Gunny Bob Blog

After three knee surgeries, my advice is - crawl if you have to but don't let them near you with their lasers and high-tech knee worsening techniques.
 

I've had two ACL Reconstructions and two arthroscopic knee surgeries.

Gunny, NEVER EVER have both knees done at the same time. I know two people who did this and the absolute regret still remains (one of them had double knee replacements - a man in his sixties - and the other had double acl reconstructions - a 40 year old female MD physician).

Also, put off knee surgery as long as totally possible without causing any more severe damage to the knees!

Go online to check out your options and further educate yourself regarding the knee replacements.

Do you need 'total' or 'partial' replacements?

Patti in Longmont
 

Both of my parents have had joint replacement surgery by Dr. Davis, and the results have been incredible. Attached is his website. I encourage you to at least give him a call for your second opinion. http://www.opcpc.com/Davis.htm
 

Yes Gunny, humping hills with heavy weights on your back and jumping out of perfectly good airplanes can be rough on the knees. Too say the least! That doc that the caller told you about on the show has a very good reputation. I would not reccomend Lakewood Orthopedics though. I had way too many patients that were being transported after things just kinda didn't work out from there. (I'm a retired Paramedic.) Kenneth Adler M.D. did a great job on my knee, but that was in 1980, and I don't believe that he is still in this area.
 

Tom:

Crawling is undignified!
 

Patti:

OK, now I have some advice saying get both done at the same time, and others say one at a time.

I am so confused....
 

Greg:

Thanks for the scoop. I am going to look around and ask a lot of questions before I make a decision. I hope some butcher doesn't maim me.
 

Patrick:

I never figured I would have to pay later for all that humping, running and jumping fun! Thanks for the scoop and advice.
 

Boulder County Obstetrics:

Dr. Lorri J Fulkerson, M.D.
Boulderorthopedics.com

She is amazing! Performs acl reconstructions on female CU athletes.

Dr. Fulkerson could point you in the direction for an excellent knee replacement physician if she doesn't excel in this area, too.

Patti in Longmont
 

Hey, Gunny. There are options to joint replacement surgery. If you haven't already, please take a serious look at Pete Egoscue's stuff ( www.egoscue.com ). Pete has published several books about rehabbing your own body. "Pain Free" is available at virtually any bookstore. He has a network of PT facilities around the country; there's a very good one in Broomfield. He does a nationwide call-in show on Saturday mornings. You can call in, listen, or download podcasts from old shows.

He's the real thing. My mother and ex-girlfriend have called into his show and both got excellent results. Pete is an ex-marine who has been doing this pain-free thing since 1978. His history is in the intro of "Pain Free".

Good luck, Bob.

--phil
 

Gunny,
This may not be much of a help but...

Old friend of my grandfather's had his knees replaced twice. Once in the early 80's then again in the mid-90's. Granted this was in NC & he was born around 1920 or so. he told me a few times that when he was my age that they didn;t have knees & they were greatful for what they did have. :) But he was a tough old guy & liked to walk. Ex-deputy sheriff so I suppose he got the habit from his beat walking days. Anyway he wa slaid up a few weeks the first time then rehab for a few months & he was fine after that. Never failed to see him walking up to my grandfather's store (a few hundred yards away from his house) about 30 minutes before the Braves were scheduled to get their a...er, I mean play. :D He got the second set in the 90's cause he walked so much he wore the first replacement knees plum out.

All that's to say that you should be able to get around fine. I'm sure they have slightly better "knees" & implant technicques by now (not that I generally trust doctors).

Course (& I gotta lay in a cheap shot somewhere) with you used to that poodle-shooter I can understand the concern - having to hop around & dodge fire for the few minutes it takes for them to bleed out plus getting close enough to make a hit. Now if you get hold of a nice Garand you can just lounge back at 600 & not worry about your knees at all. :P

(exits in a zig zagging run)
 

Patti:

I used to be an athlete. Does that count?
 

Bonz:

Cool scoop! Thank you. I will check him out for sure.

Good thing pain builds character...
 

Pub:

My weapons, although not Garands, are just fine, thank you very much. You can ask all the critters I whacked in Namibia last month.

Nyuk, nyuk, nyuk.
 

Gunny: I had a Stryker Unicondular (partial single knuckle) knee system accomplished by Kaiser 18 months ago at age 72. It is amazing how good I feel & walk today. With this procedure I was only in hospital for 36 hrs and was walking with a cane the 3rd day and driving in 2 weeks. I was told that I couldn't hurt it by weight bearing. Also the only pain medication was a couple of tynenol after coming home. Granted this procedure is less tramatic than a full replacement. I have full range of motion with no restiction. The only thing they suggest is that I stay away from high impact sports but that is not to hard at this age. My system was manufactured by Stryker for info go to:
http://www.stryker.com/jointreplacements/medprof/
Don
 

Don:

Man, that IS a quick turnaround time. I must check into that. Why does it take so long to drive though?
 

Gunny:Because they are more concerned with your ability to react in case of an emergency.
 

Gunny, I have had a total knee replacement about 1 1/2 years ago. I was 49 when I had this done. Generally you want to wait as long as practical prior to knee replacement surgery. There is an estimated 10 - 20 year life of the replacement, dependant on many factors. I used Dr. Feign, in Colorado Springs, even though I live in the Denver area. He is in a practice called Front Range Orthopaedics. My father-in-law used to be in that practice, and they do a great job. I have had good luck with my replacement so far. There are also different types of the joints that can be used. Some of the older patients may have implants that were glued onto the bone. These patients are able to walk on them a few days after surgery. Since I am a younger patient, like you are, I had a different type of joint put in, but one where no glue is used and the bone is given a chance to grow onto the rough surface of the implant. This is 'supposed' to be more stable over a longer period of time compared to the glued ones. Down side is that you cannot bear weight on the joint for about 6 -8 weeks. I am not sure how they would do bi-lateral knee replacements doing this type of implant. Talk to several doctors and get some options. Good Luck on the process!!
 

GUNNY ; I,M 43, AND THE DOC TOLD ME LAST MONTH I MAY NEED A HIP REPLACEMENT IN MAYBE 10 YRS IF I TAKE CARE OF IT. YOUR RIGHT ABOUT RUNNING WITH PACKS , AND JUMPING. BUT I THINK THE WORST THING WAS RUNNING IN THEM DAMN CORCORANS OVER THE HILLS AND DALES.AT LEAST NOW THE QUALITY OF TACTICAL BOOTS HAVE GREATLY IMPROVED. IT DID,NT HELP EITHER, CRASHNG INTO THEM DAMN SPRUCE TREES ON THOSE CURSED NIGHT JUMPS EITHER!!!! I,M STILL WORKING ON OUR BIRD HUNT THIS FALL . HOPEFULLY THINGS SLOW DOWN AND I CAN ORGANIZE IT.
 

Bob,
I am ex-Navy and had the VA pay for a knee replacement 13 yrs ago when I was 43. The key is getting a surgeon that does a lot of knee replacements and has some good references. Talk to some of the doc's victims. My doc was Dr. Hess in Aurora. The knee has worked out great. I have made some accomodations..no jogging, carrying only 30 lb or less. I still do firefighting and hiking. Before the replacement I basically could not walk.