total knee replacements

[hotgrips]

I rode in 5 of the ISDT events 1972-1976.  I still ride a KTM 125 SX in the senior class in a Vermont motocross series, along with  my wife and son who also both ride a KTM 125 SX. Back in the early 1970s when I had the pleasure of racing a Penton 125cc Six Days model, I recall being warned by the ISDT team doctor (did we call him 'crazy Richard'??) that the injuries we were getting and covering up with pain killers to complete the 6-days was going to catch up with us when we were older.  Well Richard was right.  I recently was diagnosed with osteo-arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis and am on prednisone and methotrexate medication.  But on top of that I was told I have no cartledge left in my knees and am "on stage" for bilateral total knee replacements.  I knew my knees were unstable and painful, but now I am told they are worn out?  Are there any of you out there that has gone thru this (both knees)surgery, where both knees are replaced at the same time?  

I have my surgery scheduled for the end of November and wondered if anyone could give me any tips on what to expect.  Will I be able to ride again?  Of course the surgeon says to stay off motorcycles, but I want to hear what dedicated riders have to say.  Did you buy a post-operative brace to protect it? Since the range of motion on the prosthetic knees is limited, and very unstable at maximum flex, have any of your had a crash where the knee fails on you and really messes up the bones it is attached to?  The type I am getting has then newer rotation capability as well as the normal knee bending feature, is that the best one to allow riding again?  Thanks   Jim Hollander in NH.


Back when I raced a Penton in 1970-1973

James Hollander

[BobJones]

Jim I had my l. knee replaced in 5/99. It works great. I wear donjoy kneebraces on both knees.I've ridden the Col. 500 4 times since it was replaced with no problems.My Dr. also told me I couldn't ride bikes but could snow-ski which is much harder on knees.I raced a couple of HS & enduros with no problems.I have not crashed on that side hard but I don't ride as hard either.In my opinion it's worth itbut that's only 1 opinion.It is extremely painful when you come out of surgery after that the rehab is bad but nothing a rider can't handle.Good Luck.

Bob Jones
Show-Me state

[hotgrips]

quote:Originally posted by bobjones

Jim I had my l. knee replaced in 5/99. It works great. I wear donjoy kneebraces on both knees.I've ridden the Col. 500 4 times since it was replaced with no problems....  Bob Jones
Show-Me state

Thanks Bob.  I found the don joy  store site and they have an amazing assortment of braces for all kinds of injuries prior to and after the operation.  I have already gotten a recommendation from them.

http://www.donjoystore.com


James Hollander

[hotgrips]

In final note the knees have healed up fine in 6 weeks, though not enough to kick start my 520 EXC (yes, I know it has a battery for that). Actually I was driving into town 3 weeks after the surgery. I am able to go up ladders to do work outside and can walk and semi-run (very fast walk).  It sounds like I was in home-rehab-hell while John Penton was getting one of his knees replaced in early December 2005 after 13 years. I say it that way because the visiting nurse physical therapist seemed to have a semi-sadistic streak.  I had to bite on a kitchen towel rolled into a cylinder to keep quiet while the range of motion in the knee was slowly forced.  I don't recommend it, but I guess you have no choice.

As for JP having one knee replacement go bad, I hear they last 20 years now. They have better knee replacements available these days, and of course they can do two at once now with excellent results.  Maybe John snuck off on a motorcycle to break his kneecap in the last 13 years??  John must not have had a hospital near enough that did a lot of bilateral replacements 13 years back. Dartmouth Hitchcock Memorial Hospital does them several times a week, using two complete teams, one working on each knee.  

I thought I would be Enduro tough and take out my 45 stainless steel staples a day before the visiting PT person was scheduled to do it.  With a pair of miniature side-cut pliers and far too much time on my hands.  If you have staples and are tempted to take them out yourself, don't.  The trick tool they have now would have saved me two hours.  And I wouldn't have had to soak the pliers in antiseptic and roast them in fire either, as the new tool comes in a sterilized pack and it is a throw-away.  It would have taken all of ten minutes.

James Hollander

[LynnCamp]

Jim,
We have been doing some reminiscing on ISDT on another post... So interesting to read about one of the less desirable outcomes of beating your body to death.  But, it is so very, very good to hear that you are doing well. I worry about my knees more than anything else... but so far- so good.  

What did the doctors say when you came in with no staples!!!

P.S.  Did you ever stop to think that maybe if you hadn't switched to Rokon -- that your knees would still be in good shape? <grin>

[jackpinejim]

Hello Jim,  glad to here your doing so much better! Do your knees flex past 90 degree enough to be comfortable enough to ride your 520EXC, or are  you limited to a certain point of movement? Hope the new hardware has more range than previous models.
  Have you been able to give up your pain meds?  Keep up the rehab, it'll pay off in the long run. Good luck and good health.

Jim

[BobJones]

Great to hear you are doing ok. I plan to walk a 1/2 marathon in April. My replacement still feels great(5/99). I hope I never need a "touchup".  I get about 110 degees out of mine. But the key on the rehab is to get that sucker flat.Keep it up.

Bob Jones
Show-me state
74 Harescrambler,72 Jackpiner,69 6-Day

w-Me state

[hotgrips]

Update on knee replacements:  I do have 120+ degrees of flexing in each knee, full out flat and straight is fine.  But I do have two remaining problems, a very crunchy noisy experience when I stand up, or straighten my knee with a load.  The more the load, the worse it is.  I am told it is under the knee cap.

And when I walk, both knees click loudly as if the polyethylene pad between the titanium components is too thin. I understand they come in different thickness, and it is a judgement call when the surgeon decides which to install.  Has anyone experienced and solved these problems with specific exercises?  Is it a big rehab to change the polyethylene pad thickness?

James Hollander

[thrownchain]

That's funny, I get funny noises from my "stock" knees.

[Tony Price]

Great to hear you're progressing well Jim.

About 5 yrs ago after my last "clean up", my ortho guy told me that was it.  There's nothing left in my left knee but arthritis infested bone on bone.  I was only 38 at the time.

I'm putting it off for as long as the good lord and Works Progressive will let me, but it's out there.  

What the heck, I already have titanium in my spine, so the back and knees, a few bikes, and thankfully some really great friends, are just about the only thing about my riding career that can, or ever will be, compared to JP.......[]

Tony

[Dwight Rudder]

Jim, John Fero also had knee replacement surgery and races on a regular basis in SETRA and SERA events. I like the CTI knee braces myself but there are other good ones out there.  I am missing the ACL out of my right knee.  I lost it in 1982 at the Grueling Czechoslovakian ISDE. Crazy Richard Myers did the cleanup surgery.  I also had to have my left knee rebuilt in 1996. I completely blew it out in 1992 and tried to keep going. Finally it wouldn't.  They had to do cartilage cleanup and a donor ACL.  It is doing pretty good, just not 100%.  BUT, I am still racing modern and vintage bikes. I had to have backsurgery last March for a Synovial Cyst inside my spine.  I finally won first at a H/S a couple weekends ago on my KTM 525EXC. Sr.A class ( SERA 40-45 age group).  Not bad for a 51 year old with bad knees and back, EH ?  I hope to see you at the ISDTR.  The Classic Cycles (Dave Munganast's Museum), open house on Thursday night,  is sure to turn into Dave Memorial affair. OH, If anyone is interested there are Dave Munganast memorial T-Shirts for sale at http://www.cafepress.com/isdt.  They all have Dave on them but the memorial shirt is the Baseball type 3/4 sleeve.  $3 of each goes to Dave's Charities.  http://www.cafepress.com/isdt
Cher'o,
Dwight

Dwight Rudder
7 time ISDT / E medalist
8 time National Enduro Class Champion.

[BobJones]

Jim, I had left knee replaced 8 years ago it has always had a click in it. I just got used to it. I have never experienced a crunching sound. Still ride going to ISDT reunion. 59 & enjoying it. Lost a friend in Dave Munganast last ride with him was the Arkansas ISDE he could still hustle a bike around at 71. What a great person.

Bob Jones
Show-me state
74 Harescrambler,72 Jackpiner,69 6-Day

[brokenb23]

Gentleman, I was recently informed that I to will need a knee replacement in a few years. Motorcycles,horses,and surgeries do tend to wear them out. I feel much better about the replacement after reading your comments. Still racing mx and on occasion passenger for Al Wenzel on his side car.
Bob Brizzee
Tucson AZ

[hankthecrank]

I am currently wearing a Donjoy adjustable brace/cast as I have broken my left knee[again]. This thing is great! I can take it off when I want and it should remove the need for physical therapy. Well, I'm sure I'll be doing some but it should be minimal. I broke this knee the first time 25 yrs. ago while executing an unplanned dismount from my steeltanker. I repeated this manuever again 3 weeks ago while riding my 72 sixday. Turns out my knee is weak due to a bone spur thats been there forever.
New topic. Been around Pentons a long time. I went to high school with Rod Bush. I did not know him personally,he graduated 1 yr. ahead of me. But , boy did I ever love looking at those bikes he and his buddies would ride to school and park out by the back gate. I bought my first Penton [a 70 125] in 1979 and restored it. A fantastic bike! I still have it ! I'm currently riding a 1972 sixdays that my son and I have restored. Doug rebuilt the motor and it runs great. I have met many of my fellow poggers in the last 2-3 years and I am proud to know you all. I am grateful to be included in this group. Thanks,  Hank.

Hank Rinehart

[hotgrips]

PostScript to bilateral total knee replacements:

   About 18 months after both knees were replaced with the titanium joints, and the subsequent scar tissue was removed in another surgery at 16 months, going back to racing was not as difficult as I had imagined.  Wearing 2 knee braces and riding a little at home gave me the confidence to try a motocross which my son was into, and to my surprise, it all came back to me. My goal was to do all the laps, but the competitive juices came out of retirement and I even finished in 5th place and brought home a trophy.  

Now I'm looking at restoring an old red Penton motorcycle I have had in my garage for many years.  The next week at work I noticed my old spirit was coming back, my depression was a memory, and I was getting all kinds of stuff done.  I even caught up reconciling my 19 months of old bank statements.  Noticing my 15 year old son on a 144 KTM riding motocross better than I did at my prime in the 1970's didn't depress me at all... I was very proud of him and took plenty of video to watch at home.  I wish I had not listened to the knee surgeon all those months when he explained the scar tissue was something I had to live with.  He was so wrong, and I simply won't bring up the word "motorcycle" if I should ever see him again.


James Hollander