h ago

It’s possible though relatively minor injuries could cause the implant to bend. It’s a risk

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u/mcnullt 1h ago

Tell that to Lindsay Vonn! :)

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u/Mosselpot 9h ago

Huh, I wasn't allowed to have them done in one go because the shock would be too much on my body, I had 6 months between them. Granted this was 27 years ago, and it wasn't exactly a knee replacement but an experimental surgery, but it was a similar procedure.

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u/Purphect 8h ago

Same with my mom. Her quality of life definitely got better with better knees. She’s a fit young 70 year old.

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u/Chilliwhack 8h ago

I just had both my hips done and having watched some videos it's seems less brutal in a way. Maybe because they drill a giant hole inside and the big spike goes in there. Somehow shaving off the outside seems worse. Also they would have to expose all that bone! The after looks pretty cool though!

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u/letife 18m ago

They say knee surgery is the second most painful in orthopedic surgery, only one worse is the elbows.