Cycling. Walking. Running. Tennis. What activities can you return to after knee replacement and what should you avoid? Alex Dodds, knee consultant for Cheltenham, Gloucester and the Cotswolds, explains.
*photo courtesy of Daxiao Productions via shutterstock
It’s important to separate running from the other activities in the above list, so let’s deal with that first. It’s not ok to run after a knee replacement.
To clarify, you’ll be fine dashing 20 yards to catch a bus or to jog across the road to get out of the way of an oncoming vehicle. Yet despite the fact that you will occasionally meet people who’ve gone marathon or fell running after their knee replacement, running any significant distance on a knee implant isn’t a good idea.
That’s because a knee implant is a mechanical device and as we all know from experience, anything mechanical that’s subject to impact will gradually loosen and wear. That’s as true for your knee as it is for your car.
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Cycling, walking and tennis with a knee implant
Things are rather different for cycling, walking and low impact tennis. Walking is actively good for knee joints. Cycling should be fine because the knee isn’t subject to the same impact forces that occur when your feet pound a pavement, track, trail or treadmill. And social tennis (a relatively sedate doubles match, for example) will be fine although an energetic singles game should be avoided.
What happens when a knee implant loosens?
If you’re a committed runner, you might feel the risk is worth it. After all, if your joint loosens, your Gloucestershire knee surgeon can always tighten things up again, can’t they?
But this is only true to a point. Yes, an issue with an implant can be addressed via revision surgery, but revision surgery isn’t the same as switching out the shock absorbers on your car. The best knee is the one you’re born with. The best knee implant is the original one. A revised implant will never function quite as well. In addition, the revision will involve more surgery to a joint that has suffered more trauma (because of the impact caused by running), and any surgery involves a degree of risk that you may avoid entirely if you look after the joint.
Keep the impact low by avoiding running and other damaging activities, and you can expect your knee replacement to last many years.
To explore options for your hip or knee replacement, book your appointment at my Costwold knee clinic now or call 01242 246549.