Hiking with artifical joints

[Gramps]

Looking for someone who has had extensive hiking experiences after having knee or hip replacement surgery. I'm just looking for some general information about how long before you returned to the trail, did you have any special issues or take any special precautions, your age, etc.

[-Rush-]

No extensive experience, but I hiked with a guy who had a lot of titanium in his knee from multiple surgeries. He was fast and it didn't seem to bother him. He was 28 years old.

[Hosh]

I have a ceramic on ceramic replacement right hip joint done in 2007. It was done posterior and I was restricted to zero weight on my right leg for 6 weeks because the titanium stake was not glued. The muscles atrophied alot and rehab was pretty long. I am currently 62 and I hike, down hill ski, cycle, golf, fly fish and snow shoe.

It took 12 months before I was backpacking or skiing. I go to a gym 4 - 5 times a week and focus on exercises that strengthen my gluts, hammys, and quads.

The new anterior method is much less invasive and the rehab is much easier.

[Gramps]

I had mine done almost 4 weeks ago. Posterior, no glue used, but only the usual restrictions- no leg-crossing, no toe in, no 90 degrees and no pivot. At my 3-week check-up, the surgeon lifted all my restrictions. I'm up to a mile a day walking with a cane and no pain. A little when I don't use my cane for a few steps. Outside the PT exercises, I've started back with water aerobics and will begin working with the Nu-Step machine this week. That is the fitness instructor's and my surgeon's recommendations. I will wait a while before attempting even minimal hiking activity. I'm 62 also.

[Greenlight]

There was a thread on here a couple weeks ago on this topic, and someone stated that some of the latest hardware comes with replacement wear parts - it's like getting a brake job done on yourself, and when the pads wear down, they just go in arthroscopically and replace 'em. How cool is that? I love living in the 21st century.

[Hosh]

The logic to not glue the titanium was it could be replaced easier and was done because I was in my fifties. I visit my surgeon once a year and get an x-ray done. The surgeon also recommended ceramic stating that it was the least intrusive and could be processed easiest by your body.

BTW, my grandparents had a place on Flatrock river when I was a kid. Leaving Thursday to watch the 100th running of the Indy 500.

[Hosh]

I had mine done almost 4 weeks ago. Posterior, no glue used, but only the usual restrictions- no leg-crossing, no toe in, no 90 degrees and no pivot. At my 3-week check-up, the surgeon lifted all my restrictions. I'm up to a mile a day walking with a cane and no pain. A little when I don't use my cane for a few steps. Outside the PT exercises, I've started back with water aerobics and will begin working with the Nu-Step machine this week. That is the fitness instructor's and my surgeon's recommendations. I will wait a while before attempting even minimal hiking activity. I'm 62 also.

My favorite and best rehab was flyfishing in creeks and rivers. Walking on even surfaces with limited vision really got the nervous system and muscles working.

[Spirit Walker]

My husband had a total knee replacement in November of 2008 at the age of 69. In May of 2009 we were on the PCT. We hiked about 250 miles before his other knee started giving him problems (torn meniscus). We did some hiking that summer after surgery, but no more backpacking. The following year we managed about 500 miles of backpacking before his titanium knee started swelling and filling with fluid. The doctors never did figure out what was wrong, but bottom line was that pretty much ended our backpacking. We do short hikes now and we walk the dog a couple of miles every day, but that's it.

[Timberwolf22]

I have had both hips replaced. Since the surgeries I have ridden my bike from Seattle to DC and from Seattle to San Diego. I also have section hiked from Springer to NY/Conn border. We are teachers and can only do 40 days at a year. We will be starting our next section in June.
I was lucky to get the best surgeon in Washington. I have had no issues but I use poles and sleep in a hamock.
I am 59 years old and pretty active.
My suggestion would be to listen to your body and dont race, keep it as stress free as you can.
hope that helps

[Patrickjd9]

I love living in the 21st century.

I still have all my original joints, but I have to agree. What's not to like about a reasonable shot at self-driving cars by the time I can't drive any more? Just hoping my knees last until I can get lab-grown replacements for the cartilage.

https://wexnermedical.osu.edu/mediar...ents-own-cells

[bstiffler]

A co worker had essentially the same thing done with stem cells harvested from his blood. He seems to being doing pretty well afterward.

[~Dynamite~]

I'm a 60 year old woman and had both knees replaced in 2012. I have really lost condition in the years since and am presently working again on my fitness level. I'm planning to hike the AT starting at Springer in March of 2017 and plan to go as many miles as I can. All if possible. I will be very slow and deliberate.