PKR soon but support knee bad too

[radareau]

2 bad knees due to past running and soccer over 25 yrs.  Now PKR scheduled in 2 months in right but left knee has patellar tracking and other issues.   Sometimes, left knee feels like marbles in there.  Put me on crutches 2 wks ago but got rid of crutches after couple of days by using recumbent bike which seemed to make the kneecap and bones fit together better.  Flared up again just hitting balls at the range few days later.  Dr. Minas says it either caused by a loose flap of cartilage that gets into the joint or a cavity in the bone that causes kneee to be clunky when fitting together.   Tried scope last December, PT for patellar tracking and muscle building, Dynatrack brace, and even tried direct current ARPwave therapy that a lot of NFL players use to strengthen muscles around the kneee.   Dr. Minas says I'll need a TKR eventually but for now I'm concerned about how my left knee is going to be able to support me after the PKR in my right knee. 

Running out of time to solve this problem pre-op.   

Any adivice much appreciated. 

[ArielF]

Hey Radareau,

I just had a Conformis with Dr M last week.  My other knee was equally  sore, just not at the same time leaving me to wonder which one was worse.  Regardless something needed to be done.  I have been through a LOT in the last year so my idea of pain and recovery may be different than the average.  I feel great! I have advanced to one crutch yesterday and have already started to walk without.  The main pain comes from the tight hamstrings in the back of my knee and the strained muscles around the knee cap.  I'm still on pain meds every 4 hours.  It is not a small surgery, but much much more tolerable than an HTO/TTO.

Conformis is minimally invasive and custom with limited bone removal. I stayed in the hospital for 2 nights it could have been 3 but I really wanted to go home and passed PT. 

So I really can't give you a long term answer as far as how happy I am with the Conformis but so far it is a pleasant surprise.  If you are concerned that your other knee can't support you through a recovery, talk to Dr M about the difference between recovering with conformis and a conventional partial.  He may even consider doing them both at the same time.  You can walk on them (if you can walk on them) right after surgery.  My nonsurgical knee is bothering more than usual but not as much as I would have thought.

You've got a great surgeon ask him all the questions you have.  He knows his stuff.  I would recommend making a list of questions and just keep asking.  My problem is that he always throws me for a loop and none of the question I have prepared are relavent.

I hope my info was helpful.  Best of luck Ariel

[mamalama]

 I HAVE THE SAME ISSUE.   I JUST HAD MY PKR, ON MY LEFT KNEE  4 WEEKS AGO. MY R KNEE HAS BEEN GIVING ME PROBLEMS SINCE I INJURY MY LEFT KNEE 10 MONTHS AGO.  I AM NOW ACTIVE IN PT.  I TALKED TO MY DOCTOR NUMEROUS TIMES ABOUT THE RIGHT KNEE HAVING PROBLEMS AS WELL.  SHE TOLD ME THAT IT WAS DUE TO STRESS AND STRAIN FROM COMPENSATING SO MUCH.  I ASKED HER HOW I COULD FIX IT.  NO SURE IF IT WORKS YET BECAUSE I JUST STARTED DOING IT. SHE TOLD ME TO DO LEG LIFTS 20 MINUTES EACH MORNING AND NIGHT.  NOT MISSING ANY DAYS SHE SAID IN 5-6 MONTHS I WOULD SEE IMPROVEMENT.   MY CONCERN THOUGH IS THE THE RIGHT PATELLA IS WANDERING AND POPPING JUST LIKE THE LEFT BEFORE INJURY.  SO HOPE THIS HELPS.    TAKE CARE.

MAMALAMA