Need encouragement for upcoming knee replacement

[OakLeaf]

My mom had both knees done a little over two years ago, at age 70. She doesn't regret it for a second.

+1 to what Zen said. Don't be shy about taking your pain meds, and if they give you side effects you can't tolerate, ask your doctor to try something different. PT will hurt like @#$@%, but it will make all the difference in whether your surgery is successful.

My mom was never a cyclist, but she's been a birder for many years, and had her knees done because she couldn't climb trees any more. She's back at it (although I'm not sure her ortho approves ).

Stationary bikes were not part of her PT, actually. Unless your PT is a cyclist who can help you with fit, you'll probably want to have your bike re-fit after you're released from PT. Poor bike fit can cause trouble even in healthy knees, and you'll want to make sure your alignment and range of motion are where they should be - and they probably won't be the same as they were before your surgery.



PS to Trek... you obviously get better advice than I do but I will say that all the PTs told my mom that most people put off arthroplasties much too long. If someone waits until they're near-immobilized by pain, then their muscles become deconditioned, and recovery is much, much more complicated. My mom, on the other hand - well, let's just say sometimes denial is a workable strategy. She continued to exercise through her pain until she decided it was the pain, not the exercise, she refused to tolerate any more. As a result, her progress through PT was stellar and she's back to climbing trees.