C-Forum

I've talked with several orthopedists about this and the only answer I get is they all recite that "About X-percent of patients cannot kneel without pain after knee replacement". Period, that's it, it's like putting a nickel in a slot and it plays the same answer every time.

It appears to me that they are all reciting the result of the same study, but what you can't find out is what "kind" of study: was there a real test criterion, or just a questionaire; did these people even want to kneel -- or ever previously kneel -- and was there any motivation to improve the situation, and how much pain: merely discomfort or screaming agony. Also, all surgeries are not the same, and it would be surprising if there weren't at least some possible factors that predispose the result. But you can't get these guys to say anything except recite that same dam sentence over & over. (So my guess is they've never bothered to even check it out.)

Since we boaters are probably the one subset of the population other than monks that really, really cares very much indeed about kneeling, maybe this is a better place to ask. Does anyone have any insight to this question? So far I'm holding off, hoping & waiting for better technology and technique , but I'm not going to be able to keep going forever.

Any relevant comments appreciated...

It is as you stated. Data the docs are reciting is based on the largest group who has had knee replacement surgery--and cboaters with knee replacements do not make up a significant number of that group. To keep this in perspective, knee replacements, while having gone on for about 2 decades, is still in its infancy. New materials, new technology, new techniques are still evolving. 10 years ago, a person with a knee replacement would need another one about 10-15 years later. Today, the artificial joints last a lot longer than that. I'll ask a few health professionals (sports med. docs and physical therapist) what they know. If I hear something useful, I'll add it here.

What's wrong with the knee(s)?

KNeal

I used to work for a company that developed an alternative to TKR. The surgery is arthroscopic, recovery is about 6 weeks instead of 6 months, and some of the trial patients were up and skiing in no time. The downside is that the device never got FDA clearance, but I think that some doctors in Canada were using it, and I know it saw pretty good use across the pond.