Yes! There is riding again after knee replacements! I am 54, female, & had both knees replaced (at the same time) last summer (July 2). Recovery has been slow and even painful at times, but I was VERY excited to finally ride outside. Here in upstate SC, we had temperatures in the lower 70's over the weekend, and I decided to give it a go. It felt wonderful to be on the road with the wind in my face. I knew I had missed riding; I just didn't realize how much.

Congratulations on getting back on the bike.

How do the knees feel today?

rhawkins,

Congratulations on your return to the saddle.

In 1995 I had surgery to repair a torn ACL in my left knee.
I spent a bunch of time at PT post surgery.
I met several knee replacement patients.
It seemed to me that knee replacement was easier to rehab from than ACL repair, which makes no sense to me.

The stair climber machine brought me back the last 10-15%.

Jeff, still fat

Came across a rider last year on the stiffest part of a long hill. I was surprised I actually overtook someone- it is not a hill for the weak. As I passed him- I looked and he was struggling a bit but he was older than me and riding a bike 20lbs heavier and with knobbly tyres.

Waited at the top to make certain he was OK and on chatting- He was getting his last ride in before having the right knee replaced. His left knee replacement was about 18months old and worked well so he was getting the right one done. And he was the same age as me- It's just that the hill made him look old. Now I know why I get pitifull looks from the 20year olds that pass me while they are in the big ring.

Wonder what the average down time is when one has a knee replacement.? I'd hope well under half a year. I fear for my future. Hope it will be a long way off. After running for years, my right knee feels some what creaky.

My wife has fully recovered from knee replacement at 70, waling several miles per day, bicycling, etc. Recovery time varies with the type of procedure (minimally invasive, for example), and especially the kind of shape the person is in BEFORE the knee replacement, and how good the person follows the after-replacement regimen.

My wife's leg was in great shape prior to the surgery. Makes things much easier.

Blues dog- they feel pretty darn good today. My hamstrings are a little tight, but that is the only difference I notice.

Cycle zealot- I was a runner when I was in my 20's. I think that my daily started the downhill slope for my knees. Things started to get bad in 2001, but I gimped along until last summer when I decided I had all I could take when I couldn't even walk a block to the beach on our family vacation.
After the surgery, the doctor and the physical therapist told me that it takes a full year for complete recovery. Considering that I was on a walker for 4 weeks and on a cane for another six weeks after that, I think that bike riding at 7 months is great!

Denver Fox- congratulations to your wife! My knees were too far gone to have anything but total knee replacements (the kind where they saw the old knee out and replace the whole she-bang with titanium. I had gotten very bowlegged from the arthritis so the ligaments were under quite a bit of stress. I had 3 months of physical therapy and I continue to work out at the YMCA daily. Considering that I walk quicker and with less pain than I did before the surgery, I already say that the surgery was a big success.

I am a happy girl (old fart-ess!) today!
Becky

I had my knee replacements and spent ten miserable days in hospital. My recovery wasn't that good ... so I started a tunnel and then they let me out. The day after I got out I hired one of those indoor cycling machines. I couldn't even get my knees to turn over so I sat in a chair behind it to get things going again. Five days after release I was on the bike. Wasn't so funny when I drove into my grape vines. However, the next day I went around our block. The day after twice, then five times and then back on the road.

Cheers

Rob

Yes, my wife had a total knee replacement (the kind as you describe above) but using the "minimally invasive" technique where they do not cut so many muscles, and actually do the replacement from the opposite side for entry (as I understand it). Minimally invasive leads to quicker recovery.

I had my right knee replaced two years ago. It is now my good knee. The important thing is doing the post-op exercises and getting the physical therapy. My knee is still getting stronger. I run about two gears higher on the hills on my commute than a year ago. Still working and riding to work at 66. My other knee has moderate arthritis that flares up if I don't ride about 3-4 times a week. If I ride, it feels pretty good.

I had both knees replaced in November of '07 when I was 52. (I joke that I had a "bogo" deal.) Not a problem riding the bike---I commute to school, and since I live near Cleveland's Metroparks, I ride quite a bit there during the seasons. Rehab was a reall bit@#, though---I worked and worked on those knees---my final rehab was in the last week of March of '08---I was umpiring a HS baseball game three days later.

I have Stryker Triathlons now...and, while I cannot ref college hoops or football anymore, at least I am enjoying my time back in the saddle.

This summer I hope to ride from Pittsburg to DC.

Tim C.