Cycling after a TKR (Total Knee Replacement)
Yes, I already searched this topic, but wanted to start a fresh thread on it. My cranky ass right knee has been sustained with stretching, ice, and Synvisc (today I'm having the third shot of the latest round of shots) but osteoarthritis is a degenerative condition and I fear I am sailing towards a knee replacement. My knee surgeon, Larry Livingston (Montvale, NJ) is the best, he's operated on my right knee twice (in the 1980's). He says his TKR's can get 130º+ range of motion. I believe what he tells me, I've known him for almost 25 years.
What's it like cycling after this? Could I ride 10K+ miles annually? Could I ride hard (i.e., TT's, races, etc.)? He seems to think so, I am skeptical.
In any case I hope to put this off for another couple of years, and hoping the Synvisc will kick in, it probably will. Larry seems to think I can be sustained with what I'm doing now until age 60+ (I just turned 53), or that I may never need a TKR. My knee is starting to hurt at times, in addition to the stiffness, so that's not a great sign.
I do know that TKR success is highly dependent on the rehab phase and how aggressively you approach physical therapy. My guess is that I'm considerably more athletic than 95+% of TKR subjects, and my motivation to get this knee working would be much higher than most of those patients.