Wading with a knee replacement

[RatFaceMcD]

My left knee appears to be getting beyond the help Synvisc injections can provide, so it looks like I'm facing knee replacment surgery in the not-too-distant future. I would love to hear from those of you who have had one, how it has affected your fly fishing and particularly wading.

[Gila Trout]

Hello:
I had my left knee replaced 3.5 years ago and it is like being born again. My knee was so bad I could hardly walk. I was limited to limping to the lake shore with my tube and fishing lakes. The doctor who did my knee said it was one on the worst he ever seen. Now I can hike, MTB bike, wade in streams for long periods of time and pretty much do what I want. The doctor said as long I do not do sports that pond on the joint like running or basketball I should get 20 to 25 years out my new knee. Being pain free and being able to live a normal life again is quite a blessing.

Lanny

[RSetina]

Wow Lanny, wouldn't that be nice. I don't have a ACL in either knee and UPS has taken it's toll on my knees. I can't bend either past 90 degrees without pain. If I take a fall and bend them, it's excruciating. Good luck RFMcD.

[RatFaceMcD]

Thanks for the responses. The advise has been pretty universal - get the knee done, and be serious about the rehab, and I'll be glad I did it.

[RichardCullip]

My sister, a couple of years older than me, had a knee replaced a few years ago. While rehab was a *, she's very glad she had it done. The pain free movement she has now was well worth the agony of rehab.

Her recommendation would be "Get it done and enjoy the freeedom of movement once again".

[Gila Trout]

Personally, for me the first two weeks after the operation were the worst. I did two weeks of home rehab and about 5 weeks in the gym. I went back to work in 2.5 weeks and was walking with a cane. After another week I ditched the cane and in about two months I was doing pretty well. 5 months later went to the Sierras and was hiking and wading streams. Like I said before being pain free and having a normal range of motion is a GOD send. I think working hard in renab is the key. I know some people who after their replacement did not take rehab seriously and they had allot of problems.

Lanny

[fancyboy]

Personally, for me the first two weeks after the operation were the worst. I did two weeks of home rehab and about 5 weeks in the gym. I went back to work in 2.5 weeks and was walking with a cane. After another week I ditched the cane and in about two months I was doing pretty well. 5 months later went to the Sierras and was hiking and wading streams. Like I said before being pain free and having a normal range of motion is a GOD send. I think working hard in renab is the key. I know some people who after their replacement did not take rehab seriously and they had allot of problems.

Lanny

The replacement is only half the job, the rehab is the other half. If you don't finish the job you won't be happy with the results. It is really good to hear the reports of knee replacements gone well. For the 3 people in my family who did it, it was hard, but worth it in the end.