TKR Rethinking Surgery

@looplu79 Ow, I feel your pain! If you want to pursue possible non-surgical options, find an orthopedist who is not primarily a surgeon for a second opinion. They are mostly found in sports medicine practices, where the focus is on maintaining/regaining function. There MAY be more conservative treatments you can try.

If other treatments fail, are you willing to consider surgery and the extensive rehab it requires?

An interesting conundrum. The traditional standard is if the failed knee is so interfering with your daily life that you are prepared to live with some considerable pain for months or a year in return for a functioning knee. The idea is to compare your daily life with what you want to be able to do and then decide if a painful recovery (it might not be but one should prepare for it) is worth it.

I don't think you have provided us with enough information to give you advice. What did you used to do that you can't do now? How important is that to you? You do say that you have pain walking stairs. If you live on the top floor of a five story walkup that could be important; if you live in a ranch house of a flat street it could be less important. How bad was your pain before it relented? You could be having the famous "placebo effect" as soon as you are about to undergo surgery you suddenly start to feel better but it doesn't last.

I am an 80 YO male and my choice was easy. I not only had a non functioning knee but I was severely misaligned causing a nerve impingement with extreme pain. My incredible surgeon did a mid vastus procedure, did not use a tourniquet, used a robot for added precision, put in a bicruciate retaining implant (BCR) and repaired my alignment with a Functional alignment. I had no post surgery pain and on the 27th day after the RTKR I was again playing golf. I do believe that surgeon selection is the single most important decision to be made after one decides to do a TKR.

@sueinmn thank you
I am open to all
Possibilities but in UK all orthopaedic specialist ate surgeons
My main concerns are my other medical conditions that may be exacerbated by surgery

Hello and thank you everyone for the info you shared. I am 76, retired nurse with experience working at an orthopedic hospital in NYC. I am very active: yoga, Pilates, personal trainer, running, golf and tennis. I know a bit about orthopedic surgery because I transitioned from patient care to risk management.
Last summer I tore the meniscus in my left knee. It tore at the root and was extremely painful. Xrays at the time negative for fracture; MRI confirmed tear. Because of my age, arthroscopy was not advised as it enhances progression of arthritis which I have. I did PT, had a cortisone jab, got a second opinion. New xray showed stress fracture; New MRI showed stress fracture of medial femoral condyle and medial tibial plateau. I got fitted for an unloader brace. I continued PT and very carefully returned to tennis and
golf.
In March 2026 I started to feel as if bones in my left knee were bumping into each other. Icing, elevation, the usual proactive stuff. Saw my ortho yesterday. Xray shows area of necrosis which he said is probably why my knee hurts. He suggested gel
shots. If no improvement, knee replacement.
I will do the gel but fear replacement is in my future. I agonize over doing it sooner than later because I am in good health. My husband, only a year and half older than me, is unwell, so many chronic illnesses and since 2022 memory loss. He cannot help me.

So this is probably TMI but, I so appreciate the support of this group through info sharing.
Thank you!!

@momma2lucy Hi it is very difficult surgery. One not to be taken lightly. One of two outcomes you’ll have the surgery you’ll do physical therapy and you’ll do marvelous the second you’ll have the surgery you’ll do physical therapy and you’ll have issues. I like many people have had a TKR a revision. Done on the same day within a year and a half., I developed arthrofibrosis. . They found this out after the revision. My body develops too much scar tissue. So no matter what amount of therapy I am in pain and struggle . Right not I am flexion 70 extension 10 degrees off so have made progress. I just think it’s good to make an informed decision. sometimes things don’t go as planned. good luck I hope it works out for you.

@momma2lucy

I had to use a cane before surgery because of my non functioning knee pain and a nerve impingement caused by my severe misalignment. One of the great things about my RTKR was that after the fourth week I retired the cane!

When I started PT in the third week after my surgery I told my therapist I had two immediate goals: restoring ROM and learning to walk properly again. She had me walk all over the facility and declared that I already walked fine.

I love it when folks try to guess my age and guess low and appear surprised that I am almost 81. I play golf from the front tees now (because all of my torque has left me and is now in my car) but every now and then I can shoot my age.

But the decision on moving forward is a difficult one. While I had no pain after surgery, in making one's decision one should, IMO, assume that there will be significant pain for a period of months and is that worth it for the end result (a functional knee) for that patient.

@steveinarizona I love when I hear the positives on TKR recovery. Thank you!

The decision to have total knee surgery was far and away worst decision of my 78 years. I had surgery when I was 65 and have miserable since. I have doctors in 4 different states, all “top docs”, and none of them want anything to do with me short of a revision. And revisions are even less likely to be successful.
I believe this surgery will be eventually disbanded but it is a huge financial opportunity for medical practitioners and hospitals. It is barbaric, horrible long painful recovery, invasive, with problematic results followed up with evasive no accountability reactions by doctors. Only once have I had an honest answer from a bourse who whispered in my ear “ we have worst results on athletes like yourself. Couch potatoes who just shop think it’s Okay, but for very active people results are awful”….
You have at best a 50% chance that mobility will be improved and you will have less pain. Make this decision realizing you like me may regret it.

Ouch!

@mark3248

You have already had the TKR. What do you expect the new surgeons you have seen to say if they are not permitted to propose a revision.? You are looking for an imaginary solution.

You had surgery thirteen years ago and have been miserable since. Why are you so averse to a revision?

Everything you say is possible. But it is not inevitable. If there is one thing that is clear about TKRs it is that experience is all over the place.