ASK THE EXPERT - How young is too young for knee replacements?

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s Hopkins Arthritis

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Last update: 10:27 AM Monday, October 15, 2007

How young is too young for knee replacements?

Question:

How young can a patient be to get knee replacement. i was in a car

accident with a drunk driver 14 yrs ago. i've had authroscopic surgury

done on both knees 3 times at the same time(healing is better that

way), cortisone shotes, therapy 3 times, predisone package, and now

synvisc. i am now 41 and the pain is worse. they tell me that i'm too

young for knee replacement because i would use them up too fast. my

thoughts are " why " ? why cant i get the necessary use out of them. if a

70 yr old person can get very minimal use out of them then why cant i

get the most out of them. please give me some insight. thanks

Answer:

These are good questions that would be best discussed with an

orthopedic surgeon. However, in general, it is true that waiting for

a first knee replacement until older age is the best course. But many

individuals with severe hip or knee pain cannot wait that long. For

example, a number of adults with rheumatoid arthritis have joint

replacements in their 20s and 30s. If the pain is severe and the

joint is end-stage (bone on bone), then proceeding with a joint

replacement may be the only realistic option. Not being able to

exercise and walk for 5-10 years while waiting for the ripe age at

which you can have a joint replacement isn't good for your heart or

muscles either. Life is full of trade-offs. One must realize,

though, that if the first knee or hip replacement is at age 41, then

will be a few more down the road and there may come a time when

another cannot be done. At that point, the patient may again become

completely disabled but at least you have had some good years with

functional knees/hips.

http://www.hopkins-arthritis.org/ask-the-expert/treatment-013003/how-young-is-to\

o-young-for-kne-992.html

Not an MD

[Guest guest]

,

Thank you so much for posting all the knee articles. This one really sums

up what I'm feeling which is - Why should I be slowed down by bad knees

now, when I should be 'young and active'? I have 4 kids and it gets really

frustrating not to be able to keep up with them all the time. I'm supposed

to wait until they are all up and grown and away from home to enjoy

mobility??? How much sense does that make?

Looks like I should try to seek a second opinion.

Thanks for your help - You Rock!

Ronda

[Guest guest]

I am finding a lot of things don't make sense, and you would think that it

should because all you have to do is connect the dots, and the dot are right

next to each other! My " don't make sense " issue this month is SSDI and MediCare.

Evidently, after going whole process of receiving the entitlement, which

abosultely confirms you have a disability (that's the whole point) you are not

eligible for MediCare for two years from the time you recieve your benefit. So

essentially, someone who is disabled gets the SSDI or SSI for a medical

condition but does not qualify for health insurance! I am not really sure about

SSI, but I can tell you the Soical Secutiry Department really pushes state

funded Medicaid plans for people on SSI and I sure hope they qualify because so

many people in this position are desperate for some kind of medical insurance. I

do not qualify. It doesn't make sense. And I know as a business operation

medical insurance compnaies are not looking to provide anything for di

sabled people with pre-conditions, that's the last group they want on their

list! Hopefully the new Administration and President Obama can address these

issues soon. A simply policy change would provide health care for thousands and

thereby change their quality of life for the better. I know that health care is

a priority for Mr. Obama (he mentioned it so much throughout the campaign) but I

haven't heard where it falls on his agenda. I trust he will begin work on it

when he can, knowing that everyone has their own priorities and agenda for what

is important to them. Even sorting that out has to be a tough job. God bless

him!

Stan,

Seattle, Snow, fog, clouds.

-------------- Original message --------------

From: " Ronda " <mamaronda@...>

,

Thank you so much for posting all the knee articles. This one really sums

up what I'm feeling which is - Why should I be slowed down by bad knees

now, when I should be 'young and active'? I have 4 kids and it gets really

frustrating not to be able to keep up with them all the time. I'm supposed

to wait until they are all up and grown and away from home to enjoy

mobility??? How much sense does that make?

Looks like I should try to seek a second opinion.

Thanks for your help - You Rock!

Ronda

[Guest guest]

You are very welcome, Ronda.

Good luck. I hope you find someone who can help you.

Not an MD

On Tue, Jan 27, 2009 at 12:30 PM, Ronda <mamaronda@...> wrote:

>

>

> ,

>

> Thank you so much for posting all the knee articles. This one really sums

> up what I'm feeling which is - Why should I be slowed down by bad knees

> now, when I should be 'young and active'? I have 4 kids and it gets really

> frustrating not to be able to keep up with them all the time. I'm supposed

> to wait until they are all up and grown and away from home to enjoy

> mobility??? How much sense does that make?

>

> Looks like I should try to seek a second opinion.

>

> Thanks for your help - You Rock!

>

> Ronda