Alternatives to KR?

Scientists haven't yet found a replacement for good ol cartilage. In the knee, this is the medial and lateral menisci, and covering the ends of the femur and tibia, articular cartilage. Stem cells may someday provide a solution to growing cartilage in a lab, but that's in the future.

In the meantime, joint replacement is a wonderful, life changing procedure. To work, it requires a skilled surgeon and a motivated patient. Like a lot of things, there are no shortcuts.

bmilanowski53, I located a doc in Reston, Virginia who does this. You got me curious, the NIH piece I attached clinched it.

heyjoe-your comments here and about other subjects lead me to believe that you are a health care professional, possibly a MD. We’re roughly the same age. Would you chance playing court sports such as racquetball? Thanks.

As one orthopedist told me, “nothing will ever be as good as your own knee” & I found that to be true, having recently had a TKR. Unfortunately, knees wear out, but I do believe that somewhere in the (perhaps distant) future, people will look back on TKRs as a barbaric approach.

I'm flattered Zack, thanks. I'm no MD, just a guy who likes to know as much as possible before a surgery. And I ran many, many marathons so I'm pretty familiar with knee anatomy.

If your question refers to playing court sports after a TKR, I'd say don't do it. Ironically, a successful TKR opens up a whole new world of pain-free cardio training - bike, rowing, spinning - but no impact activities, so no running, and I would think that includes court sports. And court sports involve a lot of very fast changes in direction, putting added stress on the knee and the medial and lateral/collateral ligaments.

Court involve a lot of sideways motion. Please understand that unlike hip or shoulder replacements, a TKR is not anatomically correct. In place of the cushioning menisci and articular cartilage are very hard pieces of plastic, spacers really.

Over time, impact sports will wear those plastic prostheses down. And I wouldn't risk sports involving sideways motion.

Best bet is to ask a knee surgeon. I'm guessing the Dr. would also say no. Sorry!

Many thanks, heyjoe. You are clearly knowledgeable and engaged.

I’ve talked to a several surgeons and none have said “no” to court sports. They generally refer to the range of activities engaged in by their post-surgery patients. Last one shrugged and said one of his TKR patients is an ultramarathoner. Or they hedge by saying doubles tennis is ok.

I’m both a swimmer and a cyclist but I enjoy my weekly handball game, for social reasons as much as the exercise.

Each one of these surgeons are top-flight people of integrity, practicing in a major metro. Still, the whole process is a bit like asking the barber if you need a haircut. I wish there were a consultant, completely independent.