Osteoarthritis hit me like an anvil in my knee age 46, in 50s cant get

I am sorry to hear this, know exactly how you feel.
I have 4 replacements now, at 69, 2 shoulders, one knee and one hip.
It is over 10 years now, when they replaced my shoulders, for me the best decision I could make, they are still fine.
When I got my knee done, the doctor talked me in to do the stem cell while surgery…. It didn’t help at all.
Well, that’s my experience.
I always waited with all my joints until the pain was tremendously worth, I was in such a pain, that there was no other option for me.
I didn’t want to live with pain killer 24/7 and I can handle pain very well.
That’s me, what I want to say is, you have to make your own decision, depending on your pain, life impairment etc..
If you decide to have surgery earlier in life, count on having it replaced maybe a second time but maybe it’s worth it..
I hope this helps…
All the best ♥️

@rainerhans

Thank you so much for sharing this with me. The stem cell game is huge where I live and practices get their google reviews scrubbed. I promise. I read the negative and go back in a month or 2 & the truthful feedback is gone. I have younger friends who say its amazing but they havent been where I have and am yet so I think being younger they did well placebo well.. but I'm getting close just the way you describe but were uninsured still since my spouse lost his leg at wk & closed his case stupidly not leaving medical open so in SC there is no pain & suffering or lost wages but he took a pitulence for what should have covered his situation (forlift crushed his leg right off against a steel beam concreted in the wearhouse floor) deadman pedal malfunctioned & well, that money's for him but hes begged me to try stencils and it is everywhere but no efficacy to read..so maybe ill scratch a special ticket one day:) I believe in stem cell txt & know how it works but for a lot of folks you must do it so many times and it adds up. Im very thankful to hear from you. Thank you!

bodhran, I haven't tried any of these, but just sent the list to a neighbor.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/06/260616102217.htm
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/06/260619101356.htm

@bodhran44 To the best of my knowledge, there is no "magic age" for allowing a knee replacement, but that is in the US - are you in a different country that may have specific rules?

@sueinmn they won’t do the replacements if you are too young because the replacements have a 20-25 year “life span”.

@SusanEllen66 The "20-25 year life span" is no longer accurate. New materials, and revision techniques, have made this obsolete.
My hip implants were done in my 50's, and are 20 years old. According to my ortho, who x-rayed them in May, they will probably be good for another 15-20 years. (I'm hoping for longer because I don't want to face revision at 90 or 95.) If I had known, I would have had them done 10 years earlier instead of suffering, thinking I was "too young."
My nephew's Dad had his replacements before age 50 - the doc said "Why suffer? If you need revision in 20-25 years, the technology will just be that much better." My friend's son had both hips and both knees done in his 30's - he may need revisions in 10 years, but has been able to function without pain for may years.
Unfortunately, in many places, this enlightened attitude has not arrived.

My son had TKA at age 44 at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City.

I am alot older than you (68) and was told by a large, almost monopolistic Ortho group in my area I was too young for replacement! I had two severe ankle sprains in 2025 on same leg as bad knee and then MLK day in 2026 my knee buckled twice in one day and I ended up almost in the ground saved by grabbing furniture. I was always told/dismissed and told my sprains, knee pain and limping was from osteoarthritis based on X-rays. On MLK Day 2026 I received a cortisone shot and was miserable for a month with knee pain and flushing. My daughter insisted I get a MRI and after much reluctance from the ortho group I got the script. MRI showed numerous internal knee issues with rather minor osteoarthritis and the ortho doc said a TKR would only make osteoarthritis worse and there was nothing to be done but live with my knee. I am smarter now and know increased knee arthritis after a TKR do not go together as a result of TKR. I came home from that visit & did research and self referred to Mayo for possible alternate therapies like stem cell. I was accepted at Mayo Rochester and was told for many reasons I was not a candidate for other therapies and a TKR was recommended but I needed to wait 3 months for the cortisone to clear my body. Had TKR late June and Monday will be 3 months post op and I couldn’t be happier with my results. I am hiking miles on uneven ground, biking, am back to teaching full time and have my life back. PT, home exercise and icing was my full-time job for two months but the payoff was worth it. My non operative knee and hip have quit hurting as the surgeon thought it would.

I have not heard of very much success with stem cells. You might be different. They won't do your knees that early for a myriad of reasons but especially because knees only lasts 15 to 18 years. You don't want to have to be doing this again.

My friend was only in her 50's & they kept telling her that she was too young & her insurance (Kaiser) would not pay for it. She was in extreme pain & couldn't even barely walk. Luckily she is well off enough to pay for the procedure & she paid out of pocket to have a Nano Knee Replacement. Easy recovery, PT all done t home & she is great now! If your insurance keeps denying you...maybe change to a PPO & they are more likely to able to do it if your surgeon says that it is necessary.