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knee replacement and windsurfing
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Windreamer



Joined: 07 Jun 2000
Posts: 15

PostPosted: Sun Jul 05, 2015 11:34 am    Post subject: knee replacement and windsurfing Reply with quote

Does anyone know someone who has had a total knee replacement and either continued to windsurf or had to stop windsurfing because of it? Or any orthopedic surgeons who also windsurf that could weigh in with advice on this?
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nw30



Joined: 21 Dec 2008
Posts: 6485
Location: The eye of the universe, Cen. Cal. coast

PostPosted: Sun Jul 05, 2015 12:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Excellent question!!!!
I will be keeping my eye on this thread for any direct answers, but I can offer this indirect opinion/experience of mine.

I had my knee operated on about 35 years ago, removed most of my medial meniscus, the doc said you'd get back to about 85%. He was right, but that was awhile back, what's left of my meniscus is about all worn off now, I'm now close to bone to bone, if not already there. However I'm still out there in the waves windsurfing as long as the wind is blowing, and I have very little problem with it, I just don't jump like I used to. When windsurfing I keep my knees bent and flexible absorbing the sock in the process, you can see what chop is coming so there really aren't any surprises, just paying closer attention. Where I do have a problem is with running and my SUPing. Standing there paddling seems to grind both my knees, and spending any time on my knees is not nice anymore, and there is no unweighting while SUPing like there is with Wsurfing, so I can't SUP for very long. With Wsurfing, your front foot is actually pressing up in the foot strap more than down on the board, and when my bad knee is in the rear I make sure my knee is inline with my foot and ankle so the leg isn't twisted. Because the wind seems to be pulling you up off the board, I can stay out there 2 hours easy riding waves and being in wind from 5.2 to 3.7, no problem. I don't see myself having to give up Wsurfing anytime soon, my bad knee is keeping up with the rest of my body, but I may have to hang up my paddle in the near future, and no more running. I've also been wearing a neoprene knee brace/sleeve (no hardware) under my wetsuit for about 20 years now, it really helps.
But with all that being said, I do see a knee replacement in my future, and I've been holding off because I don't want to interrupt my Wsurfing addiction, if not ruining it all together. But would it? I have no idea.
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manuel



Joined: 08 Oct 2007
Posts: 1158

PostPosted: Sun Jul 05, 2015 12:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Tore mine to pieces landing a big ski jump on ice. Ripped out acl, lateral, meniscus and had bone damage.
At the time, 20 years ago, surgeon put me in a cast for... 2 months! Did some exercises while in the cast to keep as much muscle. Then worked hard to gain strength back. No surgery.

Skied again, snowboarded, played tennis, basketball, squatted 365lbs (I was 175lbs) a couple of times, leg pressed up to 780lbs. And finally windsurfed tons. The hardest thing for me to do was crouching down all the way. It always hurt a little.

I cannot crouch down on the hurt leg alone balancing, while I can on the other one.

The only time my knee bothered me windsurfing is landing big jumps as here in Cabarete the rear landing leg is my bad one! Otherwise, I find the sport a lot milder on joints than others.

So I lived ACL-less for a long time and while it occasionally hurt, it's never limited my windsurfing commitment. Now with another sprain, we'll see how things turn out.

The question is why replace it? What are the symptoms? What's the progress with exercises? Mine would most likely be more stable with a fabricated ACL but so long as it doesn't hurt after exercising and doesn't hinder the activity (up to a satisfying percentage).

I'm also interested in seeing how many people are satisfied with their surgery especially if they waited and not did it right away after their injury.

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cgoudie1



Joined: 10 Apr 2006
Posts: 2597
Location: Killer Sturgeon Cove

PostPosted: Sun Jul 05, 2015 3:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I also destroyed an ACL skiing. It never "hurt" not even during
the "accident", and certainly not until after the surgery to repair it.
It wasn't pain that drove me to the repair, it was the instability of my
knee, which really did weird things going down any slope in any way.
I had it repaired after a couple of weeks (as I recall, this was 35 years
ago), and I've never regretted it, it probably kept me in the
performance sports game. Not sure how it would work after years of
use with out an ACL.

To the OP. I sail with a ripp'n good women, who has had a full knee
replacement, and her comment to me is as follows. Wait as long as
you can to have it done, but don't be afraid to do it. She's here in the Gorge
for the summer, and she rips from 3.2 to 6.2 on that steel knee. Her
biggest complaint now is that it clicks. She thinks she'll get the other one
done when it's time. Not say'n you'll rip afterwards, just say'n it's possible.

-Craig


manuel wrote:
Tore mine to pieces landing a big ski jump on ice. Ripped out acl, lateral, meniscus and had bone damage.
At the time, 20 years ago, surgeon put me in a cast for... 2 months! Did some exercises while in the cast to keep as much muscle. Then worked hard to gain strength back. No surgery.

Skied again, snowboarded, played tennis, basketball, squatted 365lbs (I was 175lbs) a couple of times, leg pressed up to 780lbs. And finally windsurfed tons. The hardest thing for me to do was crouching down all the way. It always hurt a little.

I cannot crouch down on the hurt leg alone balancing, while I can on the other one.

The only time my knee bothered me windsurfing is landing big jumps as here in Cabarete the rear landing leg is my bad one! Otherwise, I find the sport a lot milder on joints than others.

So I lived ACL-less for a long time and while it occasionally hurt, it's never limited my windsurfing commitment. Now with another sprain, we'll see how things turn out.

The question is why replace it? What are the symptoms? What's the progress with exercises? Mine would most likely be more stable with a fabricated ACL but so long as it doesn't hurt after exercising and doesn't hinder the activity (up to a satisfying percentage).

I'm also interested in seeing how many people are satisfied with their surgery especially if they waited and not did it right away after their injury.
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isobars



Joined: 12 Dec 1999
Posts: 20935

PostPosted: Sun Jul 05, 2015 4:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

nw30 wrote:
Where I do have a problem is with running.

What's your answer to the obvious question about THAT, especially considering the countless other exercises available? Very Happy
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nw30



Joined: 21 Dec 2008
Posts: 6485
Location: The eye of the universe, Cen. Cal. coast

PostPosted: Sun Jul 05, 2015 5:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I quit running long ago, really no need for it.
If I need some cardio, and the weather sucks, I jump on the rowing machine, I can row for an hour to some good music no problem. It's a full body workout with no impact.
If the weather is good, I bike it or surf it.
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isobars



Joined: 12 Dec 1999
Posts: 20935

PostPosted: Sun Jul 05, 2015 7:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

nw30 wrote:
I can row for an hour to some good music no problem ...

I presume you know you'd get FAR greater benefit AND do less harm by doing a few minutes of intervals -- increasingly more important the older we get -- rather than hours of LSD. Based on a lot of research and great results, it takes me longer to get into and out of the Concept 2 footstraps and fire up the screen than it does to complete a flat-out sprint. A few more such sprints on that and/or a variety of other toys and my aerobic/anaerobic/cardiovascular workout is done for that week except for maybe a 4-minute Tabata a few days later if we get no wind. Anything slower I may do that week is part of getting ready for bed to help me sleep better.

My most recent BP was 96/59 with a pulse of 53 one minute after walking into the exam room.
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manuel



Joined: 08 Oct 2007
Posts: 1158

PostPosted: Sun Jul 05, 2015 9:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yeah every knee is different. Mine never felt unstable, just hurt sometimes.

The surgeon told me that if it doesn't bother you then no need to see him. I wasn't professionally doing sports at the time.

The thing is sometimes it's best to strengthen the knee so in case of a repeat it's not as bad.

When I blew my knee skiing, one black ice both my skiis went apart, my bindings were tight as hell (mogul skier) and never opened, my left knee folded on the inside a good 90deg (caught on video), and I face planted. It didn't hurt much, it felt breaking the bone off of a chicken leg. I couldn't put weight on it.

Came the ride home and the night, wow, couldn't sleep, hurt like hell, swelled up like a melon.

This time, I have some minor swelling, the front of the knee hurts but it's still feels stable. Heck, I was like I could go on the water now.

It your knee doesn't "work" right now though and you've tried PT then surgery might be the only option to get on the water. There's PT but also gear and technique. Make sure the board is good on chop, maybe more volume, smaller fins, nice soft sail. Whatever to make windsurfing more enjoyable.

As far as surgery is concerned, it's nice to get someone with lots of experience fixing the same problem you have.

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nw30



Joined: 21 Dec 2008
Posts: 6485
Location: The eye of the universe, Cen. Cal. coast

PostPosted: Mon Jul 06, 2015 11:54 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

isobars wrote:
nw30 wrote:
I can row for an hour to some good music no problem ...

I presume you know you'd get FAR greater benefit AND do less harm by doing a few minutes of intervals -- increasingly more important the older we get -- rather than hours of LSD.

I'm just going to wait for an answer to the original OP question, rather than provide anymore info about myself. You'll just find something wrong with it by assuming something not intended,,,,,,,, I don't row as long as I can.
Out.
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jeffdoc54



Joined: 10 Apr 2000
Posts: 2

PostPosted: Mon Jul 06, 2015 12:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

If you have cartilage left consider bone marrow stem cell treatment injections or ammnionic membrane injections. Expensive, cash pay, but all the athletes are doing it. Your surgeon will not tell you about it.
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