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← Return to Knee injections long term?
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Hi bhb,
Sorry for what you're going through. I was a long-distance runner, completed 20 plus marathons, but osteoarthritis did me in at 48 and my last marathon was 1999. I have had both knees scoped twice each, and never really got much from those procedures. I've also tried cortisone shots, with mixed results. Best case is some pain relief for two months. I have no experience with gel injections.
At age 67 I had both knees replaced, 4 months apart. At my surgeon's suggestion, I worked with a trainer for six months prior to the surgeries to get the muscles around my knee as strong as possible, given my limitations. I did research and found a great surgeon who did his residency at Cleveland Clinic. Finally, the surgeon used the Stryker/Mako surgical assistant. Finally, and most important, I did all of the rehab exercises 3x/day for 6 weeks and saw a PT 2x/week. I worked very hard on my recovery/rehab.
My knees have never felt better, and I'm 70 now. I can't run or do impact sports, but I've taken up spinning and love it. I still work with the same trainer and we are able to push leg exercises much further with the new knees. I go to the gym every day and feel great.
Anyway I know you're looking for an answer on gel or other injections. In my experience, once degeneration of cartilage begins, the process can't be reversed. I'm not trying to sell you on knee replacement now. Put that off for al long as possible. Once your knees get so bad that you have trouble sleeping or climbing any stairs, then it may be time. Whenever that happens, do your research and find a surgeon in his/her mid 30s to mid 40s, with a solid pedigree (med school and/or residency).
I wish you all the best!
Joe
Replies to "Hi bhb, Sorry for what you're going through. I was a long-distance runner, completed 20 plus..."
Re: decision for tkr
Thanks to this forum, I was able to make the decision to do the tkr on mid Dec 2024. My gratitude to all the contributors who shared their honest opinions.
Prior to the surgery, I was on cortisone shots, then gel. Improved but the period between shots got shorter.
I started limping after walking for about 10 mins . Pain got worse. Did my research and started preparing for the inevitable. Did all the pre exercises (internet) and continued to exercise at the gym.
Tkr recovery is excruciating. With perseverance and doing the post work will be worth it. It is a scary surgery . My surgeon used the robot assisted technology. I’m now 10 weeks in recovery. After six years of no stairs (up nor down) I can do so. I can do at least two miles of walking in the am. My quality of life has improved so much. So, do the work that is needed, pre and post surgery. I am 73 years old , doing great.
Yes, you can .
All the best.
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Hello, heyjoe415
Yours was one one of clearest, most detailed chronicles of life with deteriorating knees I've read so far. It echoes in so many ways my own experience. I, too, was a long-distance runner (not as many marathons as you!). My running days came to an about 20 years ago when I had my right knee replaced. I'd been doing fairly well ever since, until about a year ago when my left knee began to give me achy moments. I thought, 'Uh-oh, time for TKR #2.'
But my orthopedist, studying my X-ray, said, 'Well, Ray, your knee is bad, but I'd advise we take a more conservative approach, at least for as long as we can.' We started shots, first steroid, then gel, and I've been doing pretty well ever since. Shots work, but, as I've been told, not for everyone. I guess I'm one of the lucky ones for whom shots do work.
Off the topic. heyjoe415, do you miss runningas much as I do? After all these years, and now withPN to boot, I still get nostalic when I see someone ticking off the miles on one of our local trails as I lumber by in my Jeep. ::sigh:: 🙂
Best wishes,
Ray (@ray666)