How Strong Are Your Knees?

As a baby boomer and avid tennis player, I have seen many people experience knee problems. Some of them receive cortisone injections, others spend weeks doing physical therapy, some go on a diet to lose those extra pounds, and others opt in for surgery. One of my tennis idols, a competitive tennis player still traveling around the country to play in national USTA tournaments in her 90's, Billie Burr, once shared with me that she had undergone two hip replacements and one knee replacement. And she still continues to play competitive tennis.

As a former professor of health and physical education, many of my colleagues were professional athletes: basketball players, dancers, fencing and tennis pros. They put more than average stress upon their knee joints and eventually, in their 40's or 50's, opted to undergo arthrocscopic surgery to repair a torn ligaments. Shortly after the surgery, they appeared to feel almost as good a s new, back to their sports and enjoying their pain-free movement.

However, an increasing number of baby boomers are now choosing partial or complete knee replacements at an early age. When knee replacement surgery was first introduced, it was designed for elderly patients with a fairly restricted lifestyle who would not add undue stress to their joints after the surgery. But the new wave of knee replacement patients are often athletic and determined to continue participating in sports indefinitely.

Knee replacement surgeries are wonderful, when they are successful. But if a problem occurs, even years later and a second surgery is required, there is a serious risk of potential complications. Infections occur in about 2 % of the cases and dangerous blood clots can occur.

Therefore, it is not advisable to have a keen replacement surgery unless the symptoms are severe and you have tried all other options: rest and relaxation, medication to alleviate the pain, cortisone shots, physical therapy, loss of excess pounds to put less pressure on the joints, and body therapies to balance the energetic system and relax the neuromuscular patterns in your body.

After having attempted all of the above remedial measures, if the pain is still intense, then first consider the less invasive arthrosocopic surgery to repair any damaged ligaments. The next option is a partial knee replacement if the damage is only to a small area on the knee. Finally, if all else fails, have the complete knee replacement surgery with the knowledge and understanding that your activities may be limited afterward.

Recovery from a complete knee replacement surgery depends upon many factors, especially your willingness to do faithfully do the required exercises, to eat better, keep your weight down and rest more often. If you are determined to return to an active lifestyle, you may be one of the lucky ones with no further consequences. However, it is essential to monitor the sensations in your knee and cease any activity that brings back that twinge of pain.

How strong are YOUR knees? Better to think about that now, before they become weak and compromised. Keep your thigh muscles, abdominal muscles and back muscles strong and keep you body balanced and in alignment to prevent undue stress upon your knee joints.