A TKR can have a multitude of varied outcomes. 6-10% having knee replacement will develop excessive scarring ( Arthrofibrosis) which can be crippling, by limiting your range of motion, causing permanent inflammation and pain. If I had know what I know now, I never would have had the procedure. I was getting along OK with Corticone injections, although I couldn’t do anything with impact. At 73, I had been involved in CrossFit and was sprinting in State & National Games. My doctor felt that within a year, post surgery, that I might be able to compete once a year, if I did very minimal & light impact training. After my surgery, I had very limited ROM, severe inflammation and lots of pain because of the excessive scarring that my body laid down. Post TKR, I had a Manipulation under anesthesia, then arthroscopic debridement, then an Open Debridement. All were aimed to get rid of scar tissue but after each procedure it got worse. Because of my limited flex, I get tripped up easily and still encounter pain. It has been 7 months since my last procedure. After which my PA (not even the doctor!) apologized, saying that “we’re very sorry for how this turned out” and washed their hands of me. I then took it upon myself to travel to The Hospital For Special Surgery (Manhattan) for a second opinion. HSS is the #1 Ortho hospital worldwide. My Dr. there recommended a revision to a hinged knee replacement. They say that a considerable amount of the scar tissue forms around the tendons. In a Hinged Knee Replacement, they remove all tendons around the knee and the hinge takes their place. I then found out that HSS does not accept Medicare, so my next choice is The Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Mn.. They are #2 for Orthopedics Worldwide and accept Medicare. I can’t be seen there until April of next year because I had to change insurance to assure coverage there and there is a 3 month wait after Jan.1 to be seen for pre-existing conditions. I assume that they will make the same diagnosis, so if I get it done, I still have another year of suffering to endure. I had been warned prior to my TKR in May’23 that there was a small chance of complications and I won the lottery. Most people have good luck. Probably 80-90%. So you will probably benefit from it. But 10-15% ending in problems is Hugh. I never thought I would fall into that category but many many thousands do every year and once you are part of that group, you are largely on your own to navigate/investigate and find answers. For many, they just have to endure the lack of mobility and other complications for a lifetime.
At this time there is no test available to see if you would develop excessive scarring from a TKR but I was told at HSS that their researchers were close to developing such a test. I would definitely investigate whether such a test has yet become available before having the surgery. I heard that Mayo and perhaps others are also working on developing such a test. Good luck, proceed with caution. It turned NYT life upside down!